Content management is the system of managing the digital information on the Internet or another shared source. This includes collecting information, writing or detailing the particulars, publishing and later editing/managing the shared source. Since content management is a collaborative effort, many parties are involved. Let’s take a look at the parties involved and the process.
The Creator
In the beginning, there was content. The creator is the person who first envisions the idea, possibly collecting, detailing, publishing, and editing all of the information. Since all sites/shared sources are different, the breaking point in which other parties participate in the process can include any and all of the following.
The Editor
The editor very well may be the creator; however, at some point, another person usually becomes the editor. In any case, the person acting as the editor edits the content for style, creating a cohesive shared source.
The Publisher
To this point, the content has not been published. Again, the creator may also be the publisher in the beginning, but the publisher/creator is the person who publishes the edited content to the web or shared source.
The Administrator
The person responsive for administration gives others access to the information and/or the publishing, editing, and content responsibilities. The administrator may also be the creator, editor, and/or publisher in the beginning.
The Consumer
Last in the chain, the consumer is the person who uses the shared content to make a decision. Whether the decision be a purchase or an approval of job performance, the consumer is the ultimate judge of the shared source and/or internet page success.
Content management is a very detailed process, but for a small company, managing content can be a one-person job. As companies expand, however, content management often breaks into a multi-person collaboration of processes aimed toward impressing the consumer. Although managing content may be daunting, the process is very important to gaining and keeping new consumers.