Increasing Conversion Rates

How to Justify the Purchase of a New Web Content Management System

Thursday, February 18, 2010 by JanJaap Kolleman

In today's economic environment business and marketing professionals are having a difficult time justifying technology spending- and that includes the purchase of a brand new web content management system.

The justification for this major investment might seem hard to make, but delaying the purchase or piecing together an in-house solution can cost you more in the long run and severely impact your brand. Here are four rock solid points to help you make the business case for an investment in an enterprise web content management system (WCMS).

1. Demonstrate Increased Revenue

By streamlining and centralizing content creation, a new or revamped WCMS boosts your revenue by allowing content reuse and re-purposing across multiple websites, channels, and, if you're a global enterprise, in multiple languages. Additionally, a WCMS simplifies workflow and provides robust analytic measurement capabilities to keep you focused on the timely updates of content that makes you money rather than wasting it.

A best-in-class enterprise web content management system will also have an integrated suite of online marketing tools that will help you achieve business objectives, like increasing conversion rates and building brand loyalty. Here are a few examples:

Brand management tools

Email campaign tools

Target audience marketing

Website personalization

Another revenue generating benefit of a top-rated WCMS is faster time to market. Imagine launching a multichannel marketing campaign or a new product in just a few days, rather than a few weeks or even months. What would this mean to your business in terms of increased sales or leads/

2. Demonstrate Decreased Operational Costs

With the right WCMS, you will spend less money on updating your website and avoid the inefficient practice of copying and pasting content across various pages. Centralized design elements and templates can be created once and then instantaneously integrated across your website. WCM helps you save money on labor, protect your brand and get it right the first time. Most enterprise web content management systems are easy to use. One of the major reasons organizations invest in web content management is because it empowers content creators (marketing teams, for example) to create, manage, modify, and publish content themselves- without IT involvement. Consider the savings of hundreds of IT hours on an annual basis, not to mention the increased efficiency

3. Calculate Probable ROI

Due to the economic environment, the concept of ROI is on the tip of everyone’s tongue when discussing technology investment. Don’t worry: an best-in-class enterprise web content management system almost always provides a sizable ROI. In addition to saving costs and boosting your revenue, a good WCMS interface comes with a high degree of usability. This means you can accelerate and simplify projects such as site development, implementation and content creation.

4. Think Beyond ROI

In addition, a WCMS can provide benefits that supersede ROI. Next generation web content management systems can really help to protect brand equity online and across multiple channels. For large companies, branding remains one of your most important assets and good customer perception is integral for continued success. A next generation WCM system allows you to build and maintain your brand with minimal hiccups. Even if you come up with initial ROI figures that are lower than you want, maintaining your brand equity and providing the ideal user experience across multiple channels is enough to make the business case for updating your WCM strategy today.  

Web Content Management (WCM) and Closed Loop Marketing

Monday, December 21, 2009 by Gavino Gonzalez

All the Time in the World…Not!

According to research companies, it has been estimated that we see nearly four to six thousand messages per day. The number of websites has doubled year over year and our attention span has dropped considerably. We only spare some extra time for something truly relevant.

Reading the Tea Leaves to Increase Conversion Rates

Engaging in the practice of closed loop marketing can lead to a significant increase of conversion rates on your website. Applying lessons learned from customer responses and behavior to future marketing strategy and tactics can yield positive campaign results. We can learn from our customers by leveraging the following tactics:

Completed Surveys
Promo Code Redemptions
Purchase/Browsing behavior
Email Response rates
External Blogs
Comments posted on Corporate blogs
Social Media ( Twitter, Facebook, Tagging, Ratings)

Closing the Loop

By constantly adjusting future strategy and tactics based on interpreting the messages that our customers are leaving can we increase conversion rates and close the loop. Following the loop will provide the following benefits:

The following examples are tactics that can be leveraged to increase conversion rates for your campaigns:

Deliver relevant content to website visitors
Personalize emails
A/B Testing

Following the loop will provide the following benefits:

Increasing Conversion Rates
Brand Loyalty
Long Term Growth

Start Increasing Conversion Rates

Deploying a best-in-class enterprise web content management system can help you achieve your business goals. SDL Tridion allows you to build brand awareness by optimizing SEO to help you increase your website traffic. The Tridion solution also allows you to display relevant content on your website and email campaigns through the use of personalization to meet the customer demand of specific content. For more information about Closed Loop Marketing download the complimentary Whitepaper.

Seven Sins of Website Translation

Friday, December 18, 2009 by Sonja Keerl

Today, I had to do some research on the web. As I surfed in this sea of information, I put on my consumer glasses and had a closer look at the translation features of these sites. Working for a global Web Content Management vendor, I was surprised by what I saw. And because I did not get far with my intended research, I decided to at least share with you what to me are the Seven Sins of website translation:

Sin One: Don’t translate at all
If you want to go global, you must translate your website, especially if your native language is not English. If you want to reach minorities in your country, you have to translate at least the relevant parts of your content. Looking at latest research, there is no doubt about it: Visitors prefer being addressed in their mother tongue. And not only that – it makes them see that you care and will most definately lead to increasing conversion rates. In addition to that, you will also do a lot for your Search Engine Optimization, because people tend to search for their native language terms. Managing online content is not difficult anymore, even when it is multilingual.

Sin Two: Machine translation
Although I must admit that I am impressed with the latest automated translations, they are still nowhere near human translations. Especially when you have language rich content, such as articles, you want to make sure that you do not end up with literal translations, but with contextually correct ones. Or do you know what “Morning hour has gold in its mouth” is trying to tell you?

Even more important than idioms and context however is the tone of voice and the message you want to bring across. No machine translation can do that for you, because there is no “conservative” vs. “cheeky” translation alternative. So, make sure every piece of content you care about is really translated by a human translator. Ideally one, who is aware of cultural differences and keeps a consistent brand image. Machine translation by itself is

Sin Three: Translating half of the story
The other day I tried to figure out a train connection in the Netherlands and found myself faced with a websites that had literally half Dutch half English content. Unfortunately, in case of the FAQs, the questions were in English but the answers in Dutch. The contact form had Dutch labels and English tool tips… it was just plain annoying. If you want to do it, do it right.

Sin Four: Auto routing based on location
There are a couple of ways to find out a preferred language for a visitor. The simplest way is to ask them directly upon their first visit and store the information, for instance in a cookie. If you want to go a bit more sophisticated, you can read out the system language automatically.

And then there is the option to check based on location. Oh, how I hate that! I am an expat living in the Netherlands and by now one in three websites decides I must be Dutch. What do I do? I go to the competition and hope they try to be less smart.

This gets even worse when you are travelling though. Earlier this year I was in Japan on business and I tell you, trying to find your way around a Japanese website IS a challenge… which leads me directly to the next sin…

Sin Five: Translating the language options
So, I am on this Japanese website, I detect the usual language switch dropdown (at least I assumed, cause it was in the upper right corner… not that it actually indicated so)… and then… well, a lot of kanji that leave me puzzled. Who would do such a thing? Unfortunately, most of the websites! You want to give your audience the opportunity to find their own language, because they might not understand yours… and the you do not translate the option itself? That does not work :)
There are two valid options online today:

Leave everything in English. Even if your visitor does not speak English, the words “language” and their local language most people have learned by now.
Even better: use the local language. So, English is English and German is Deutsch and French is Française, no matter which version you are on.

Both options make sense, help your audience and save you translation cost too. Don’t forget: Localizing and translation are two very different things.

Sin Six: Inconsistent translation
A very confusing phenomenon is when you browse through a translated website and same terms are translated differently where ever you go. The German word “Untersuchung” has for instance over 20 different translations in English – and it does make a difference if you translate it into “inquisition” or “exploration” when meaning “research”. (“Our latest inquisition has shown that…” might just not put your organization in the right light.)

There are a number of solutions out there today to prevent such inconsistencies by utilizing a Translation Memory System. Briefly what it does is that any translation you have approved will be stored in a Memory System. Whenever the same or a similar translation is requested afterwards, the previous approved translation will be given to the translator as a suggestion. This means, you can keep your choice of terms consistent. Also, it will allow you to work with different translators without getting different tones of voice or messages into your content, because the style of your translation will become clear from the suggestions already. Of course, translation memories can be used organization wide, so that you can make use of the cost and time savings for all your channels, not only online.

Sin Seven: Forgetting other channels
So, you took care of all the above and give me the option to read your content in my native language. I am happy and engaged and decide to register on your website. Eagerly I await the confirmation link email and find it in... English. Just as the following newsletter and reminder to get my 20% off coupon. My initial joy is met by an equally high disappointment. Reusing content across multiple channels and reusing the translations for all channels is no rocket science with a proper multichannel marketing system.

(P.S. “Morning hour has gold in its mouth” is the German equivalent of "The early bird catches the worm")

Collective Intelligence: Wisdom of crowds, ignorance of masses?

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 by Remco van Rij

Collective intelligence is a form of intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and is closely related to crowdsourcing (Wikipedia)

Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a task traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people, in the form of an open call. (Wikipedia)

It all begins with the principle that ‘WE’ is smarter than ‘ME’. The first digital natives now joining the workforce (them who grew up with Internet and an always on lifestyle) understand this much better than their previous generation, which are the current decision makers. Collective Intelligence is a disruptive trend as it deeply impacts an organisation’s traditional way of doing business.

Companies are busy with streamlining and improving their team collaboration via web conferencing and and instant messaging. On the other hand they are investigating things like Wiki’s, blogs and feeds to stimulate interpersonal productivity and interaction.

Consumer social software (web 2.0 stuff) becomes part of our mainstream workplace. We want to have access to all information, but of course only the relevant content. Internet will have to focus more and more on personalizing online content.

Collective Intelligence deals with these four topics:Internet Centric Computing, because systems must be accessible over the internet; this also implies specific architectures (like SOA) to gain access to business applications.

Internet Centric Computing, because systems must be accessible over the internet; this also implies specific architectures (like SOA) to gain access to business applications.
Portal technology is necessary to provide a uniform interface with data from different sources.

Collaboration technology is obvious.
Business Process Management to streamline the various processes, as these processes go beyond the company walls they must the chaos-tolerant.

Companies have to design a strategy to find and involve their target groups and offer them persuasive, profiled and personalized content. With SDL Tridion’s Global Web Content Management System many of these topics can be addressed. It is your product, your service and the world is waiting for it. Start increasing conversion rates!

The New Definition of Multichannel Marketing

Monday, November 16, 2009 by JanJaap Kolleman

How would you define multichannel marketing? I define it as the use of multiple media pathways to reach and influence a target audience. Traditionally, multichannel marketing includes some combination of the following pathways, aka channels:

Online (Website & Email)
Direct Mail
Telemarketing
Broadcast Media (TV, Radio, etc.)

Like an apothecary mixing a potion, the Marketer will select the right mix of channels to achieve the desired results. The savvy Marketer will select the channels based upon campaign objectives, business type (B2B or B2C), the product or service being offered, and the characteristics of the market segments and audiences being targeted.

Today, multichannel marketing can certainly include any of the above, however the channels to choose from have not only increased in numbers, they have evolved. What has emerged are two very distinct species; one surviving, the other thriving:

Offline Marketing
Online Marketing

The Ascension of the Online Marketing

It wasn’t that long ago that the typical corporate website functioned a lot like a digital brochure. Not anymore.

For many organizations the website has become the center of the marketing universe and a primary driver of corporate revenue (directly and indirectly). The website has evolved from a “channel” into a “platform” for online marketing... a hub for emerging channels that exist almost entirely within the online realm:

Email Campaigns
SEM & SEO (Search Engine Marketing & Optimization)
Directory Listings (free and paid inclusion)
Banner Ad Campaigns
Whitepaper Syndication
RSS Feeds & SMS
Mobile
Blogs
Social Media & Networks

New Tools for a New Era

The evolution of web content management is being driven primarily by the evolution of online marketing. As a result, next generation web content management (WCM) systems are entering the market.

Next generation web content management systems are essentially becoming online marketing platforms. In addition to managing online content, they will also support multichannel marketing. Moreover, they will align with business drivers and include functionalities geared toward achieving marketing objectives, such as increasing conversion rates and building brand loyalty.

A best-in-class enterprise web content management system will include:

Brand management tools
Interactive marketing tools
Email campaign tools

Rethinking Multichannel Marketing

The term “Multichannel Marketing” does not necessarily need to be redefined. Rather, it’s our collective perception of what multichannel marketing consists of that warrants redefinition. No longer does a campaign require both online and offline media to be considered “multichannel” - successful multichannel marketing campaigns are now being conducted 100% online.

SDL Tridion is a leading provider of enterprise web contentent management systems (WCM) and online marketing solutions.

An Introduction to Web Content Management (WCM) Strategic Planning

Monday, November 9, 2009 by Brad Davis

Strategy without tactics is inertia.
Tactics without strategy is chaos.

3 Questions to Ask Before Starting a New Web CMS Project

Sometimes it's a good idea to return to the basics. Here are three fundamental questions I have found most helpful when tasked with developing a strategic plan, web content management or otherwise:

1. Where are we now?
2. Where do we want to go?
3. How are we going to get there?

Sounds simple, right? Maybe, but these three questions can form the foundation of a very complex web content management plan.

Where Are We Now?
Assess the current situation

Conduct a comprehensive assessment of your online marketing operations from your website design to methodology for managing online content. Start by asking the right questions, worry about answering them later.

How are our websites performing with respect to traffic and conversions?
What is the flow of content from creation to delivery?
What are the WCM roles of business, marketing, and IT?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of our online channel?
How long does it take to roll out a new online campaign?
How is content translated and localized?
How is consistency of brand and message maintained across multiple channels?
What is the web experience of our online visitors?

If you know exactly where you are, it's much easier to get to where you want to be.

Where Do We Want To Go?
Set well defined objectives

Sure, you want a cool looking website that does really cool things. More importantly, however, I bet you want a website that will help you achieve online marketing objectives, like increasing conversion rates. Be as specific as possible.

How Are We Going To Get There?
Develop a plan

Before looking at web content management vendors and technology, craft a step by step plan that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. Standard elements of a strategic plan include:

Strategy
Tactics
Timeline
Budget
Metrics

When the time comes to look at web content management products and solutions, consider how well they will integrate with your strategic plan. Give more weight to WCM features and functionalities that will best help you achieve your defined objectives.

The selection of an enterprise web content management system and vendor should be a very deliberate process. The WCM industry is currently undergoing rapid change, from both technology and vendor landscape perspectives.

For more information about WCM planning and solutions, please feel free to contact SDL Tridion. SDL Tridion is provider of best-in-class enterprise web content management systems. Positioned as a "Leader" by both Forrester and Gartner, SDL Tridion ushers in next generation web content management by integrating a suite of ROI focused online marketing tools.

Zen and the Art of Web Content Management (WCM) Part 1

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by Brad Davis

What is the sound of website traffic?

At first glance the question seems utterly absurd. It is. Read on, however, and I think you’ll find that the absurd can sometimes reveal a truth.

What possible relationship could there be between Zen and web content management? On the surface, nothing. Look a little deeper, and, well, everything. This post is the first of a series that will explore enterprise web content management through the eyes of a Zen student on the path to marketing Nirvana.

A brief Introduction to Zen

For those unfamiliar with Zen or the practice thereof, I offer this brief introduction.

Zen is a form of Buddhism that emphasizes paying full attention to the present moment. It’s an extremely practical philosophy that suggests if you are cold and have a wooden statue of the Buddha- you should burn the Buddha to keep warm.

The goal of Zen is to attain enlightenment, a state of absolute awareness, or “oneness” with All That Is. Although enlightenment can be a sudden happening, most often it is not. It comes over many years (lifetimes according to myth) in a series of epiphanies, or “ah ha!” moments.

Over the centuries, a number of practices have been developed to assist masters and students on their journey. Two of the most common are Zazen, a form of seated meditation designed to still the mind and Koans, paradoxical riddles designed to scramble the mind.

Zazen works on the premise that sometimes the best way to think is to not think. How many times have you thought really hard on a problem or situation and the more you thought, the more confused you got? Then, after “forgetting” about the topic for a while, the solution comes to mind suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue?

A koan, on the other hand, is a riddle to ponder on that has no logical solution. It functions like a bridge to help the mind transcend pure rational thought so it can think “outside of the box”. One of the most well known koans is “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

So, Then, What is the Sound of Website Traffic?

If you are a B2B or B2C business, it should be KA-CHING! The Ka-ching that comes from revenue generated by converting website visitors into sales leads or closed business. The louder the Ka-ching the more successful the business. If you have little or no traffic to your website the sound is silence. If you have a lot of traffic to your website but the visitors don't convert (do what you want them to do) the sound is also silence. Needless to say a silent website is bad for business.

The New Art of WCM: Driving Traffic and Increasing Conversion Rates

Best-in-class web content management systems have evolved and transcended the basic task of managing online content. The enlightened ones will align themselves with business drivers and provide tools and functionalities that will help organizations achieve their online marketing objectives. Next generation web content management systems make websites go KA-CHING.

Business Drivers Matched to Next Generation WCM Functionalities

Business Driver: Increased Website Traffic
WCMS Functionalities: SEO/SEM and Email Campaign Tools

Business Driver: Increased Conversion Rates
WCMS Functionalities: Website Personalization and Interactive Marketing Tools

Not All Web Content Management Vendors Have Evolved to the Next Level

Select your enterprise web content management vendor with great care, as some are not as evolved as others. While Zen philosophy teaches that All are on the path to enlightenment, you can be assured that some get there much faster than others.

SDL Tridion: An Enlightened WCM Vendor

SDL Tridion is provider of best-in-class enterprise web content management systems. Positioned as a "Leader" by both Forrester and Gartner, SDL Tridion ushers in next generation web content management by integrating a suite of ROI focused online marketing tools.

How Much is Your Brand Worth?

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Gavino Gonzalez

Brand Value

Ever ponder how a best-in-class web content management system (WCM) can influence brand value? The answer is a lot! If you are managing online content manually across your website (or network of sites) then you are placing your brand at risk. There are many potential risks (or more) , everything from accidentally coping over a piece of code to inevitable errors such as typos and punucation. What if you placed a banner on your site in the wrong language? What if offensive language some how was published live? How many of your customers will be forgiving? Better yet, how long would it be before you can put up the correct banner? The bottom line is, your brand and it's value has taken a hit... Ask yourself, how much is my brand worth and what am I putting at risk?

Playing it safe

A Best-in-class web content management system will help protect your brand's integrity and value. It will simplify your online content publishing process. Benefits of a properly deployed best-in-class web content management system include:

Maintaining consistency of brand and message
Reduced time to market
Increased conversion rates
Reduced operational costs

Online Brand Management

In addition to using a best-in-class web content management system there are other brand management tools to help deliver brand consistency online. One of those tools is SDL Tridion's Safeguard. Safeguard is a powerful tool that will help protect your brand online with a few mouse clicks. This ensures that you will deliver a consistent website that protects your brand and its value.

Contact SDL Tridion today to request a demonstration or to learn more about enterprise web content management systems or brand management tools like Safeguard and how they can protect the value of your brand.

From Web Content Management to Unified Marketing

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Remco van Rij

Welcome to my very first blog! With my blogs I would like to share with you my experiences in my working life as a Sales Executive of SDL Tridion, the market leader in Web Content Management Products for web sites. I want to address topics, subjects and issues I see during client meetings, that you could relate to your own situation.

What does the current economic climate do to companies? I have seen cost cutting, reorganizations, shrinking budgets and closing down offices. All things a company can do on the cost-side to survive this crisis. But what are they doing on the revenue side? Especially in these days, it is important to find and be found by your customers and prospects and stay ahead of competition. Just web presence is not sufficient anymore...

The successful companies are the ones who have a consistent brand image thru all their communication channels. They are able to offer profiled and personalized content because they know their customers, prospects and website visitors. It sounds easy, but it takes some effort to reach this level.

These companies make a difference against their competition because they build and protect their image with brand management tools and apply website personalization. This makes all their communication and campaigns more effective and will lead to increasing conversion rates.

Well, how does your company build and protect its brand and is able to target the right audiences?

Releasing the Hounds after Web Content Management (WCM)

Friday, October 30, 2009 by Gavino Gonzalez

Caged Web Site Content Management

Fellow Marketers, raise your hand if you cannot change the content on your website promptly. Come on you don't have to be afraid, I've been there more times than I can count in my career. You have a collection of perfect collateral that you are itching to deploy on your website, but you’ve been informed that it will take a week(maybe longer) before it can go live. Why? It's sitting in the IT departments 'web content management support box'. You have online marketing objectives to achieve, so time to market is a critical factor in the success of the campaign.

Releasing the Hounds

Best-in-class Web Content Management software can help you reach your business objectives faster and with less headaches. Benefits of a well deployed enterprise Web Content Management system include:

•    Reduced time to market
•    Increased efficiency
•    Maintaining consistency of brand and message
•    Increased customer loyalty
•    Increased conversion rates
•    Reduced Operation costs

All of the above combine to deliver an amazing return on your marketing investment.

Imagine if...

Imagine having the ability to do things like adding new content to your website, deploying an email campaign, creating landing pages and micro sites and fixing incorrect content and more without the need to go through IT.

The best part is you don't need to be an HTML wizard. You don't even need to know HTML at all. Best-in-class enterprise Web Content Management systems are extremely easy to use and have WYSIWYG editors which make editing website content as easy as creating a word document or sending an email.

Check this out

SDL Tridion offers a top rated enterprise web content management system. Positioned as a leader by both Forrester and Gartner, renowned WCM industry analysts, the SDL Tridion solution makes managing complex content over multiple websites and channels fast and easy. Better yet, it even includes a suite of ROI focused online marketing tools. To learn how SDL Tridion can make your life easier and your online campaigns more successful, contact us today and request a demonstration.

10 Ways to Improve Website Performance

Monday, October 26, 2009 by Brad Davis

1. Implement and Maintain Current Web Content Management (WCM) Technology

It wasn't that long ago when a basic function calculator could be purchased for $9.99. Today, walk into any drug store and you can purchase the same calculator for $1.99 or buy a super deluxe scientific model for $9.99. With most technology products you get more for less over time. The same principle applies to enterprise web content management.

The web content management market and industry has changed considerably over the last few years and continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Best-in-class enterprise web content management systems are now at the core of successful online marketing strategies and do much more than simply manage online content. These systems now include interactive tools that will help you achieve online marketing objectives, such as increasing conversion rates.

To keep your organization ahead of the game and maximizing business results from your online channel, plan on upgrading WCM technology every three to five years.

2. Frequently Update Website Content

Adding fresh content on a regular basis to your website will improve your search engine rankings plus has the extra benefit of keeping customers coming back for more. Use dynamic content to deliver an enhanced visitor experience, build brand loyalty, and drive conversions.

3. Personalize Website Interactions by Using Landing Pages

One of the quickest and easiest ways to increase the personalization of your online channel is to incorporate the use of more landing pages. Landing pages should generally be directed at one target audience with one message and have one call to action. By segmenting your target audiences you can channel them to the landing pages with content that best fits their profile. Personalized content increases conversion rates.

4. Conduct A/B Testing of your Website Content

I am the first to admit that marketing is as much an art as it is a science. And while there are best practices for virtually every marketing tactic, the truth of the matter is that we never know for sure what will work and what won't work. That is until we've tried it. When you find out what works, do more of it. A best-in-class enterprise web content management system will have A/B testing with functionality that makes this kind of testing simple.

5. Use Old School Segmentation for Target Audience Marketing

Segment your Target audiences into groupings that make sense for your business and deliver persuasive content tailored to each group. Best-in-class enterprise web content management systems will have this capability.

6. Personalize the Website Experience

Website personalization is very similar to Segmentation, however here you are personalizing the web experience for individuals rather than groups. Next generation web content management systems have the ability to deliver personalized content to individual website visitors based upon explicit and implicit behaviors.

7. Integrate Web Content Management with Other Systems and Platforms

A best-in-class WCM system should easily integrate with CRM's, ERP's, email campaign tools, and other software and solutions. Integrating your enterprise web content management system will significantly improve efficiency, help marketers deliver more relevant content to their target audiences, and assist with website optimization, testing, and analysis.

8. Establish a Social Media Presence with Cross Links to Your Website

Develp and execute a social media strategy. At a minimum, set up Facebook, Twitter, and Linked In accounts with links to and from your website. Post relevant content to these social media sites on a regular basis.

9. Engage Customers Across Multiple Channels

While the website is at the center of the interactive universe and effectively managing online content vital to success, it pays to reach out to customers and prospects across multiple touch points including email, print, mobile, and RSS. Leverage multiple channels to drive traffic to your website. The best enterprise web content management systems will have online interactive marketing tools as well as multichannel marketing functionalities.

10. Measure, Analyze and Improve Website Content on a Regular Basis

I read somewhere that "whatever it was that made you successful today will not make you successful tomorrow". I'm not sure if that quote fully applies here, but I like it anyway :) Regardless, in my humble opinion, quality is an ongoing process, not a final result.

Use website analytic tools, learn from the reports they provide, and take concrete steps to improve your metrics. Measure, Analyze and Improve on a regularly scheduled basis (like monthly or quarterly). Oh, did I mention that the SDL Tridion enterprise web content management system provides an excellent set of website analytical tools?

The Business Case for Web Content Management

Saturday, October 24, 2009 by Brad Davis

Justifying Web Content Management (WCM)

It’s certainly no secret that in the current harsh economic environment marketing professionals are having a difficult time justifying technology spending -- and enterprise web content management systems are no exception.

The justification for this major investment might seem hard to make, but delaying the purchase or piecing together an in-house solution can cost you more in the long run and severely impact your brand. Here are four concrete tips and explanations to help you make the business case for an investment in an enterprise web content management system (WCMS).

1. A Web Content Management System Increases Revenue.

By streamlining and centralizing content creation, a new or revamped WCMS boosts your revenue by allowing content reuse and re-purposing across multiple websites, channels, and, if you're a global enterprise, in multiple languages. Additionally, a WCMS simplifies workflow and provides robust analytic measurement capabilities to keep you focused on the timely updates of content that makes you money rather than wasting it.

A best-in-class enterprise web content management system will also have an integrated suite of online marketing tools that will help you achieve important business objectives, like increasing conversion rates. Here are a few examples:

2. A Web Content Management System Decreases Operational Costs.

With the right WCMS, you will spend less money on updating your website and avoid the inefficient practice of copying and pasting content across various pages. Centralized design elements and templates can be created once and then instantaneously integrated across your website. WCM helps you save money on labor, protect your brand and get it right the first time.

Most enterprise web content management systems are easy to use. One of the major reasons organizations invest in web content management is because it empowers content creators (marketing teams, for example) to create, manage, modify, and publish content themselves- without IT involvement. Consider the savings of hundreds of IT hours on an annual basis, not to mention the increased efficiency.

3. Create an honest ROI calculator.

Due to the economic environment, the concept of ROI is on the tip of everyone’s tongue when discussing technology investment. Don’t worry: an best-in-class enterprise web content management system almost always provides a sizable ROI. In addition to saving costs and boosting your revenue, a good WCMS interface comes with a high degree of usability. This means you can accelerate and simplify projects such as site development, implementation and content creation.

4. Save 70% - 80% by Purchasing an Enterprise Web Content Management Solution

Gilbane found that site development based around a content management system saves a company 70-80 percent on cost when compared to in-house development.

Content creation in a WCM system looks and feels like standard applications such as Microsoft Word™ and blogging platforms. Gilbane found that this ease-of-use cuts training times by up to 90 percent. With an out-of-the-box commercially available enterprise web content management system, updates don’t get bogged down in IT departments. Marketers and other communicators can create and re-purpose content as easily as making or editing a Word document.

Beyond ROI

In addition, a WCMS can provide benefits that supersede ROI. Next generation web content management systems can really help to protect brand equity online and across multiple channels. For large companies, branding remains one of your most important assets and good customer perception is integral for continued success. A next generation WCM system allows you to build and maintain your brand with minimal hiccups. Even if you come up with initial ROI figures that are lower than you want, maintaining your brand equity and providing the ideal user experience across multiple channels is enough to make the business case for updating your WCM strategy today.

For more information about justifying web content management and building a case to purchase a new enterprise web content management system, SDL Tridion produced an excellent whitepaper titled ROI for the online channel. Please feel free to download free of charge by clicking on the link.

Forrester Reviews Top Web Content Management Vendors and Systems

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by Brad Davis

Searching for an Enterprise Web Content Management System? Start Here.

In an earlier blog post, I suggested that you begin the web content management vendor selection process by doing some research and developing a "short list" of vendors to evaluate. If you're like most organizations, you will probably begin with a Google search using phrases like:

Web Content Management Reviews
Web Content Management Vendors
Enterprise Web Content Management System
Global Web Content Management
Best Web Content Management

Search on a WCM related phrase and you'll get a mind blowing number of results-over 184,000,000. And most of these will be from WCM companies who want to sell you their wares. Of course that includes your friends at SDL Tridion :)

Want Factual, Unbiased WCM Research? Go Straight to Forrester.

Forrester Research, a renowned web content management industry analyst, publishes a report that evaluates leading enterprise-class web content management vendors and their solutions. Their latest report is "The Forrester Wave™: Web Content Management for External Sites, Q-2 2009". The detailed report is used by many organizations to develop their "short list".

About the Forrester Report

Forrester evaluates 10 web content management vendors across approximately 115 criteria, which they grouped into three primary categories:

Current offering
Strategy
Market presence

Results are summarized in a clear concise manner with easy to read charts, diagrams and tables. If you are looking for a best-in-class enterprise web content management system from a leading web content management vendor, this report is definitely a "Must Read".

Download the Forrester Report for Free

Click here to download the web content management reviewed report by Forrester, compliments of SDL Tridion, a leader in enterprise web content management and online marketing solutions.

Selecting the Best Web Content Management System

There are hundreds of web content management products, systems, and solutions on the market today from hundreds of different vendors. Hopefully, you will find the Forrester report helpful in narrowing the playing field and developing a short list of enterprise web content management vendors to evaluate.

Which enterprise web content management system is right for you and which vendor should you select? This depends upon the specific needs of your organization. In any case, be sure to select a financially strong company with the ability to provide excellent web content management support and service.

Beyond Web Content Management

In addition to looking at the features and benefits of different web content management systems, I would also suggest that you take a look at how they will help you achieve your online marketing objectives, such as increasing conversion rates. Look for web content management software tools that will assist with online brand management, target audience marketing, email campaigns, and website personalization.

The bottom line: Top web content management vendors will help you do much more than basic online content management. They will help you realize the many benefits of web content management, the most important of which is ROI.

Sample RFI Template for Web Content Management Vendor Selection

Friday, October 16, 2009 by Brad Davis

Selecting An Enterprise Web Content Management System

To state the obvious, selecting an enterprise web content management system begins with selecting an enterprise web content management vendor. While there is no set process for doing so, it’s definitely wise to begin by doing a little research to come up with a “Short List” of similar vendors most likely to meet your specific needs.

Assuming that you have:

Done your research
Set project objectives
Made a plan
Received executive approval
Established a budget
Assembled a team
Decided on some basic "must have" web content management features

it's time to do an RFI (request for information) from your short list of web content management vendors. Generally, the enterprise web content management system RFI is used to gather enough information about the vendors themselves and their proposed solutions so you can trim the list to only those from whom you want a demonstration.

Download Your Free Sample RFI Template Here

To help you select the best web content management system for your needs, SDL Tridion has developed a vendor neutral template to get you started. Please feel free to modify and use it however you like. Here is the link to where you can download:

Enterprise Web Content Management RFI Template

Other Considerations

A word of advise: Choose your web content management vendor very, very carefully. Even if a solution has a lot of fancy whistles and bells that you absolutely "must have", you want to be pretty sure that the providing vendor will be around for the next 3-5 years with the ability to provide support.

I also suggest that you give more weight to the benefits of web content management than you give to the features of a particular system. In the end, it's about results and ROI- especially in today's economic climate. So when evaluating WCM solutions, you might want to determine which one will best help you achieve business objectives such as increased conversion rates and improved online brand management.

WCM + SEO= More Traffic and More Conversions

Thursday, October 15, 2009 by Brad Davis

Increasing Conversion Rates and Numbers

SEO is one of the hottest topics circulating in the online marketing and online content management communities- and rightly so. Most organizations have online business objectives that include increasing conversion rates, but if you have low traffic you will still have low conversions. So, obviously, a key requirement of increasing conversions is to increase traffic.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the most effective way to increase website traffic.

Avoid the #1 Traffic Killing SEO Mistake

A common misperception, even in enterprise level organizations, is that once a website is optimized, it's optimized and will stay that way. Wrong. As content is added and modified over time a lot of things can happen including:

Misspelled words
HTML errors
Meta data problems
Broken links
Improper key word usage

These issues spell SEO trouble and will significantly decrease your search engine visibility. And decreased search engine visibility means decreased traffic and conversions. When this happens, ROI flies right out the window. Not good.

If your an enterprise or global organization with multiple websites with thousands of pages...which may be translated in multiple languages... Wow! You have a lot to watch out for. To MANUALLY keep your uber network of websites fully optimized, converting visitors, and generating maximum revenue...sounds like Mission Impossible.

Automated Testing of Search Engine Visibility & Performance

It is, in fact, Mission Impossible to manually check and keep a network of enterprise websites fully optimized. The good news is there are tools that can automate the process. One solution is Safeguard, a powerful tool that is integrated with the SDL Tridion Enterprise Web Content Management System.

Safeguard monitors your entire network of websites, regardless of country or language. User-friendly dashboards provide detailed feedback of your online performance, reporting SEO issues in real time. Safeguard also automatically checks title tags, meta data, key word use, and links to keep you at the top of search engine rankings.

Click here for more information about Safeguard and SDL Tridion's Enterprise Web Content System

Web Content Management for Dummies- Part 1

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 by Brad Davis

Full Disclosure: I am a technological dummy and could not code my way out of a paper bag. And I'm fine with that. As a marketing professional, I could care less about "technology". That is, at least, technology for technology's sake. But I do care about the benefits of technology and the results it can help deliver to the bottom line.

Take, for example, this Blog. I have no clue what's under this user-friendly interface. Probably a bunch of HTML mumbo jumbo and all kinds of this code and that code. What I do know, with a reasonable degree of certainty, is that if I use this Blog according to best practices I will:

Have greater visibility to search engines
Communicate our corporate message to more members of our target audience
Drive increased traffic to our website
Generate more leads for our sales force
Deliver an acceptable return on investment (ROI)

Believe me, these things I REALLY care about. In fact, my job depends upon it. I bet yours does too, if you are a marketing professional like me and have online marketing objectives that must be achieved.

As for this Blog, the same goes for enterprise web content management- the technology of a system is far less important than how it will help me achieve my assigned objectives (and thereby keeping me gainfully employed).

Admittedly, when I started working for SDL Tridion I did not know much about enterprise web content management, nor the underlying technology. I still don't know much about the technology, but I have become an expert on the benefits of web content management and how a well deployed system can help me reach my business goals, like, for example, increasing conversion rates.

In addition to providing the benefits listed above, the best-in-class web content management system I use helps me do my job better and faster by providing me with:

An online brand management solution
An integrated multichannel marketing system
Interactive marketing tools
Email campaign tools
Easy website personalization and target audience marketing

The more I work with the solution I am using , the more I realize that this is "not my fathers web content management system"... clearly it is something much more... probably better described as an integrated online marketing solution than an enterprise web content management system. Quite frankly, I am less concerned about managing online content than I am leveraging it. It's the leveraging of online content that produces the results.

I'll leave the technology to the technical gurus. As for me, I'm happy being a web content management dummy. What I really want is an online marketing solution that will help me achieve my online marketing objectives. And that's what I've got.

The Evolution Of Web Content Management

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by JanJaap Kolleman

Hmmm... let me see. SDL acquires Tridion. Autonomy acquires Interwoven. Open Text acquires Vignette and RedDot. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that something’s up, but it might take one to gain some insight as to what it all means. And, while these acquisitions have certainly been game changers, they are only one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

Best-in-class enterprise web content management systems must now do more than simply manage content. According to the Forrester Wave™: Web Content Management for External Sites Q2 2009:

"WCM EVOLVES INTO A KEY COMPONENT OF PERSUASIVE CONTENT ARCHITECTURE"

"Web content management (WCM) has come of age. Enterprises continue to invest in WCM projects, but they no longer use it to merely store content and publish online. Instead, they want to accomplish specific business goals, such as increased sales conversion rates and improved customer service."

Forrester makes an excellent point, however specific software functionalities are required to achieve the goals they refer to. To stay on the leading edge of the wave (pun intended) it seems to me that a "smart" web content management company would offer solutions that include:

Online brand management
Multichannel marketing
Website personalization
Target audience marketing
Search engine optimization (SEO)

Why? Because these marketing tools align with drivers that help organizations achieve real business objectives like:

Increased website traffic
Increased brand loyalty
Increased conversion rates

At the end of the day it's results that count. It seems to me that when evaluating web content management vendors, one of the key questions to consider is "How well will they help us achieve our online marketing objectives?".

So, if enterprise web content management is evolving what is it changing into? And what is the future of the WCM industry, market, vendors, products, and solutions? My crystal ball is just getting warmed up. How about yours?