choosing a cms

8/8/2019 Choosing a Cms

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EXCERPTS

Web Content Management Systems:

How toUnderstand, Choose and

Implement theRightOne

Plus: When and How To Go Open Source

- What a CMS is, how it works

- Workflow management

- Charts , Worksheets and Case Studies

Updated February 2009

TO LEARN MORE AND TO ORDER THE

FULL VERSION OF THIS PAPER, PHONE

646-258-7879 OR VISIT BGVMEDIA.COM.

COPYRIGHT Amy Webb, Dorian Benkoil and A. Adam Glenn 2009. All rights reserved.


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About This Paper

Disclosure

BGV Media Consulting is a vendor-neutral partnership of media consultants who specialize in

developing strategies for digital content creation and delivery to meet specific business

objectives. This report has been produced without outside funding or investment from any

content management company, and was created only for those wishing to learn more about

content management systems or those who need assistance in selecting a CMS solution.

Lead Author: Authors:

Amy L. Webb Dorian Benkoil A. Adam Glenn

Principal Principal Principal

Webbmedia Group, LLC Teeming Media a2g Media

Contact Information:

BGV Media Consultinghttp://www.bgvmedia.comEmail: [email protected]: +1 (646) 258-7879

TO ORDER THE FULL VERSION OF THIS

PAPER, PHONE 646-258-7879 OR VISITBGVMEDIA.COM

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Table of Contents (of full paper)



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Section One: Understanding Content Management Systems



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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Publishing has changed dramatically in the years since the launch of the World Wide Web. Inthe early days of the Web, most Web sites contained just a few pages. Making updates orchanges required only a few lines of code.

Today, with consumers expecting an ever-increasing volume of on-demand digital content froma variety of sources, no one person could possibly undertake the management of all digitalcontent on modern Web sites. Instead, behind nearly every site is an automated series of toolsand code that enables digital content to be managed sensibly.

There are hundreds of such content management systems to help power Web sites. But withso many solutions, it can be difficult to determine which CMS best fits a particular organization s

expectations and real-world needs.

The challenge is to find a CMS solution that will meet your current digital content needs, enableyour company to grow and expand, and enable you to adapt to the inevitable changes anddevelopments on the Internet.

Who this paper is for

This detailed report offers you a comprehensive examination of content management systems,products and solutions, as well as best practices and common pitfalls. It contains helpfulworksheets (with tear-out versions at the end) to help you come to decisions at crucial

junctures, as well as guide a team you may be working with.

It is written for key influencers and decision-makers, the people who will help decide whichContent Management System is installed and see to its installion. This may be a generalmanager, a publisher, an editorial director or another leader.

What youll find inside

Worksheets and Guides:o A needs assessment worksheet to help in researching and evaluating content

management systems and vendors.o A technology assessment worksheet to help determine your technology needs.o Questionaires to help figure out upfront and hidden costs.o A checklist to help avoid common pitfalls.

Vendor Report:o Detailed evaluations and objective summaries of 21 vendors, including seven new

vendorssince our previous report.)o A 70-point criteria listfor evaluating vendors, adding more than a dozen new criteria

from our previous report.


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Resources:o A three-page guide listing the necessary terms and definitions for learning more about

CMS solutions.o Additional resources including reports, explainers and links.o A Web glossary guide to help define terms in common use that are introduced

throughout the paper.

Using this report, your Web team will:

Learn the lexicon and gain a general sense of how content management systems work sothat you may have an informed discussion with potential vendors.

Assess the CMS you currently have and determine if that system best meets yourcompanys needs.

Create a working, realistic technology budget that will help you better allocate youravailable resources toward existing CMS solutions.

Create a vendor shortlist, determining quickly which vendor categories and CMS productswill and will not work for your site(s).

Work toward implementing a new CMS solution within a reasonable timeframe. Avoid common mistakes and unforeseen pitfalls during selection and implementation.

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SECTION ONE: Understanding Content

Management Systems

CHAPTER ONE: What Is a Content Management System?

A CMS is an automated series of tools and commands that supports the creation, management,

distribution and storage of digital information. In one place, you can create original content, edit andproof it, publish it to the World Wide Web and other outlets and archive it for later use. And you cantypically accomplish all of this with a series of simple clicks of a mouse.

There are differences in the available digital content management tools. For example, a digital assetmanagement (DAM) system differs from a content management system in many ways. A DAM easilyallows an organization to categorize, re-purpose and retrieve large amounts of digital content that is notnecessarily changed or updated frequently.

For most organizations that produce new content regularly, a CMS is the best solution.

Many Web sites use a CMS today, but that wasnt always the case. Without a CMS, Web developersmust hand-code changes and upload them. The process can be time-wasting and tedious, even for verysmall Web sites. A CMS automates this process, freeing up valuable staff time for other projects. Itensures the timely delivery of your content, and it gives you the ability to manage how your site functionsand what it looks like. A good CMS allows consumers to navigate throughout your site and, hopefully, tolet others know about your content through feeds and other means.

In many cases, a CMS helps you update an entire site at once by making only one small change. So ifsomeone misspells Mississippiin several different places, you should be able to tell the CMS to gothrough all of the documents and change it to the correct spelling instantly.

A working CMS is critical to the success of many organizations, especially now that limited staffing hasbecome the norm. A CMS can automate manual publishing tasks and can even be set to make newcontent live when no one is in the office.

The following sections of this report provide a thorough explanation of how to assess your organizationstechnology needs, what CMS options are available and steps to help guide you through the decision-making process. And if any of the technology terminology used is unclear, weve provided a handyglossary of Web terms and concepts at the end of this report.




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Case Study No. 1: Updating a legacy Web site at a medium-sized news organization

Helen, the manager of a medium-sized news organization Web site, wrestled with updatingdaily content especially during a busy news day. Her companys site was built usingstandard HTML pages, so all new content stories, photos, captions had to be enteredmanually and then uploaded. This process was time-consuming and made it nearlyimpossible for her to focus on other tasks, such as integrating user comments ordeveloping blog templates for her reporters.

Helen and her team opted for an open-source content management system. Her companycontracted a CMS architect and Web site designer to build a new system and to migrate allof the existing content over to it. The process took six months; however, now the site isupdated automatically. Helen no longer must manually create pages and link them to therest of the site. Content is added and archived instantly, allowing Helen and her team to

focus on other projects.

And, because Helen used an open source system with lots of free add-ons, it has beenrelatively easy for her team to expand and grow the site, especially as technology changes.They have access to the templates, stylesheets and tools that enable them to stay currentas the Web changes. That includes social networks, mobile and additional content verticals.




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CHAPTER TWO: How To Evaluate Possible CMS Solutions

In this section, youll find a detailed description of how content management systems work and various

considerations as you make your technology decisions.

A. How It Works

Producing content for the Web, at least in terms of technology, usually entails four stages: contentcreation, content management, publishing and archiving. (See Figure 2, below, for a more detailedworkflow illustration).

Content Creation Most CMS products are Web-based. To access the CMS, a user goes online and logsin to an entry screen that may look like a friendly, easy-to-use database. This database represents theback-end of a CMS where documents, images, information, etc., are collected and organized.Meanwhile, the front-end refers to the simple graphics and buttons that guide your staff as to where toenter that text, photos, etc. (The front-end is also known as the user interface or UI.) Here, text,photos, audio and video can easily be entered, edited and filed for later use. Many CMS products offeran easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, along with buttons to enablehyperlinks, formatting and more. (See Figure 1, below)

In the best case, users are able to edit text just as they would in a word processing software program,such as Microsoft Word. But they are also able to easily access and edit the HTML (or other) code. SomeCMS products also allow multiple users to track changes to a document and follow its workflow.

Content Management After content has been created, it is critical that others can also access andmanipulate the material. Depending on the system, that content may be labeled as a story page, acontent page, a detail page, a story, a digital asset, etc.

It is vitally important that the storage features of the CMS complement your organizational structure. Forinstance, you may need to know about and have access to: all versions of a page; complete data on who altered a page and when; a hierarchy of users that determines who can

... MATERIAL EXCERPTED...

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You may need to archive your content based on a specific set of parameters. For example, you may wantto list all of your content by date, or by topic area, or by author. Various options are available dependingon the CMS vendor.

Figure 1: A sample page of a CMS user interface, from the company Ingeniux:

NOTE: Many content management systems use a left-hand navigation to find and store content, while thetext and other elements are modified in a simple WYSIWYG editor. Elements such as author names,publication parameters and the like are selected using preprogrammed drop down menus.




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Figure 2: Sample Workflow

Content Created in CMS

Multimedia Elements Uploaded via FTP

All Elements of Story Page Edited





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B. Technical Considerations

Not all content management systems are created the same way. But at the core, a CMS is a simple user

interface for a very complicated database. It may not matter whether you know a database language(such as SQL pronounced sequel or PHP -- if you plan to outsource the technical development andmaintenance.

What does matter is whether the CMS you choose will integrate with other platforms and systems. Forexample, you may want to use Googles AdSense program to run advertisements on your Web site.AdSense uses a scripting language called JavaScript, and in order to enable ads to be placed on yoursite, youll need the ability to put code into a designated area. Not all CMS products will (1) allow thatkind of JavaScript or (2) allow access to copy and paste the necessary code.

The best content management systems will always be those that allow the maximum number of..




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SECTION TWO: Assessing and Implementing

New Systems

CHAPTER THREE: Assessing Your Needs

Before you select a vendor, we advise you to take inventory of your current content production andpublication methods.

Its critically important to first complete a self-evaluation within your company. This process will help toensure that all of the decision-makers and those charged with implementing any changes have input.Virtually everyone in your organization has a different perspective on how and when to use Web tools.Some staff may have innovative ideas and will be ready to help develop your organizations Web site.

Others in your group may want your CMS to accomplish the arduous task of managing workflow, ensuring




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Case Study No. 3: Preventing CMS pitfalls at an arts Web site.

Sarah, the editor of a local arts Web site, originally contracted with a local Webprogrammer to design an easy-to-use content management system. Because her sitewas very small, had little content and included a staff of just two, herself and a friend, shewanted a very cheap, simple option under $2,000.

Within a few months after launch, the site became wildly popular. Sarah wanted to includemore than just text-based stories, since she was fielding pitches from various freelance

journalists who were offering photos, music and videos. She contacted the Webprogrammer to find out about adding in some extras: the ability to upload and offerstreaming video, the ability for users to email others story links from the site, one-clickbuttons for users to share stories on Facebook and Digg. She was promptly told thatbecause her original CMS plans ...

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CHAPTER FOUR: When and How To Go It Alone

Content management systems are designed so that the largest number of users possible can all benefitfrom the same solution. It behooves a CMS company to create and offer one system rather than dozensof customized products.

For that reason, no single commercial CMS product can possibly meet every need of every organization.This may not be a problem for a smaller publication, such as a local weekly newspaper. However, theability to frequently change, upgrade and customize a Web site may be integral to the success of, say, alarge broadcasting corporation.

While hundreds of commercial CMS products are available and ready to use out of the box, there areseveral solutions that have been developed within the software programming community that attempt tosolve problems created by commercial providers. These systems are called open source, and generally

have been developed and updated by scores of professional and amateur programmers from around theworld. Because their code is open source, no one person owns the rights to the software. As such, mostare covered either by what is called a GNU General Public License or by a Creative Commons License.There are no licensing or purchase fees to implement or launch Web sites created with open sourcecode.

Perhaps the most well-known open source code project in publishing is Cofax, a CMS solution developedby the Knight Ridder Interactive/Philadelphia Inquirer staff and used by Knight Ridder properties from1999-2007.

When, How and Why To Use Open Source

If your company has a dedicated tech team that is well-versed in programming languages such as SQL,




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Section Three: The Vendors



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DEFINITIONS: Key To Vendor Criteria Tables

CRITERION WHAT IT MEANS

System requirements: server? What kinds of software does your server need to run?There may not be any requirements for some systems.

Operating system? Does the CMS require Windows? Linux? Mac?

Programming language What language is the CMS created in? There aremany different options: SQL, PHP, etc.

Users have root access? Can you access the primary files of your Web site?

Users have shell access? Shell access gives you the ability to run commandsand change parts of the site regardless of where thefiles of your site are actually being stored.

Users have email access within

system?

Can users easily send messages through the system

to other users?Hosted? Is the system hosted? Can it run independently onservers of your choosing?

Security audit trail? This gives you the ability to trace back who has loggedinto your CMS and made changes.

WYSIWYG editor? What You See Is What You Get. Text appears in thetext edit area with the formatting (bold, colors,underline) that you will see once it is published on yourWeb site.

What is the URL format? How are the pages displayed? Does the URL containsemantic information, or is each story page identifiedwith a number?

Spell checker? Automatically checks spelling

Workflow management? Tracks a document (or page) as multiple users workon it, from creation, to editing, to proofing topublishing.

Edit cycle within the system? Does the CMS have a system of editing a document(or page) that enables you to see who made changesand when?

Project management tool withinthe system?

Is there a tool that enables you to follow an editorial orother project from conception to completion?

SSL compatible? Secure Socket Layer does the CMS comply withsites that have this security-related feature enabled?

SSL logins? Does the CMS allow for secured (SSL) user logins?

Support Manual to read? Not all CMS providers include a written manual, inprint or on the Web.

Support via Telephone? Some CMS providers offer tech support on the phone,others do not.

Support In-person training? Some CMS providers will send out a certified trainer towork with your staff on your office computers to learnthe system.




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Support Developer community? Many open source CMS have a community of usersonline who discuss tools and tricks via discussionboards. It can be especially helpful to tap into a

particular CMS vendors users if you need help oradvice.

Support Online help? Some CMS providers offer help via instant messaging(or chat).

Drag-n-drop content? Can you drag a file, such as an image, directly into theCMS and see it appear?

Easy image resizing? If you need to change the size of an image on one of your pages, can you resize it there, or do you need touse another program (such as Photoshop)?

Edit code directly? Not all CMS providers allow users to edit the HTML (or other code) directly. Because of this, you may not beable to include certain features, such as GoogleAds or

certain analytics (traffic counters).Advanced caching? Will the CMS cache only designated parts of the

page? Will it allow only designated users to view partsof the page once cached? Must a user authenticateto view certain cached content?

Page caching? Is a static HTML file created that can be read outsideof the CMS application, causing the CMS to loadinstantly when the user is online? (If not, some or allparts of the CMS interface could potentially takeseveral minutes or more to load each time it is used.)

Content scheduling? Can you schedule a day/date/time in the future topublish content?

Web statistics? Some CMS providers include a traffic counter as partof their system, while others require you to use a third-party application.

Style/template management? Can you edit one section of the site and apply changesthroughout?

Is the system modular? Can you augment one section of the CMS withouthaving to change the entire thing?

Module management? If the system is modular, how easy is it to modifysections?

Translation management? Does the CMS enable smart filtering and encoding forthe Web?

RSS? Will your Web site automatically publish RSS feeds

(syndicated content)?FTP support? File Transfer Protocol: In order to upload large photo,

video or other multimedia files, you will need toconnect directly to the server using FTP. Does theCMS include FTP access, or will you have to use athird-party system?

Mobile publishing support? Can you publish both to the Web and to mobile?

Supported mobile platforms? What mobile platforms are supported? (iPhone, RIM/BlackBerry, etc.)




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Microsoft Outlook, iCal or othercalendar application support?

Does the CMS integrate with such calendar featuresas iCal (Mac) or other calendar software? This mightbe used for scheduling events, integrating ad

placement or implementing an events listings sectionon your Web site.

Multilingual content support? Will the CMS accept and publish content usingcharacters other than English?

Blog? Does the CMS come with blogging software, or willyou have to use a third-party system?

Chat? Does the CMS come with chat (instant messagingdirectly on the Web site) software, or will you have touse a third-party system?

Social networks? What social networks are integrated? (Facebook,Twitter, etc.)

User profile support? Can individual users create member profiles on yoursite?

Aggregation support? Can you aggregate information from other sites andpresent it on yours?

Classifieds? Does the CMS come with software to manage andpublish classifieds, or will you have to use a third-partysystem?

Discussion/Forum? Does the CMS come with software to manage adiscussion board (online forum), or will you have touse a third-party system?

Document management? Does the CMS provide a clear system to track whereall pieces of the Web site are based or which staffmember is/was using the file? This would include text,multimedia files, etc.

Events management? Does the CMS include a calendar and RSVP systemto create and manage events?Job-posting boards? Does the CMS include software to manage and

publish job ads, or will you have to use a third-partysystem?

Mail form? Can users type and send email messages directly onyour Web site?

Customizable user page? Can each member of your staff using the CMScustomize his/her own start page with the editing/publishing tools s/he needs?

Newsletter? Some CMS providers include an e-newsletter that youcan create and send directly from the system. Theyoften store and manage all of your email addresses.

Automated photo gallery? Does the CMS include a template for creating andpublishing photo galleries, or will you have to use athird-party system?

Embedded video support? Can you embed videos into your site using only theCMS?

Video player? Does the CMS require a separate video player? If so,is it included in the CMS?




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Polls? Does the CMS include a template for creating andpublishing polls, or will you have to use a third-partysystem?

Search engine within CMS? Does the CMS include a so-called native searchengine so that users can search directly through yoursites content? Some CMS providers use Google orYahoo instead.

Site map? For optimal visibility, some search engines request thatyou submit your site map to make it easier for crawlersto find all of your content. Will the CMS automaticallycreate and publish a complete site map of your Website on demand for distribution to search enginespiders?

Surveys? Does the CMS include a template for creating andpublishing surveys, or will you have to use a third-partysystem?

Tests or quizzes? Does the CMS include a template for creating andpublishing tests/quizzes, or will you have to use athird-party system?

User contributions text? Can users log onto your site to upload their ownwritten content?

User contributions photo? Can users log onto your site to upload their ownimages?

User contributions audio/video? Can users log onto your site to upload their own audio/video content?

Weather? Does the CMS include a template for syndicating andpublishing local/national weather reports, or will youhave to use a third-party system?

Wiki? Does the CMS include a wiki, or a system for collaborative content uploading/managing/publishing?Affiliate tracking? Can you tell your advertisers/sponsors how many

people have clicked on their ad?Shopping cart? Does the CMS include a system to collect payments

securely, or will you have to use a third-party system?Supports Javascript? Javascript is used for a number of Web tools and

applications. Not all CMS providers support it.Supports Flash? Flash is used for a number of Web tools and

applications. Not all CMS providers support it.Community/developer backlash? Has there been community or developer backlash

about the CMS?




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CHAPTER SIX: Vendor Specifications and Comparisons

Alfresco Enterprise + Community

CONTACT: http://www.alfresco.comSAMPLE USERS: Christian Science Monitor, MIT, Knight Ridder Digital, McGraw-HillSUMMARY: Open source alternative for enterprise content management.APPROX. COST: $15k - $20k/year (supported)LICENSE TYPE: Open

Alfresco.com allows users to upload and convert documents to new formats via a Web-friendly interface.

System requirements: server Any with Java 1.5+

Operating system Any

Programming language Java + PHP

Users have root access? NoUsers have shell access? No

Users have email access within thesystem?

Yes

Hosted? No

Security audit trail? Yes

WYSIWYG editor? Yes


http://www.alfresco.com/http://www.alfresco.com/


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Ingeniux CMSCONTACT: http://www.ingeniux.com/SAMPLE USERS: American Optometric Association, U.S. Navy, UCLA Anderson School of

ManagementSUMMARY: XML-based content management system; software-as-service/hosted CMSAPPROX. COST: $50,000LICENSE TYPE: Per Server or ASP, monthly only (no annual pay option)

System requirements: server Windows 2000 or 2003 Server

Operating system Microsoft Window, RedHat Linux

Programming language XML, XSLT

Users have root access? Yes after training and approval

Users have shell access? Yes after training and approval

Users have email access withinsystem? No

Hosted? Yes

Security audit trail? Yes

WYSIWYG editor? Yes

What is the URL format? PageNumber.xml (doesnt use natural language)




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http://www.ingeniux.com/http://www.ingeniux.com/


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SECTION FOUR: Appendices

CHAPTER SEVEN: Web /CMS Terms - Explanations

Web 2.0 Terms

Blog or Web logA blog (short for Web log) is a simple way for you to publish content. Blog software gives you the abilityto deliver new content to the Web and to archive all of your old content. New stories are typically calledentries or posts, and they are usually categorized (or tagged) by a particular theme or keyword.Blogs are updated frequently and have been used as personal spaces that reflect the specific ideology orbeliefs of the author. Blogs usually have RSS feeds (see below), allowing others to subscribe to thecontent and receive alerts about new posts.

Feed Reader (also called aggregator)

A piece of software that collects the RSS feeds you subscribe to and displays them in a readable format.MyYahoo, Google Reader and Bloglines are popular feed readers.

Mashup

Web pages or features on sites that are automatically created by combining content from two or moresources. Usually, mashups take advantage of syndicated content, such as a podcast or RSS feed, to dothis. Right now, lots of people are creating map mashups using Google Maps.

Permalink

Blogs have several posts within a single page with a general URL. Once that content is archived, theURL changes. Each blog post has a permanent link.

RSS or RSS feedsRSS stands for really simple syndication. Blogs and podcasts use this format in order to deliver theircontent to Web sites outside the one they're hosted on. Any Web site can have RSS enabled. RSS iswhat differentiates an mp3 (audio file) from a podcast.

Podcast, Podcasting

A podcast is basically an audio or video file attached to an RSS feed. It is a way of distributing audio orvideo content using the Internet.

ToolbarA toolbar lives within the browser window. It collects and displays the URL to various Web siteaddresses, documents, mp3s and any other content available online. Toolbars can be customized forcontent areas.

Widget

A widget refers to a stand-alone mini-application that lives on a Web site. Widgets can do just aboutanything: they can display advertisements, list other Web sites, display photos and applications like theweather or email or maps, and more.

Wiki

A wiki is used for members of a group to create, develop, edit and modify a Web page collaboratively.They tend to be open in nature. Wikipedia is a famous wiki.




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Spider

A spider is a program that is used by a search engine to roam the Internet. Spiders collect informationon Web sites and databases along the way, and they report that information (a site is dead, site updates,

etc.) back to the search engines.

Anatomy of a URL:

http://www. google.com/ resource.pdf(1) (2) (3)

(1) type of file (FTP, secure HTTP, etc.)(2) Domain Name (the location of the file on the Internet)(3) Name of the file and its extension (often has .html at the end)


http://www/http://www/


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CHAPTER EIGHT: Further Resources

Definitions, Links and More

We hope this paper has provided a comprehensive and valuable resource as you move through thechoices of defining how to manage your content and choosing a content management system. Asconsultants, we know that no one report can fit everyone's needs, and we in fact spend a lot of our timecustomizing solutions for clients.

We also know the value of a mix of resources and methodologies. Here's a list of a few other resourceswe have found to be useful (though we cannot, of course, vouch for their accuracy):




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Sample Worksheets

Worksheet: Initial Needs Assessment

Answer the questions below before researching a CMS. They will help you understand your needs andspecifications to help determine what a CMS or vendor can, or cant, do for you. Compile your answers

and use them to assess a vendor and/or system.

Content Questions1. How much content does your organization produce each day? What types? What is the

frequency (every minute, daily, weekly)? How heavy does it get at the peak?

2. How many people publish content? Do they publish simultaneously?

3. Who provides your content? Staff? Freelancers? Users or community groups? Do you bring in

feeds from elsewhere, such as blogs? Where are contributors located?

Staff and Technical Questions4. Do you have in-house technical staff, or do you outsource technical tasks?

5. Is your staff able to solve Web-based technical problems on their own?

6. Does your company own server space or are you leasing space somewhere else?

7. How technologically savvy is your audience? Would they take advantage of new Web tools asthey become available?

Cost and Planning Questions8. What can you afford? Can you buy an expensive software suite? Would it be better to lease as

you go? Do you need a very low-cost/free option?

9. What are your immediate priorities? Your secondary priorities?

10. Where do you see your company in two years? In five years?




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Worksheet: Staff and Technology Needs and Workflow Assessment

This worksheet will also help you research systems and ask questions ofvendors and also helpdetermine your workflow. Use it to help facilitate discussion among staff about your technology needs.

Consider sending a copy to each team member individually and then synthesizing their answers into ashort report. That way, you may find it easier to keep dialogue free and open (see Case Study #3,

below).

1. Do staff members have programming knowledge? Who are they? What programming languagesdo they know? Be specific.

2. If not, will your company commit to establishing a permanent Web developer position?

3. If not, will your company commit to paid training for current staff members?

4. Is yours a Windows or Mac shop? Which system takes precedence?

5. Does/will your site require high security?

6. Does/will your site require subscriptions (or registration) -- will content be behind a wall?

7. Do/will you need to use your CMS to track the workflow of each piece of digital content? Do youwant to write, edit, copyedit, proofread and publish your content from one geographic location?Do you want the workflow tracking and CMS in a single Web interface?





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Worksheet: Common PItfalls

Use the list below to consider features you may need that some CMSs dont provide. Consider if you

need to:

Wrap text around an image.

Allow editing the HTML directly.

Write and edit in Spanish or another language.

Publish for various browsers, including Apples Safari.





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Worksheet: Costs

Upfront Costs

Even before youve installed a CMS you may have to spend a considerable amount. Here are costs you

should consider and budget for as needed:

CMS search fees (this may involve hosting a vendor to try product demos, allowing staff time towork with possible CMS products).

Redesign costs, if working with an outside firm. Content migration costs: Some CMS providers may not be willing or able to migrate all of your

digital content over to the new system. If you choose an open-source solution, you may need to


Hidden Costs

There may be many hidden costs associated with your CMS choice. We advise that you read alldocumentation, contracts and discussion forums about the CMS vendor thoroughly before finalizing anyagreements. Here are some of the possible unexpected costs you should ask your vendor about:

If I decide to change part of my initial build-out design during the process, will my company becharged?

Is my CMS provider charging me to host the CMS, in addition to charging a license fee? Is there an additional charge for items such as:




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CHAPTER NINE: About the Authors

BGV Media Consulting specializes in developing digital content creation and delivery strategies to meet

specific business objectives. Principals Dorian Benkoil and Adam Glenn, and partner on this project AmyWebb, are long-time journalists with rich experience in digital media, both as independent consultants andas senior editors and executives for major international news organizations. As a vendor-neutralpartnership, they have produced this report one in a series designed to help organizations adapt todigital media -- without outside funding or investment from any content management company. BGVMedia Consulting also provides direct consulting services designed to fit custom digital media solutionsto individual needs. Contact us at [email protected].

Adam GlennPrincipal, BGV Media

Principal, a2g MediaAdam Glenn is an award-winning news veteran and digital journalism consultant. During the last 25-plusyears, he has held posts with news media in New York and Washington, most recently as senior producerat ABCNews.com. A New York-based independent consultant since 2005, his clients include former NBCUniversal Chairman Bob Wright, magazine publisher Rodale Inc., The Shelley and Donald RubinFoundation, American Universitys J-Lab, The Knight Digital Media Center, The Reynolds JournalismInstitute at the University of Missouri, Yale University, The Marist Institute for Public Opinion and the NewYork Press Association, among others.

Glenn is co-founder of I, Reporter, a journalism training operation that in 2007 won a prestigious KnightNews Challenge Grant. He writes for Poynter Institute's E-Media Tidbits, and serves on the editorialadvisory board for the Society of Environmental Journalists. He currently holds adjunct teaching positionsat graduate journalism programs at Columbia University and New York University. Also at Columbia, heserves as managing editor for the Carnegie/Knight Foundation-funded News21 news initiative. Adam wasawarded a 2002 Ford Environmental Journalism Fellowship to teach in India, and a 2005 Environmental

Media Fellowship at the Vermont Law School. He received a masters in international affairs from theFletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, and a bachelors degree in journalism from Boston University.

Dorian Benkoil

Principal, BGV MediaPrincipal, Teeming Media

Dorian Benkoil is founder and senior vice president at Teeming Media, a New York-based strategic digitalmedia business and editorial consultancy focused on helping content publishers meet specific businessobjectives. He has more than 20 years experience in the media business, more than a decade of it indigital media. As editorial director for mediabistro.com, he managed a network of targeted media industryblogs, email newsletters, video and paid content. There, and at ABCNews.com, Fairchild Publications,CNET.com and elsewhere, he created multiple new content and revenue streams across platforms,attracting and retaining millions of users. He has been a reporter, editor and foreign correspondent for

ABC News, Newsweekand The Associated Press and has written columns for JackMyers MediaBusiness Report, CNETs Webware, and Naked Media, whose Web TV show he also hosts. He receivedan MBA from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business, was a Fulbright Fellow studying media issuesat Sophia University in Tokyo and received a bachelors degree in communication and internationalrelations from Stanford University. His work has won awards and recognition from the Society forProfessional Journalists, the Mirror Awards, the South Asian Journalists Association and otherorganizations. He frequently speaks at media conferences, blogs at MediaFlect.com and is host of NakedMedia (NakedMedia.org)


mailto:[email protected]://www.teemingmedia.com/http://www.teemingmedia.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Amy L. Webb

PrincipalWebbmedia Group LLC

Amy Webb is an author, speaker and future thinker and heads Webbmedia Group (http://www.webbmediagroup.com), a digital strategy consultancy that adapts current and emergingtechnologies to solve problems in mainstream journalism/journalism education. Her team of consultantsand programmers at Webbmedia helps news and tech organizations around the world innovate.Webbmedia has worked with media companies and other groups, including major television networks,national newspapers, tech startups, media associations and journalism schools. Recent clients haveincluded People.com, Hearst Digital, ABCNews.com, National Public Radio, Canadian BroadcastingCorporation, Knight Foundation, Global Forum for Media Development, Columbia University GraduateSchool of Journalism and many others.

Amy has spent more than 15 years working within media as a reporter, publisher and consultant. Shebegan her career as a reporter/writer with Newsweek(Tokyo)and the Wall Street Journal(Hong Kong)where she covered emerging technology, media and cultural trends. She has contributed to New York

Times, NPR, The Economist, Philadelphia Inquirerand many publications and broadcast shows. Her workhas been recognized with awards/nominations from Webby, Editor & Publisher, Investigative Reporters &Editors, Society of Professional Journalists, W3 and IAVA. She has an M.S. from the Columbia UniversityGraduate School of Journalism and holds a B.A. in political economics from Indiana University inBloomington, IN. She also earned Nikyu Certification in the Japanese government-administeredLanguage Proficiency Test and speaks fluently.

Amy serves on the Board of Directors for the Online News Association, the Advisory Board for TempleUniversitys Journalism Program and an Advisory Board for the International Center for Journalists. Shehas been on the adjunct journalism faculty at University of Maryland, Temple University, Tokyo Universityand University of the Arts. Amy is a regular commentator on various broadcast shows and is a frequentkeynote speaker at media conferences and journalism workshops around the world. Amy can be foundon twitter (twitter.com/webbmedia), IM (webbmedia) and on her blog, mydigimedia.com. She is based inBaltimore. Webbmedia Group consultants work out of offices in Miami, Houston and Washington, D.C.


http://www.webbmediagroup.com/http://www.webbmediagroup.com/http://www.webbmediagroup.com/http://www.webbmediagroup.com/


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