Greetings, discerning readers!
I always enjoy receiving the newsletter my friend (and occasional MarketingProfs contributor) Gerry McGovern writes from Ireland. Gerry is a content guy, and the author of Content Critical (Prentice Hall, 2001), so he tends to be pretty passionate when it comes to writing and publishing on the web.
Last week, Gerry’s newsletter turned into a rant of sorts, titled “Why Content Management Software Hasn’t Worked.” Gerry pulls no punches:
“Content management software hasn't worked because it was badly designed and massively over-hyped. Software companies lied about their products, charging criminal prices for crap software. It hasn't worked because organizations didn't understand content. They wanted a quick fix.”
Like so much in the online space, publishers – and this includes any company with a web site – have looked too much to technology to cure any lacking.
Instead of investing in the real backbone of a site – the content itself – many companies have spent more time and money on the technology to publish it. That technology, by the way, is nothing but overkill when the words aren’t compelling.
As Gerry writes: “But
do you need such software? Most companies don't. I know organizations that
are successfully running massive websites with Microsoft FrontPage. They
can do this because they have excellent editors and writers, and because
they have well-defined,well-policed publishing processes and policies.”
Publishers should invest more heavily in infrastructure to run a site: The people to give their sites a look and feel, voice and personality that truly reflects the heart and soul of a company -- backed by the infrastructure of a well-articulated publishing procedure.
Check out Gerry’s full rant
here.
What do you think? As always, your feedback is both welcome and valued.
Until next week,
Ann Handley
ann@marketingprofs.com
MarketingProfs.com
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