Business benefits of Web Content Management
Whether you are using a WCMS to manage an Internet, Extranet or Intranet - the business benefits that can be derived from such a solution do of course vary. The suggestions below are by no means an exhaustive list of all the benefits and it would be worth reading the documentation on personalisation, collaboration and portals in combination with the documentation on WCMS as increasingly business benefits can be derived indirectly for these capabilities with the WCMS underpinning them to provide a single solution.
A WCMS enables information to be fresh, consistent & high quality.
- Reduced customer (internal & external) dissatisfaction created by having incorrect information.
- Reduction in legal issues created by displaying incorrect information.
- Increased value perception of the information provided.
- There is a higher likelihood of a customer re-visiting the site.
- Some search engines rank pages that change frequently higher in search results.
A WCMS facilitates the re-use of content
- The re-use of content across multiple web sites or pages creates an enhanced productivity value.
- The re-use of web output to broadcast over e.g. DTV, Mobile Phones, Kiosks creates new audiences.
- The syndication and re-use of content from other suppliers is made easier.
A WCMS enhances productivity and job satisfaction of the web team
- Webmasters can focus on technology and areas such as redesign and functionality.
- A more appropriate use of the web team results in lowered production costs.
- Enables a quick response to changes on competitors web sites.
A WCMS enables decentralised content creation
- This enables global contribution of content and information.
- The 'speed to market' of changes and new content is improved by avoiding the IT bottleneck.
- Content creators/editors are able to take ownership/responsibility for the information they provide.
A WCMS facilitates centralised workflow, approval processes and rules
- Enables decentralised contribution without loss of controlled centralised process.
- Provides and effective audit trail that allows production with accountability.
- Ensures a controlled flow of content around internal processes.
A WCMS provides either a competitive advantage or eliminates a competitive disadvantage
- Increasingly the web site is the window that investors use to evaluate a company.
- A dynamic, changing website creates the impression of a forward thinking company.
- It enables a 'speed-boat' response to changes in the competitive environment.
- Reduced customer (internal & external) dissatisfaction created by having incorrect information.
- Reduction in legal issues created by displaying incorrect information.
- Increased value perception of the information provided.
- There is a higher likelihood of a customer re-visiting the site.
- Some search engines rank pages that change frequently higher in search results.
- The re-use of content across multiple web sites or pages creates an enhanced productivity value.
- The re-use of web output to broadcast over e.g. DTV, Mobile Phones, Kiosks creates new audiences.
- The syndication and re-use of content from other suppliers is made easier.
A WCMS enhances productivity and job satisfaction of the web team
- Webmasters can focus on technology and areas such as redesign and functionality.
- A more appropriate use of the web team results in lowered production costs.
- Enables a quick response to changes on competitors web sites.
A WCMS enables decentralised content creation
- This enables global contribution of content and information.
- The 'speed to market' of changes and new content is improved by avoiding the IT bottleneck.
- Content creators/editors are able to take ownership/responsibility for the information they provide.
A WCMS facilitates centralised workflow, approval processes and rules
- Enables decentralised contribution without loss of controlled centralised process.
- Provides and effective audit trail that allows production with accountability.
- Ensures a controlled flow of content around internal processes.
A WCMS provides either a competitive advantage or eliminates a competitive disadvantage
- Increasingly the web site is the window that investors use to evaluate a company.
- A dynamic, changing website creates the impression of a forward thinking company.
- It enables a 'speed-boat' response to changes in the competitive environment.
- Webmasters can focus on technology and areas such as redesign and functionality.
- A more appropriate use of the web team results in lowered production costs.
- Enables a quick response to changes on competitors web sites.
- This enables global contribution of content and information.
- The 'speed to market' of changes and new content is improved by avoiding the IT bottleneck.
- Content creators/editors are able to take ownership/responsibility for the information they provide.
A WCMS facilitates centralised workflow, approval processes and rules
- Enables decentralised contribution without loss of controlled centralised process.
- Provides and effective audit trail that allows production with accountability.
- Ensures a controlled flow of content around internal processes.
A WCMS provides either a competitive advantage or eliminates a competitive disadvantage
- Increasingly the web site is the window that investors use to evaluate a company.
- A dynamic, changing website creates the impression of a forward thinking company.
- It enables a 'speed-boat' response to changes in the competitive environment.
- Enables decentralised contribution without loss of controlled centralised process.
- Provides and effective audit trail that allows production with accountability.
- Ensures a controlled flow of content around internal processes.
- Increasingly the web site is the window that investors use to evaluate a company.
- A dynamic, changing website creates the impression of a forward thinking company.
- It enables a 'speed-boat' response to changes in the competitive environment.
Further Reading
Generic information that assists with understanding the benefits of content management
- Benefits of a Web Content Management System
- Personalisation of Web Content
- Web Content Management and Portals
- Gartner 2011 WCM Magic Quadrant
- Gartner 2010 WCM Magic Quadrant
- Gartner 2009 WCM Magic Quadrant
- Forrester Wave WCM for external sites 2011
- Forrester Wave WCM for external sites 2009
- Forrester Wave WCM for external sites 2007