Managing content
Your web site content will require regular review to identify items which need to be updated, removed or added to. Without this, your users will no longer have a reason for coming back to your site. This applies to all web sites, whatever their focus.
Keep in mind that:
- web content is easier to update or correct than print
- regularly updated and relevant content will keep users returning to your site, as they regard it as a source of quality information
- search engines love new, relevant content
How do you keep content up to date?
After initial site development, there are several methods of updating content:
- Developer – Provide your developer with the new content, and instructions on where and how it should be presented. Be sure to ask for a quotation before work proceeds.
- Content Management System (CMS) – There are many varieties of CMS, allowing you to update site content yourself. These do not require special programming skills and are often ‘tailored’ to meet your specific requirements. Such systems often use a ‘browser based interface’ and updates are conducted online.
- Software applications – Intermediate
programs such as ‘Macromedia
Contribute’ provide you with a set of editing tools similar to
those used by developers, allowing easy site updates using a visual
editor. Professional
web editing software applications such as ‘Macromedia Dreamweaver’ are
more difficult to learn, but given time and practice these are the
most flexible means of keeping a web site up to date.
