How to Rein in an Expanse of Web Content
A lot of our clients are longstanding, large institutions and associations. By the time their sites make it into our hands for a facelift, there are usually anywhere between 2,000 to 100,000 pages of content. They have already had their sites for years, and most of them have had CMS access to the content from the get go. We all know that not having to rely on a Web team for every update to a site puts a client at a great advantage, but what happens when the content added by the client gets out of control?
A well-functioning CMS can be an empowering tool, but in many cases, abuse of this power comes as no surprise. There are often some sets of instructions on how to add content, but hardly ever any plan for review or removal of unnecessary or outdated content. Building a beautiful site with a user-friendly CMS is a great start for a Web team to deliver, but Websites are living things. They differ from print pieces in that they are never packaged up and never complete; because of this inherent difference, the way the content is dealt with needs to be different. If a Web team just hands off a stylish site with a CMS to a client, especially a large client, the result can be an unruly mess. Plans for the content, along with a well-thought-out governance structure, must be in place from the kickoff in order for good content to be created and maintained. Older sites that have already had a life of their own typically need a lot of cleaning house.
Content, Content Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink
When one of our larger clients comes to us seeking help with their content strategy, we do a complete content audit of their site. Once a Website goes live and the client gets their hands on the CMS, a collection of excessive and un-focused content can be posted. Pages and information are often added to the site haphazardly, with no one making sure that the content is placed in a logical location within the site's navigation, that it adheres to the creative goals of the site, and that it is even necessary. When we are assessing sites that have been around for years, we are usually fighting an uphill battle against years of neglected or poorly organized content.
Pages of redundant, inward-facing, uninteresting, overly "markety," or unnecessary content must be sifted through in order for us to get to the meat of the site. We assess the content, chanting the mantra "the content is for the user" and considering our target audience each step of the way. Whether the purpose of the site is to sell, educate, or entertain users, it cannot be forgotten that they are the reason the site exists and that its content must be pertinent or interesting to them.
Everyone Wants to Feel Important!
Our clients' team members usually fall into one of two categories: people that are inspired by an-easy-to-use CMS and excited about participating in the content creation for the site, and people that are scared that participating will take up too much of their time or are unsure about what kind of content they should be adding. Empowering staff members to add content and giving them a clear set of guidelines for doing so can lead to a vibrant site that can bring the real social aspect of a community to life on the Web.
People who are desirable candidates for participating in content creation, typically those that are already generating content on their own via blogs or social networking, should know that they are expected or encouraged to generate content. Likewise, they should know where to turn with questions and what the expectations and guidelines are for the types of content they should be adding. One often-fruitful way to get rich content on your site without putting too much pressure on team members is to set up easy-to-update places for media such as photos and videos.
What are the Ingredients for Good Content?
The purpose of a Website is to be clear, easy to read, and interesting to the user; it should always be useful and never overly verbose or filled with useless information. A client cannot allow internal terminology or internal hierarchies to inhibit the users' ability to understand the content. The Website is not a place to represent any one individual's agenda. The Website is to be seen with a holistic approach, and one entity, be that an individual or a team, has to be in charge of reining in the content and its creators.
When we are auditing large sites we have to stop and examine each bit of content, asking ourselves at each step:
- Is it useful?
- Is it public-facing information?
- Is the content easily understood?
- Is it easy to scan quickly?
- Is the content laid out with well-structured HTML?
- Does it make use of sub-headlines and lists, allowing the reader to grasp the topics covered at a glance?
- Can it be found in a logical place by a user that is searching for it?
- Can it be brought to the attention of the user that needs to see it and doesn't know to search for it?
- Is there enough content to warrant a full page?
- Is there too much content?
- Is it outdated?
- Is it redundant?
- Is it interesting or necessary? (It must be one or the either, or it should be deleted!)
- Are there any gaps in the content?
Content that doesn't meet our criteria is left on the cutting room floor.
Starting from the Ground Up
Once we have combed through a client's content, or in the case of clients who are starting fresh, we set up a strategy for who will be in charge and what their goals will be. Obviously these goals are different for each of our clients, but the overall goal is always the same: to keep the user clicking around and reading and to eventually move them to take some sort of action, whether that be applying for admission, getting in touch, donating money, etc.
The team left in charge of the new content from that point forward must keep these content strategies in mind. They can never lose sight of the goals or lose sight of the level of quality the content needs to achieve. Processes for editorial review and consistency review must be instituted, and the governance structure must be planned in such a way that the content workflow does not create bottlenecks. The team must be held accountable for the content and oversee those allowed to add content, ensuring that everyone involved in content creation is informed about the goals of the site and their role as a participant. Keeping an online, easy-to-access reference can greatly aid in ensuring that potential content generators are in the loop.
It is our goal as a Web team to be sure that the site and strategy we provide for our client's content can grow with them and never limit them. But we also have to be cognizant of the reality of the level and frequency at which our clients are going to be able to generate content.
In the end, creating good Web content is a never-ending balancing act, but with the appropriate tools and systems in place, content creation and maintenance by a team can pay off tremendously, allowing clients to use their content to reinforce their brand and breathe life into their Web presence, instead of the old-school way of relying on a horde of stodgy brochureware.