This document provides an overview of web content management. It defines key terms like content, data, information and discusses the differences between content management and web content management. It explains what a content management system and web content management system are and how they help manage the life cycle of web content. Some advantages and disadvantages of using a WCMS are also highlighted. Popular open source WCMS like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal are also mentioned.

1. WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT
Smita Chandra
Librarian
Indian Institute of Geomagnetism
smitac@iigs.iigm.res.in

2. UNDERSTANDING CONTENT
 What is „Content‟
 How is „Content‟ different from „Data‟ and
„Information‟ ?
 How is content managed ?
 What is Content Management
 What is Web Content Management

3. WHAT IS DATA ?
 “…facts or information used in deciding or
discussing…”. Source : The Oxford Dictionary
 “…any form of information whether in paper or
electronic form. In electronic form, data refers to files
and databases, text documents, images and digitally
encoded voice and video”. Source : Computer Glossary
 “is a representation of facts in a formalized manner
suitable for some sort of technology system, which is
called a database”. Source : Encyclopedia of Library &
Information Science

4. DATA
 Term appeared in 16th century
 Two types –
 Structured Data : eg. address of a supplier, customer‟s
list, library catalogue, employee list, etc
 Unstructured Data : eg. Letters, proposal, etc
Data are raw and unprocessed unlike information.

5. WHAT IS INFORMATION ?
 “…that portion of the data which impacts our
actions, or if missing, or not available will impact
our actions” Eliyahu M Goldratt
 “It is evidence that exists in many forms including
traditional sources like data, books or
documents, and non-traditional sources like events
and objects.” Tomyia J Tidline
 Information
 Abstract &
 Is independent of its form

6. DATA, INFORMATION & KNOWLEDGE

7. WHAT IS CONTENT ?
 Etymology : „contentum‟ – to contain
„continere‟ – to hold together or enclosed
 Content is data or information embodied
 “things contained in” – Random House Dictionary & the Oxford
Dictionary
 “a list of „preliminaries‟ and chapter headings of a book in
their correct order, or of articles in a periodical, with its
pages on which they begin” – Harrod‟s Glossary & ALA Glossary

8. … CONTINUED
 Literature from 1990‟s takes a broader perspective,
 inclusive of all type of materials (external or internal)
 all types of format (multimedia)
 all data (structured and unstructured)
 “Information made available by an electronic medium or
product” – Microsoft Encarta
 “Subject matter embodied in some definable format
e.g., email messages, spreadsheets, word processing
documents, videos, reports, etc. It is a process which
generates objects like brochures, price
lists, pictures, metadata, etc.” – Today’s Context

9. CONTENT MANAGEMENT
 Content management stands for the management of any
content ranging from data residing offline on a paper, or in
simple Word document to a complex high-volume dynamic
web publishing, whether as e-catalogues or portals.
 “The management of the content by combining
rules, process and/or workflows in such a way that
centralized (technical) and de-centralized (non-technical)
staff can create, edit, manage and publish a variety of
content in accordance with a given framework or
requirements.”

10. ---CONTINUED
 CM process creates, manages and develops content
while maintaining the content separate from its
presentation
 CM integrates traditional Document Management and
Web CM
 CM helps to scale websites and save on the cost of
content change
 CM helps to fill the gap between building the site and
keeping the site‟s content current
 CM helps to provide dynamic, relevant and timely
information
 CM provides access to escalating unstructured data

11. ---CONTINUED
 CM is empowering non-technical content contributors
 CM is removing the burden from the traditional
webmasters
 CM manages content in ways such that the incremental
cost of each update cycle and output production shrinks
dramatically overtime
 CM is Business Management

12.  CM as a concept helps
 Non-technical authors to contribute content
 Organizations to streamline the workflow
 Faster updating and managing of unstructured, dynamic content
embodied in varied formats
 Structured and synthesized delivery of content in the format of
users‟ choice
 Management of both online and offline content

13. CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS)
 A CM „system‟ is a technical environment (hardware
tools, software expertise) that supports the systematic
processing of digital content from authorship to
publication.
 CMS is a tool or combination of tools to facilitate the
efficient and effective production of the desired web
pages using the managed content
 Analogy : difference between CM and CMS is the same
as the difference between Library Management and
Library Management System (LMS)

14. Context Diagram
Web Surfers
Students, Staff
Interested Parties
Directory and Intranet
Security Servers
Services
Web Content
Web Pages
Web Authors Content
Management
System
Template Template
Designers Services Provided :-
 Ease of editing
 Collaborative Authoring
 Standard templates Extranet
Approved Page Servers
Approvers  Backup and Archiving

 Routing and Approval processes
 Version Control
 Metadata Management

15. BENEFITS OF CMS

16. WHAT IS NOT CONTENT MANAGEMENT
 It is NOT a library, archive or museum management or
cataloguing system
 It is NOT word processing or other kinds of files, text or
presentation
 It is NOT multimedia application
 It is NOT authoring tools

17. Content Management

18. Variations Purpose Examples
Enterprise Content It is a formalized means of e.g. Banks use ECM
Management (ECM) organizing and storing an to keep track of
organization's documents, and checks
other content, that relate to the
organization's processes.
Web Content Ensures that complex website e.g. Amazon.com
Management (WCM) content is complete, up-to-date
and properly linked
Digital Document Manages complex document- Management of
Management (DDM) based information so common overlapping and
elements can be reused, and constantly changing
documents can be dynamically information in
assembled for publishing automobile user
manuals
Digital Asset Allow a mass of multi-media Finding artwork for
Management (DAM) electronic content (photos, developing
audio, video, etc) to be stored in advertising creative,
a way that a proper content can archiving news, video
be easily found clips, etc

19. ---CONTINUED
Variations Purpose Examples
Digital Records Ensuring that critical Management of a
Management (DRM) records are secure but required documentation
accessible, and are at a nuclear power plant
deleted when should be.
Business Process Aligns an organizations Human resources,
Management (BPM) business process with finance, customer
the needs of the clients . relations, sales and
marketing and research

20. THE CM SPECTRUM
Data from RDBMS Formatted descriptions Audio/Video, Bitmap files
e.g. lists, tables e.g. letters, proposals e.g.mpeg files, wave files
Highly Structured Unstructured
DRM / DDM CM WCM

21. WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT
 “A set of tasks and processes for managing content
explicitly targeted for publication on the web
throughout its life from creation to archive.” –Ovum
Ltd.
 “Managing content that drives an externally facing
website and facilitating multichannel publishing of
content in digital form. --Gartner

22. COMPARISON BETWEEN CM AND WCM
Content Management Web Content Management
Manages both online & offline content Manages content explicitly created for
web delivery
Input and output of content is in varied Input and output is in the form of „web-
formats document‟
Includes wide range of processes like Core functions viz – loading content to
systems and software to manage central repository, managing the content
content life-cycle, including publishing the
content to the live website
Various information technologies put Not all information technologies help to
together make a CM e.g. DDM, DRM, manage web content e.g. DDM, DRM do
DAM not fit in the WCM role
The process includes organizations of The process typically begins after the
content content is organized. WCM will not
support disorganized content

23. DIFFERENCES
 WCM is different from Web-Site Management
 In Web site management content not managed
comprehensively, but done on ad-hoc or as-needed
basis. WCM offers complete process of content life-
cycle in a comprehensive, programmed and scheduled
manner.
 WCM is different from Portal Management
 Portal is aimed at bringing together information from
multiple sources and delivering it directly to the user.
WCM is concerned with back-office tasks of managing
the creation and maintenance of content and publishing
content to a server.

24. HISTORY OF WCM
 Content has existed for 5000 years
Printed Page
Electronic Publishing (1990s)
Decentralized Content
Information
Management Information Technology
Imaging Technology
Document Management
Internet Publishing
CM XML, SGML
WCM

25. WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (WCMS)
A web content management system (WCMS) is
a software system that provides website authoring,
collaboration, and administration tools designed to
allow users with little knowledge of web
programming languages or markup languages to
create and manage website content with relative
ease. A robust WCMS provides the foundation for
collaboration, offering users the ability to manage
documents and output for multiple author editing
and participation.

26. CHARACTERISTICS OF WCMS
 It manages small units of information (web pages) - each
unit of information is interconnected via a navigation
structure or path.
 Each unit (web page) is defined by its location on the
site
 There is extensive cross-linking between pages
 It is focused primarily on page creation and editing
 It provides a publishing engine that allows created or
amended content to be made available to a website
visitor
 It often provides an approval process or workflow that
ensures that content is validated before it is released or
published to a website.

27. CAPABILITIES OF WCMS
 A WCMS typically has the following features:
 Automated templates
 Access control
 Scalable expansion
 Easily editable content
 Scalable feature sets
 Web standards upgrades
 Workflow management
 Collaboration
 Delegation
 Document management
 Content virtualization
 Content syndication
 Multilingual
 Versioning

28. TYPES OF WCMS
 Offline processing
 These systems, sometimes referred to as "static site
generators", pre-process all content, applying templates
before publication to generate web pages.
 Online processing
 These systems apply templates on-demand. HTML may
be generated when a user visits the page or it is pulled
from a web cache.
 Hybrid systems
 Hybrid systems combine the offline and online
approaches.

29. ADVANTAGES OF WCMS
 Low cost
 Easy customization
 Easy to use
 Workflow management

30. DISADVANTAGES OF WCMS
 Cost of implementation
 Cost of maintenance
 Latency issues
 Tool mixing

31. NOTABLE WCMS
 WordPress is the most popular content management
system. It originated as a blogging CMS, but later
evolved into a full-fledged CMS.
 Joomla! is a popular content management system that
can be used to easily create and edit webpages, but it
is more complex than Wordpress.
 Drupal is the third top used CMS and originated before
WordPress and Joomla. It is more difficult to learn and
understand than the above two CMSs, but is the most
secure. It powers the White House site.

33. OSS IN WCM

34. FREE/OPEN SOURCE CMS SOFTWARE

35. WCMS IN LIBRARIES
 Many libraries have started to use content management
systems as a tool to build and manage their web
presence.
 The advantages of using a CMS to build a library website
include:
 Separation of content, logic, and data
 Ability for multiple content providers (many staff members can
edit the website, rather than just one expert)
 Easier or automatic integration with Web 2.0 tools (built in RSS
for instance)
 Many cool add-ons that provide added functionality to the
website (an Events Calendar for instance)

36. WCM / LIBRARY LIFECYCLE
Collect
Create
Re-use
Aggregate
Archive/Destroy
Review
Track
Life-Cycle WCM Life-
Analysis cycle
Organize
Categorize
Metadata
Taxonomy
Access
Personalize
Transact

37. WCMS IN LIBRARIES
 What libraries are using
 Drupal : http://drupal.org
 Joomla : http://www.joomla.org
 Plone : http://plone.org/
 Expression Engine : http://ellislab.com/expressionengine
 Wordpress : http://wordpress.org/
 Silverstripe : http://www.silverstripe.com/

39. SURVEY OF WCMS IN ARLS

40. SURVEY OF WCMS IN ARLS

41. SURVEY OF WCMS IN ARLS

42. SURVEY OF WCMS IN ARLS
Reasons for / against considering a new CMS
Considering a new CMS because: Not considering a new CMS because:
“[We currently have a very] flexible
“[There are lots] of options available.” system … [it] can adapt to complex
needs.”
“Cascade Server does not suit dynamic “It is controlled by others at the
webpages that often are used in library university.”
applications.”
“We are now in the process of moving
towards Drupal so that we can benefit from “Campus decision.”
the Drupal tools that others create.”
“Maintaining a homegrown CMS is a
challenge. We’d prefer an open source “We are happy with the features and
system. However, we’ve yet to find one that capabilities of Drupal. We have briefly looked
meets all our needs and haven’t had the at other systems, but they seem far less
staffing to add on the functionality we flexible and suitable to our needs.”
needed.”

43. WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN CHOOSING A
WCMS
 ensure that you will be provided with good
development and technical support
 find a CMS that will integrate with (at least) some of
your main applications, such as Outlook
 it should support a degree of document
management
 ensure your CMS is user friendly

44. WCMS TODAY

45. "Don'tannoy, or worse alienate,
prospective customers because your
cousin's friend's aunt's next-door
neighbor's brother volunteers to design
your website on the cheap"