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Content Management for Your Site
Content Management, or Grabbing Your Mouse by the Horns
by Seth Klapman
Brochures have been around a long time. When they're attractive, relevant and at hand, they can effectively - and cheaply - introduce a business and its offerings. But honestly, how often do you reread them? Having served its original purpose, a brochure's destined for the recycling box.
Likewise, a decent, static Web site can attract eyeballs, intro offerings, and provide contact info and calls to action. Once. Maybe even twice. But unless your viewers are hungry - and there's a buffet of tantalizing content so rich they can't digest it all at once - what compels their return?
One answer is copious and compelling content. Take the stupendous popularity of online video: Net analyst comScore reports that in May, 75% of U.S. Internet users watched an average of two videos a day, totaling 8.3 billion videos. Now that's return traffic!
Though you likely lack YouTube's resources (i.e. millions of contributors, armies of techs and the almighty Google's marketing pull), you can nevertheless likewise rely on a Content Management System to keep fresh, filtered and flowing.
A CMS is software that lets you add, edit or delete content on your Web site without requiring any technical knowledge. If you've ever felt like smashing something while waiting for a Webmaster to fix site boo-boos or upload content, you'll welcome the empowerment it affords.
Speaking of affordability, while enterprise-level CMSs cost $50K plus, your ideal CMS may not cost you a dime. (Test drive freebies at www.opensourcecms.com) Do know, however, that integrating a CMS into your existing site likely requires a developer's skill.
Simply put, 'CMS' puts control back into your mouse hand. At the least, you can edit text in specific pages and - click! - immediately publish it live. More flexible CMSs let you format styles, add entire pages and revise navigation at will. The huge range of functionality means the opportunities to transform your site from static "brochure" to dynamic marketing tool are near limitless. Some examples:
Create a community with your site as its focus. Cultivate user loyalty with regular blogs and articles (which, incidentally, generate reams of searchable content, thereby improving your site's 'findability'). Let visitors enroll as members to access extra content and functionality. Let them submit stuff (text, images, video or audio) and rate or comment on others'. Hold regular contests. Host a discussion forum and mediate as much (or as little) as you wish. Provide an internal site search to enable your users to find things easily.
B2B applications, too. Provide downloadable manuals, contracts and templates and save on mailing costs. Provide multi-level pricing based on membership or purchase volume level. Advertise specials up front and centre. Enable online booking. Provide custom Web forms to grow detailed contact lists. Self-publish when the time's right e.g. at critical points in a buying cycle.
Start dreaming what your Web site can do - with yourself in total control. And with your dreams in mind, chat with a competent, knowledgeable developer. While it costs nothing, the insights gained will more than compensate you for your time.
(Adapted from an article printed from 'Business Thompson Okanagan' September '07 publication)
Have you any questions or comments? Can we help you at all with your Internet-based marketing needs? Please contact:
Seth Klapman, Marketing
Acro Media Inc.
103 - 2303 Leckie Road
Kelowna, BC, CANADA
V1X 6Y5
tel: 250.763.8884
fax: 250.763.6936
About Acro Media
Acro Media is a professional Web design company and full service Web marketing firm delivering:
Copyright © 2007 Horseman's U. All rights reserved.
Web design company & Internet marketing firm: Acro Media Inc