The growth of the Internet and the increased volume of Web pages are entering an age called “The Content Explosion.” With the increased sophistication of Web-based tools, the purpose and production of Web sites will change over the next few years. In the beginning most Web sites were no more than an online brochure. Over time they have turned into complex applications designed to reach targeted users with specific needs. These applications have changed the way established organizations operate and forces them to focus on a new type of business called e-business.

Building Web sites has been a challenge for many organizations. There are two avenues organizations use to manage their Web site, either by using in-house resources or outsourcing. Growth, software proliferation, and huge volumes of new information make the traditional organizations challenged with the management of their Web site. Organizations need to work in “Internet time.” To make their Web sites deliver real value, organizations are forced to spend a large amount of their time and resources on upgrading the content and business enabling applications on their Web sites.

Content Management Systems (CMSs) allow non-technical content contributors to submit content using tools such as Microsoft Office, a Web browser or wireless devices. An organization can focus on the creation and arrangement of content to their Web site and create an effective experience for a new customer or current customer. They do this by allowing the workflow of contributors to work together to deliver rich content and business applications to the Web. A Web site can become a content-rich application. Content is key to an effective user experience. The most successful organizations concentrate on creating a new model for their customer interaction on the Web. CMS solutions can streamline this process by moving content to the user while allowing it to be targeted to the needs of the user.

Remember any one, at any time can view your Web site throughout the world. What do you want them to see?

Virticle’s content-driven e-business solutions provide a great value for your organization to reach a broad base of users and allows your organization to address marketing, selling, and support for your products and services. Deployed effectively, these applications are the key to developing and delivering content-rich Web applications from you to your end-user.

Value of a CMS

The value of a content management system can reflect in many areas throughout an organization. From your marketing, public relations, human resources, product development departments and customer relationship management, keeping fresh and accurate information flow to your web site is a critical process in today’s business.

Most Webmasters/IT Departments have been burdened with the task of keeping Web content up-to-date daily or monthly, and this can be a very time consuming process. Engaging in daily or monthly repetitive tasks of content updates takes your IT staff away from critical work. Giving your organization’s content creators the ability to update content and information flow on your Web site helps alleviate the all-knowing “bottleneck” that many organizations experience. And giving your business professionals the tools and expertise to manage their own areas of expertise allows them to target information to key audiences.

These stressful factors of IT management often cause many organizations to outsource their Web work, which can result in a high cost over time. A content management system can enable faster, less expensive content updates which in return will increase content accuracy, quality, and value.

Being able to create and update content quickly, empowering business professionals to manage their own areas of expertise will allow targeting information to key audiences.
With these factors playing into every organization’s business process, many will turn to outsourcing, which can result in a high cost over time.

Virticle’s solutions for content management and strategy processes can help your organization identify more affordable approaches to IT management and streamline your information flow to the Web in a scalable and manageable way.

Your customers are looking for you on the Internet. How will they find you?

The Internet should be as much a part of your business’ marketing plan as advertising, direct mail, or public relations. It’s never been easier to use the Web to put your name in front of qualified prospects, project a powerful image, and communicate with your customers about your products and services. Here are five ways to use the Web to build your business:

1. Build a Web site

There may be many reasons why your business doesn’t have a Web site yet. But if you don’t, you are missing out on an enormous marketing opportunity. Here are just a handful of ways a Web site can boost your business:

• Let customers and prospects serve themselves: By creating your own Web site, you can provide customers with round-the-clock information on your company and your products or services. They can get to this information when they need it, at any time of the day or night.
• Enhance your image: A professionally designed Web site can boost your company’s image significantly. Online buyers are less concerned about the size of your company than its ability to meet their product or service needs, and your site can go a long way towards setting them at ease about your capabilities.
• Locate new customers: The global nature of the Internet lets you reach out to customers who might never have heard of you otherwise. Local businesses can find a national or even international audience for their products or services.
• Control your marketing costs: With a Web site, you can reduce the time and energy spent printing and mailing brochures, catalogs and other printed materials. When a prospect contacts you looking for more information, you can simply send them to your site for the most up-to-date data.
• Improve customer service: Customers can get information about your products and services, or learn answers to common questions, without having to initiate direct contact. When done effectively, this can improve the quality of service you provide while holding down staffing levels.

2. Advertise your business in online directories

Customers frequently turn to the Internet when they’re looking for a company. An online directory such as SuperPages.com offers advertising products such as priority placement and links to your Web site from your listing. This way, customers interested in learning more about your company can go directly to your site. In addition to online yellow pages, you might also want to look into small directories that specialize in a particular industry or geographic region. A local bed & breakfast, for example, might want to list itself with its local tourism site. Take advantage of your association memberships as well — trade associations, local chambers of commerce, and other groups frequently publish their own online membership directories.

3. Advertise across the Web

Interactive banner ads can be used to drive traffic to your Web site, but they also can be used to build your brand online. Unlike people who see ads in a magazine or newspaper, online prospects can go directly to your site by clicking on the banner, making it easy for them to learn even more about your company and your products or services. Online advertising can also be cost-effective, even for cost-conscious small businesses, since you can target banner ads to people who might be interested in what you sell. For example, you can purchase ad space on a search engine, and have your ad “pop” when a person is searching for certain relevant keywords.

4. Use email

Email can be used in a wide variety of ways to enhance your customer relationships and help you locate new prospects. It can be as simple as sending an instant “thank you for placing an order note” to a customer that has just done business with you. It can also be a bit more involved, such as a monthly email newsletter that includes tips for getting the most out of your products and services. Or it can be as complex as a highly targeted direct response marketing campaign with multiple offers going out to different segments of your target market. You can use email to:

• Inform customers about your latest product announcements, without having to print new brochures or catalogs
• Notify customers of changes in their order status
• Alert customers to sales and special offers based on their past purchases
• Exchange information with your key business partners to speed up your sales cycle

Be sure to follow e-mail marketing laws and guidelines as you collect addresses and send e-mails to customers.

5. Contribute to other sites

You can communicate your expertise to customers and prospects by contributing articles and insight to various sites across the Web. It may also be helpful to find online message boards and newsgroups that relate to your business. For example, a knitting supplies dealer could become part of a “crafts” community and share tips on making scarves or sweaters. Similarly, an accountant who specializes in working with home-based businesses could write articles on the latest changes to the tax law for a home-office site. When you contribute to these sites, avoid a “hard sell”. Instead, provide useful information, and be sure to include a way for people who see it to contact you.