Content Management Matters ™

Sitecore Web CMS has just been bolstered by the addition of a new dedicated SEO module that enables the creation and management of web-optimized content.

The module embeds SEO analytics into the day-to-day CMS process, allowing content-administrators and creators to optimize for search engines as they go.

You’ve got plenty of traffic, but you’re not able to persuade visitors to take action. It’s a common and aching issue for many online businesses.

We’ve all experienced meetings that go like this: “OK, time to choose which landing page to launch with our new search campaign. Which page version do you guys like best?”

In the meeting are the copywriters, designers, product managers, SEM managers, and more. Around the table are some pretty smart, experienced marketing professionals. Everyone weighs in.

Businesses need to dig deeper to connect with customers in the expanding sea of Web 2.0 user-generated content.

Businesses of all sizes get taken by a bad breed of online marketing firms that shamelessly over promise and then shamelessly under deliver.

Asbru is the rainbow bridge in Norse mythology, built between the realm of man and the realm of gods. If we were to take this literally, it could signify that the release of Asbru's CMS version 6.5 bridges the gap between basic and advanced Web lifeforms. With its ready to use system of optional community, e-commerce and statistics add-on modules Asbru Content Management's newest release provides greater functionality to the realm of man, er...the user.

My last ad:tech session of the week was Actions Speak Louder than Clicks: Exploring the Laws of Relationship Marketing.

I don't know if "laws" was an adequate description, as we mainly parsed out a single big one. But if you want a website that converts like a vending machine in a high school quad, it's definitely one you want to learn.

Okay, relationship marketing. I hope you've got a pair of Chuck Taylors on hand.

On Wednesday morning at ad:tech in Chicago, I hit Managing the Search Beast, the first of the several SEO/SEM seminars I masochistically slated myself to take.

Sydney- and UK-based Squiz just announced they'll be conducting a demo of MySource Matrix 3.12, their open source CMS solution, at London's Internet World from May 1-3.

If you happen to be in London in the next two weeks, drop by the Adam Street members club for the latest of Squiz's "Best Practice" seminars. On Thursday the 26th the OSS aficionados will be regaling open ears with an exclusive called "How to SEO Like a Pro."

For a small taste of what type of information you may glean, check out our recent article on SEO and CMS deployment best practices.

Hot Banana Software has been popping up at conferences in North America this week showing off sleek new features of its web content management system.

Everyone loves new features, but more fascinating is Hot Banana's ongoing focus. Hot Banana continues to position itself as a tool for marketers, rather than a run-of-the-mill Web CMS product.

Ontario-based Hot Banana Software, a strong contender in the Web CMS and Website Operations space recently unveiled their latest software update. The company claims that version 5.5, "takes Web CMS to the next level by integrating website optimization and marketing automation features.

Notably the company has made changes to both its software as a service (SaaS) and licensed pricing. Their new tiered pricing structure targets small web teams, making the full set of Hot Banana tools more affordable for these smaller groups and organizations.

Last week we discussed some of the on-site factors that affect search engine rankings within a CMS implementation. This week, we’ll revisit these factors and present guidance for addressing and automating these strategies during your CMS implementation.

If there's one thing that we hold in common as a human race it's that, when we're on the Web, we're cheap. (Even the Swiss are cheap.)

Content management systems (CMS) place the responsibility of content creation and maintenance squarely in the hands of non-technical users. With the promise of reduced IT involvement and expenditures, the benefits of CMS are clear. Or are they?

For those leveraging Web CMS tools to manage their online content, there is a risk to be mitigated while implementing your WCM solution. In a series of two articles, we explore how a CMS deployment, without careful consideration, can have a detrimental effect on your search engine rankings and the general findability of your content.