Evergreen content is fantastic because it lives for a long time and it doesn’t need much work to be useful over months or hopefully years on your site. Evergreen content is also the best content for content re-use because it stays relevant long after those blog posts you wrote about the latest Google Glasses gossip. (See how I just ruined this post’s “evergreen-ness” with a too-current reference to something that’s probably just a passing tech blogger obsession?)

So what is Evergreen Content?

Well, it’s not limited to just one type of asset. It can be a white paper, a guide, an article, a video, a graphic or even a blog post. But what defines it is its ability to be read months or years after it is written without losing its value. It stays green all year long. This is what makes it so easy to re-use--pulling excerpts for guest blog posts, referring to it in a video interview, tweeting ideas from it, linking to it in QR codes on your conference palm cards or quoting it in more timely blog posts.

The key to writing evergreen is to focus on ideas and theories about a topic. If you make too many references to fads or current events, the post is immediately dated. It’s not that you don’t want your readers to know when you wrote a post, but you don’t want it to feel outdated with dated references.

Why not go “all in” on Evergreen?

Well, if your audience is human, they are interested in the here and now. You need to provide regular content that connects with them, covers new discoveries in your field, new challenges in your industry, your breakthroughs, their breakthroughs. Most of these things will by definition not be evergreen. And that’s okay. What’s important is to provide a balance of newsworthy, shareworthy, timely content and timeless, fad-outlasting, evergreen content. This will allow you to keep your readers’ interest, show that you are in the know, and be a thought-leader, while also setting yourself up with fantastic opportunities for content re-use and re-purposing.

What are some of your tactics for creating and leveraging evergreen content on your site?

Registration for the 2013 Cascade Server User Conference is now open! This is going to be the absolute, undisputed best conference ever, so you won’t want to miss it. In addition to all new sessions and the return of the Cassies Awards and Roadmap Reveal, we’ll also have an Optional Braves Game Excursion, new networking opportunities, and a special surprise Atlanta treat! The early bird rate of just $995 expires on June 21st, so sign up today! After that, the rate will go up.

Also, don’t forget, speakers attend for FREE (including two nights at the hotel), so be sure to submit a speaker proposal. The deadline is May 24th--just under three weeks away!

Back This Year:

One-on-one consulting sessions (first come, first serve), Sunday night welcome social, Monday night Cassies Awards Party, walk-up Cascade support, early check-in Sunday night, the ever-popular Cascade roadmap session!

New This Year:

We have made it possible to register for those extra hotel nights at our negotiated room rate and for parking at either hotel. You can add those items to your online registration, or if you’d like to sign up for those separately or at a later date, please email Holly Wright at info@hannonhill.com.

Important Notes:

• We'll have 25+ sessions about what's new in Cascade Server, new ways that customers have implemented Cascade Server, and industry thought leadership. 
• Pre-RSVP for social events - These are included in your conference pass, so it's okay if you change your mind later; we just need an estimate for planning purposes.
• The one-on-one consulting sessions are limited to 16 slots this year, and these will be available on a first come, first served basis. These will go fast, so sign up now to reserve one!

What are you waiting for? Sign Up Now!

We can't wait to see everyone and show you all what we've been working on all year!

For those charged with writing the fresh content published on an organization’s site or blog, the hardest challenge can be not burning out when trying to remain inspired. I have found that for me there seems to real link between how organized my approach is to how well I can not only churn out content but also REPURPOSE content on a continual basis. Here are some examples that have worked well for us that we want to share:

Scheduling Times to Revisit Content:

Deciding on a certain time each month for revisiting past content can be helpful. It sets a tone or pattern for researching days and helps narrow in your focus to produce content. It makes you more motivated to revisit content on a continual basis because you are used to being accountable for that time. For example, you might choose to always have this on your calendar for the first Tuesday and Thursday of each month.

Write Frequently and Save Works In Progress:

I have found that writing more frequently instead of less frequently is better for me. Some suggest only writing when it is needed or when you feel the inspiration hits you. I think like most things, the more often you write the more comfortable you become with it. This doesn’t mean that every time you write, you end up using the material right away; it does, however, keep you in the habit of doing it.

This point goes hand in hand with the point of writing frequently. When I start a blog post, for example, I often end up saving it before I am done with it. Sometimes, I need to step away from a certain piece of content and come back to it later after my eyes, or mind, have had a break from it. This approach also helps to build an extra margin of material for you to be able to pull from on weeks when your schedule may not allow for as much time for writing. You can pull out something you have already started and make it work.

Write Out Topic Schedules in Advance:

Some would compare this to having an editorial calendar in place. I find having a schedule set up within a spreadsheet for the upcoming 4 to 5 weeks works really well for me. I place topic ideas for content along with soft and hard deadlines for the material within the spreadsheet and then track the progress/changes made as they come up. Having this in place makes for better planning habits overall. This helps with content repurposing in the fact that having an idea of what areas you have covered in the prior months or need to cover in the upcoming months will help with sorting through existing content when you can see two topics working hand in hand to help produce collateral using your existing material.

What other organizational techniques have helped you with content repurposing?

This month’s theme on the Hannon Hill blog is content repurposing. As we highlight the numerous benefits associated with this growing trend, let’s turn our focus to one that is of great value to many of our current clients in higher education: Content repurposing helps lower costs.

Content repurposing helps cut down on the time and energy required of content curators within your department, and we all know time is money. Especially when it comes to college campuses, many departments are not allocated the budget needed for the staffing that would include marketing associates many other industries employ.

Why Repurposing Is Needed On A Campus:

Higher Education settings include a wide variety of demographics when it comes to their student body. The content produced is meant to reach as many students and alumni as possible. Implementing content repurposing will actually not only save the staff time and money but also help them reach the various audiences they communicate with. Each student has a preference for gaining information – some prefer to read a blog while another may prefer watching a video and slideshow. What one student considers engaging another may find uninteresting, which makes content repurposing even more beneficial. The more ways you spread the content on campus the more likely it will stick. The point is to get the content in front of readers enough that they actually remember it. This in turn results with greater on-campus engagement or attendance to events or with associations, greater enrollment, and so forth.

Money Saving Through Content Repurposing:

When a campus has limited staffing in a specific department, the use of content repurposing will save time spent on research or writing when it comes to content curation, especially during busier times. During certain months, the demand on campus staff goes up--maybe it’s the end of the semester or homecoming week. This is when repurposing will save time with proper planning. The plan for repurposing content should be worked into the content strategy across the staff . This way if one writes a blog while another creates the flyer or posts to social media channels, all staff members will keep in mind that sharing information and formatting the content they create can help others save time. The efforts can go a long way as long as there is open communication.

Many Aspects Of Content Repurposing Are FREE:

The obvious point to focus on how content repurposing saves your department money is the fact that it is free in many ways. Some examples to explain would be, say, taking an existing blog post and using the material to create a PowerPoint presentation or slideshow. You may choose to take an existing interview covered in an article posting and use it as part of the material covered in a video presentation. The point is taking the collateral as it is in one form and repurposing it into another format doesn’t come at cost other than your time. Most of the needed software is already installed on campus computers and other resources can be found online free of charge as well. The only thing staff members will be required to do is plan and communicate. After that, the opportunities to create content without having to start from scratch will become more apparent.

This coming Tuesday, May 14th at 2PM EDT, join us for a webinar in which Services Manager, Penny Kronz, will be explaining the flexibility of Workflows within Cascade Server to automate processes when creating, editing, and deleting content. Penny will discuss considerations that users should make when implementing workflows for their organizations. Penny will also provide a hands-on technical demo to show how to actually build some of these workflows.

People who should participate are organizations considering starting to use workflow and are looking for an idea of where to start.

This is one webinar Cascade Server Clients won't want to miss. 

Register Here for this Upcoming Event!

Our blog theme for May is Content Repurposing and Re-use, a topic we’ve been talking about (and utilizing) for some time. The level of excitement about content repurposing has been growing--and with good reason! The idea of taking a quality piece of content and working it from more than one angle is not only efficient but intelligent for marketers and content curators alike. We should always work hard but there is nothing wrong with working smarter. Plus, let’s be honest, these days with many departments working through budget cuts and minimal staffing, content repurposing could not only help your marketing but help you with your time management needs as well.

Now comes the part where I use examples to argue my belief for implementing content repurposing as part of your content strategy. Sometimes, there isn’t a better way to get the concept across to readers. So without further ado, here are three examples of how content repurposing can apply when targeting different audiences:

Alumni Stories of Success Used to Attract Employer Interest 

Universities love to highlight stories of success from past graduates. Alumni Affairs especially enjoys printing content covering alumni who have gone on to accomplish great feats and positions that impress. It makes for great material, so why not repurpose this style of content when working to attract employers to your campus--whether for sponsorships, employment of alumni or internships for those currently enrolled. Many times an organization will be more likely to sponsor an on-campus event if there are already existing ties to the school such as having alumni who currently hold roles within the company. The intention of the content is different but the value and attraction of the success story are the same.

Campus Life Content for Students Reworked for Parents

This example is more obvious. Universities create various pieces of content when looking to increase enrollment numbers. Many times this content covers the topic of campus life. Various services or attributes of the campus are showcased, such as living quarters, on-campus clinics, culinary services, transportation and so on. These offerings are many times the same ones that parents or guardians are looking to learn about as well when considering whether to support a decision to enroll at a certain institution. That being said, why not look to repurpose this content when drafting these pieces. Regardless which piece is completed first, the point is you won’t be starting from scratch and that saves time and money.

Sharing Calendar Events Across Departments 

This example is bit more complicated to explain. See, on most campuses, each department has its own calendar of events so to speak--the upcoming events with which they are involved and for which they would like to see high attendance. That being said, why not collaborate with one another interdepartmentally, where it makes sense to share specific calendars for posting content. If there is a student planner, for example, that you are aware most students will receive free or purchase, why not use these calendars to post content on events that your department has already planned out for that year. Many times an umbrella such as Student Affairs covers many different departments. Those departments may wish to share content among calendars on one another’s sites if the event types correlate. In the end, hopefully all will end up with more turn out.

The point I am making here is to use the same content you have already drafted for your department in MORE than one place and it could pay off in more ways than one.

So why not take some time to consider where your organization could implement content repurposing. When you are already producing fresh, quality content, why not take the time to convey it to your various target audiences without reinventing the wheel!

Even though it’s been five years since Serena announced that it would stop supporting its CMS product, Collage, we talk to colleges and universities almost every week who are still suffering to manage their web content with the outdated system.

Did you know that when you upgrade your CMS to Cascade Server, you can take advantage of our proprietary migration tool to migrate all your content hassle-free?  We’ve helped over a dozen clients move their content seamlessly from Collage to Cascade Server, including Sarah Lawrence College, Northwestern University, Northeastern University, Purdue University, California State University - Chico, to name a few.

Similarities and Differences

If you’re currently looking for a replacement for Serena Collage, Cascade Server shares a few similarities to the software that will make your team’s transition as smooth as possible:

• Both products use similar architecture and publishing models.

• Both user interfaces follow the same structure.

• Both were built using Java and use XSLT for transforming XML to HTML.  (Cascade Server also supports the much easier language Velocity)

Cascade Server is also different in many ways, making it an excellent option for upgrading your CMS:

• Collage's interface is Java applet-based, whereas Cascade Server has an HTML standards-based interface. This means that content contributors will only need a browser to access their content--say goodbye to plugins!

• Cascade Server is updated quite regularly--we have 2-3 major releases each year and patch releases as often as needed and at least monthly. Since Serena announced the sunsetting of Collage, Cascade Server has more than ten major feature releases.

• Cascade Server also comes with Spectate content marketing software, the only marketing tool to come free with a CMS.

Free Migration Tool

Hannon Hill’s migration tool is free for you to use or our Professional Services team can propose a timeline and budget to move your content over for you. Read our Northeastern University - School of Law case study to learn how they selected Cascade Server and migrated all their content over with the help of our team.

Interested in Upgrading Your CMS to Cascade Server?

Contact our team to schedule a demo or set up a test instance.

One of the biggest reasons our conference has grown to be so successful and continues to get better every year is YOU, our clients!

This week, we have officially opened the Call for Speakers for the Cascade Server User Conference. If you are interested in speaking at the conference, please submit a proposal via our form here by May 24th.

The Perks of Public Speaking

Public speaking is never easy and we recognize that it takes time and guts to prepare a presentation and then get up in front of 50-100 of your peers and give it. To show our appreciation for this effort, we provide a free conference pass to all selected speakers, including all major meals and two nights at one of our conference hotels. Additionally, speakers get a fancy schmancy ribbon on their name tag identifying them as such, which I can tell you makes it about ten times easier to make small talk with strangers.  (“Oh, you’re a speaker?  What’s your session about!?”)  The best part about speaking, however, is that you get to show off a bit.

Some Ideas for Proposals

So what topic should you speak about?  Client sessions have generally fallen into three basic categories over the years:

• Showing off a cool project you’ve done (along with how others can achieve the same level of greatness),
• Sharing something interesting that you’ve learned about (such as a web development skill that pertains to using Cascade Server), or
• Telling everyone about a useful or unique best practice that your organization has developed (for content management or for a specific Cascade Server feature).

If you have an idea outside of these suggestions, please do not hesitate to submit it as a proposal!  We are always looking for new ideas for the conference sessions.  Additionally, this year, we have included an option to propose breakout sessions, which will take place in smaller rooms and be great opportunities to discuss ideas with other Cascade Users.  There will be fewer slots for breakout sessions than for full sessions, and you can submit a proposal for both if you’re unsure of the best format for your presentation.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Holly Wright at info @ hannonhill.com.  Stay tuned for more announcements about early bird registration!

Content audits accomplish many things that directly improve a content migration. Performing a content audit helps an organization decide which content is actually worth migrating into the new system. For example, is there content that needs to be improved due to broken links or gaps in information, or does it need to be removed altogether from your site? There are numerous examination points to consider, and each of them can make your content migration that much better.

A content audit will help you …

Identify problems

By reviewing all of your content assets, you can identify and address performance issues, fix misspellings and broken links, and improve your site’s accessibility. As you can imagine, all of those efforts can impact your SEO in a positive manner.

See and seize opportunities for content repurposing

Yes, there is nothing better you can do for SEO and visitor loyalty than to provide valuable, fresh content. But that doesn’t mean that each piece that you publish has to contain a brand-new idea. By doing an inventory of your website, your blog posts, and other marketing collateral, you can more easily identify opportunities to repurpose your content.

Determine content gaps

Not only does a content audit provide you with an inventory of what you have, but it can also crystallize areas in which you are not currently providing your audience with the things that they’re looking for when they come to your site. Make sure that you capture those findings and add the appropriate items to your editorial calendar.

Evaluate content quality

A lot of marketers use simple spreadsheets for their content audit, which can be as detailed as you want them to be. One of the columns that I’ve seen used more frequently now than a few years ago is “Quality”. You can make it a simple drop-down box with three choices (High, Medium, Low), or you can be more granular and even add notes containing ideas for improvement.

Pledge your commitment to content strategy

One of the less tangible outcomes of performing a content audit is the fact that it shows your commitment to your content strategy. If you are a one person marketing shop, it can keep you focused and organized and help you prioritize your efforts. If you are part of a marketing team, it can inspire your team members to take ownership of specific content pieces when everybody is dedicated to maximizing the quality of your marketing collateral.

Improve your information architecture

Sometimes, you may already have valuable, quality content on your site, but it’s not as accessible as it should be. Use pertinent analytics data, including search terms, to determine how you can make sure that your most valuable and effective content is easily found by both your audience and by search engines. 

The main goal of a content audit is to have a comprehensive picture of content that needs to be thrown out, edited, reorganized, optimized, repurposed, or created from scratch. The more one realizes how beneficial a content audit can be, the more they can see the direct role it can play in an upcoming content migration. So, remember to visit freecontentaudit.com, where you can access a free content audit template complete with an inventory of your website.

Buzzfeed, yes I said it. I know many think of this site as the go-to when your focus level at work has dropped below the productivity line, but hear me out. When you read about what is hot on the Internet in regards to making people laugh or type OMG, you are more in the know of what is trending online. And guess who loves Buzzfeed? College students do. These are the items many students will choose to post on their Facebook wall or tweet out. It’s what is catching their eye--even if it is their guilty pleasure and they’re afraid to admit it. If, as a writer, you can find a way to incorporate these current trends into the title of your blog posts or subject matter, even if it’s just metaphorically, you are sure to gain some attention and maybe even increase your traffic. When you write about trending topics, your student readers won’t be able to resist the urge to click and read on.

TMZ (Or Any Entertainment Gossip Source):

TMZ and entertainment news shows like it are extremely popular in our culture. Think about it--people just love hearing about how Jennifer Lopez and her current boyfriend just broke up or where Kim Kardashian bought her baby crib. Now how does this relate to your writing inspiration you ask? Well similar to the points I was making about Buzzfeed, you would be surprised as to how you can incorporate the latest “hot gossip” into a new post and drive up some traffic. For example, the question of whether Beyonce sang live at the inauguration could be compared to why transparency in is so critical. Now you have a title for a blog or article you can craft from this idea that just may draw a few more clicks along with making for a more interesting take on a post. We need to make sure and switch it up sometimes as writers. It can’t always be the structured or expected approach, especially when trying to grab the attention of student readers.

Your Local Hangout Spot:

If you eat out, you tend to have some local spots that are your favorite places to grab a meal. Maybe they have a good late night menu or a killer Ping-Pong table set up. The reasons vary, but most of the time people want to hang out where they feel comfortable. Now think about this when you are out at your favorite dinner spot or happy hour and how it correlates to numerous topics you tend to hit upon when writing. I really like this one local spot for their dessert. They have amazing brownie sundaes and the best part is they bake brownies in-house that come with or without walnuts since they know many people only like them one way or the other. Do you have a campus feature or benefit you could highlight in regards to its flexibility or adaptability? These are ideas that could come to mind and can be made into a content later if you make a mental note of your inspiration. It sounds strange when explained, but inspiration can really be found in the most random places and at the most random times. You just have to be tuned in!

During A Workout:

This last source I would like to mention is your workout. I strongly feel that for many avid exercisers, the workout can become a time to clear your mind. Work is quite busy for everyone these days and finding inspiration to write when multiple projects are swirling around you can be hard at times. Sometimes if your deadline permits, maybe you shouldn’t try and push out content when feeling mentally overwhelmed. Instead wait until you are in the midst of that swim in the pool or jog on the treadmill to think about things you haven’t thought about writing before. The inspiration may come to you with more clarity due to the fact that no other distractions are present. It’s worth giving it a shot, if nothing else works.

Well I hope these few suggestions can help you with your content creation and finding new inspiration. What are some approaches you have taken to find inspiration for your writing?

This is the first of several “modules” we’ll be rolling out this year that can be fully imported and integrated into your sites in Cascade Server.  The best part is that we don't upcharge you to use this.  Using the Site Clone feature Cascade Server version 7.0+, you can import the calendar to your instance and then take advantage of a number of simple customization options so that it matches the rest of your site’s look and feel.  You will have total control over the calendar once you import it, so if you want to make any advanced modifications, you can.

This coming Tuesday, April 16th at 2PM EDT, join us for a webinar in which Senior Sales Engineer Charlie Holder will demonstrate all the robust features of this calendar and show you how you can easily import it into your instance of Cascade Server and fully customize it to your brand.

This webinar has passed. Watch the video here.

Just to whet your appetite, here’s a still preview of the calendar module:

Register Here for this Upcoming Event!

When I consult with new Cascade Server clients about migrating their content, there are two main types of migrations I typically see. One is the straightforward migration from an old CMS to Cascade Server and the second is the migration from no CMS framework or multiple different content entry methods. This migration from no clear CMS framework often means that users have had complete control to embed whatever inline styles and scripts within their content, not too mention the ability to layout content in any way they saw fit.

I wish I could say that there is a straightforward answer for this second type of migration and Hannon Hill has an out-of-the-box solution that will work for all content.  The fact is that if a user can identify a consistent main content section across sets of pages, we can automate the migration. But if the main content region is different from one page to the next, the best I can offer are the following rules to employ for migrating content.

Participate in a Cascade Server technical training

One of the biggest hindrances that I have come across for an organization getting started is the belief that everything must be planned out even before the organization has an understanding of their new CMS framework. I have worked with quite a few users that want to have a full understanding of the software even before training. To overcome this, Hannon Hill offers free training videos to enable users to get up-to-speed on Cascade Server functionality as soon as possible even if the rest of their team is not available. Watching a training video will help with building out functionality and even writing project requirements on desired functionality within Cascade Server. In addition to the training, Cascade Server help forum and HiEdListserv are great resources to solicit best practices and how-tos from veteran Cascade Server users.

Perform a site audit

It is very important to have a full picture of the full breadth of your undertaking. This will allow you to make high level goals. That said, do not get too wrapped up in the details of your page. Cascade Server users may use Spectate as a means to get a free content inventory. For people who are not Cascade Server users, this tool is also free and can be accessed here. This should be used as a checklist for what needs to be handled during your migration. It can also be used as an inventory on finding appropriate content owners who may be able to audit their content for verifying that current content is put into the CMS. Again, do not get overwhelmed or drawn too much into the details. This should be used as a simple way to prioritize goals.

Follow the minimal viable product rule

The best way to get up and going is to start somewhere. No momentum can be built unless you have some movement behind you. I generally recommend getting main site pages built out and pushed via Cascade Server as soon as possible. This process has often been expedited through the Cascade Server bootcamp training, optional free training videos, and/or the customizable QuickStart package. The most successful transitions that I have been a part of have been those with a plan to get enough working and understand that a migration doesn’t have to mean all or nothing. With Cascade Server’s push model, webpages can be pushed to many different web servers and those web servers can also hosts content pushed via other methods side-by-side, even pages that are directly edited via the web server.

Add milestones to your timeline

Focus on making shorter checkpoints so that a migration is not as daunting. If you are undertaking a redesign that offers users something new, this may help you to get buy-in and unexpected assistance from content owners. Utilize Cascade Server’s custom permission settings to get users into the system that want to help. Entering page content should be as easy as filling out an email. Bringing a user up to speed for content entry should not require more than an hour of training and can often be done for groups of users at a time.

Hannon Hill, like many other companies, has services offerings to help with this migration undertaking. We often assist clients with initial build out of pages, training, and even movement of content into the CMS by hand if needed. Although we offer these catchall services, organizations should plan on spending time to QA content moved into the CMS because no one will know your content better than you.

My best advice is to take a deep breath and know that you have to start somewhere. Utilize Cascade Server’s site model to have real milestones and delineations of work. But most importantly, breath and take it one milestone at a time.

Did you know the Services team at Hannon Hill handles more than just QuickStarts and Training? We also provide Redesign Implementation, Consultations and Migration assistance. We don’t actually create designs, but we will gladly assist you in implementing yours. Our latest Redesign project was for Northeastern University School of Law (NUSL).

There are several things you should consider when deciding on a new design for your site.

What are the new trends?

If your organization doesn’t have a big social media presence or isn’t on very many social media platforms, this is the perfect time to launch a social strategy. There are plenty of ways to do this on your new site. You could add a full-on media page like this one that we implemented for NUSL:

Or add a simple Twitter or Facebook feed as a part of your homepage like the Connect Area that we added for Bowdoin College:

Or add a Media Center on the homepage like the one we applied to the Agnes Scott homepage (Media Center highlight by red rectangle):

What are other schools/companies in your industry doing?

Check out your competitors and see if you notice anything they are doing differently that looks nice or seems to be popular. This can really help you decide how to feature your current content or add features that seem to be becoming industry standards.

The important thing is to think about what you want to accomplish with your new site. Who is your target audience? What attracts these individuals? Is there a message or idea you want to present? What is the best way to convey this message effectively through your new site? Hannon Hill has some great ideas about how to accomplish this: Check out our Marketing Mojo blog posts.

Start Working with the Design Team

After you have some clarity of what you want to achieve with your redesign, it is time to start working with the design team. Whether your team is in-house or if you hire outsiders, it is really important that the team understands your needs and the needs of your end user.

Be proactive and involved during the design process. The designers can’t create an effective design without your input, and no one knows your data better than you. Redesign rules to follow:

• The design needs to be flexible and customizable in order to work effectively with a CMS.

• Incorporating a fluid design that doesn’t limit characters and makes adjustments for different image heights and lengths of texts is crucial.

• Keep thing simple and don’t over-design every little area. The less specific, the better. And simple designs are often much more beautiful than overly complex ones. Double-check Your Design from the End User Perspective

Once a draft of the design is complete, go over it from an end user perspective. Think about what an end user might want to click on or what might be too confusing. Consider how the site will flow and function. Open and continuous communication with the design team is critical at this point, give plenty of feedback and rework the design until it meets your needs.

Consider the Content Migration Process During Design

Another thing to think about is how much copying or manual work you want to do to incorporate your current content into the new design. The easiest method is to keep your content fields the same and design your pages to use your current content in different ways. New templates and formats will need to be created (which the services team can handle if you don’t want to do the development); however, the data definition and metadata will remain the same. This means your end users will not need a lot of training to use the new design since they are already familiar with the fields.

Another option to consider is using Web Services as a migration tool for more complicated content. For instance, NEU was using one page/content type for both their standard and landing pages. In their new design, they have two separate page types. We used a migration tool to separate the content into the new page types (see examples below).

Old NUSL Standard Page:

New NUSL Standard Page:

Old NUSL Landing Page (Using same page/content type as Standard):

New NUSL Landing Page:

Keep all of these things in mind and your redesign should go off without a hitch! And if you need any help or just want someone to implement your new design for you, contact the Services team. We will be happy to assist you with any consultation, migration, or redesign implementation inquiries.

Congratulations, you’re finally ready to start migrating all that content to Cascade Server! Sounds daunting, right?! Relax! Migration doesn’t have to be a scary process. The key to keeping the process smooth and painless is to PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN some more!

Examine Your Site

It’s not the sexiest job in the world, but take the time to examine your content! Make a detailed inventory of your current site. Identify the relationships between content. Is outdated content even worth migrating? Use Google Analytics to discover your most linked and highest trafficked content. You will want to set up 301 redirects to this content (at the very least!) if your site’s directory structure changes. It may not be fun, but this preparation and cleaning will save you valuable time and resources during the actual migration process.

Migration Methods

Your content can migrate manually (the ol’ copy/paste) or automatically (with the use of software tools). Each method has its own respective advantages and disadvantages. If you have a ton of content, the manual method can be extremely time-consuming (don’t even get me started on the carpal-tunnel)! However, if spring cleaning wasn’t done prior--it can be a prime opportunity to get rid of that old content and streamline the content that actually needs to be migrated. On the flip side of the coin, automatically migrating can speed up the migration progress considerably. “Automatic,” however isn’t necessarily a hands-free process. It may miss “special-case” content--requiring this content to be manually migrated anyway. (Hannon Hill offers services to help automatically migrate your content to Cascade Server).

Content Freeze

Depending on how big your site is, migrating content can take quite awhile. It will be less stressful if new content isn’t being added during the migration process. Unfortunately, we rarely do live in an ideal world. If a content freeze is totally out of the question, keep copies of any new content on the new site and keep the copies in sync with the originals on the old site. Oh, and try to keep your sanity in the meantime!

Test Run

You may want to consider a practice migration to a sandbox server before actually migrating. This way you can prepare for and fix any issues before the real deal.

Hopefully these planning points will help with any upcoming content migrations. What other points have you found helpful to consider when planning for this type of process?

The web communication landscape has evolved dramatically. As a result of the social media avalanche, your target audience’s behavior and expectations have changed. The level of engagement that people expect, not just from brands, but also from government agencies, has increased—as has the quality of information and content delivery. One of the biggest challenges for public agencies is to measure the success of their online presence in order to optimize their communications strategies. In this presentation, CEO Kat Liendgens will discuss how government agencies can measure and utilize social media, SEO, web analytics, and content marketing strategies to better serve their customers.

After participating in this session, attendees will understand how to:

• Measure and utilize social media
• Improve search engine optimization using web analytics
• Create and implement a content marketing strategy to better engage your audience

Schedule Details:

• Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2013
• Time: 2:00 pm -3:00 pm EDT

Register Here to Save a Seat. We hope you’ll be able to attend!

@DianaMTweeting 

If your organization is like millions (and millions and millions!) across the world, you are already capitalizing on the wealth of useful data Google Analytics provides about your site. In that case--I’ll spare you the pitch of using Google Analytics (but, since we’re here, be sure to check out Spectate if you haven’t already!). The bottom line: It’s super easy to integrate Google Analytics data into your Cascade Server instance. How easy, you ask?

Here’s the step-by-step:

• In Cascade Server, navigate to the site you will associate Google Analytics with.

• From the Administration menu, select “Connectors > Google Analytics Connector.

• Enter the following:

  • Name

    • Whatever you want to refer to the connector as in Cascade Server

  • Base Path (optional)

    • This is the directory path FROM your domain UP TO the base folder of your Cascade site. For example, if your “news” Cascade Server site publishes to a “news” subfolder on your webserver (http://example.edu/news), then the base path will be “/news” This is a shout-out to the benefits of using sites in Cascade Server. Departments can be broken up into individual sites as opposed to individual folders cluttering up one main site. If you are not publishing the site to a subfolder, then leave the Base Path blank.

  • Profile ID

    • The Profile ID can be found on the Profile Settings tab of your Google Analytics account. If you are tracking multiple sites in Google Analytics, make sure that the Profile ID you use is for the same site that you are referencing in Cascade Server.

You’re almost done! After submitting the connector, you will need to Verify the Google Analytics account:

• Under Properties, click “Verify” next to the Verification label.

• Click the “Click here to allow and ‘Verify’ again” message.

• Google Analytics will present a message asking your permission to grant access to Cascade Server. Click Grant Access.

If all goes swimmingly, you will get a successful message like the one below:

One of our perks is our newly acquired Tread Desk. Don’t worry it only gets up to four miles an hour so no one is going to train for a marathon while drafting code. The main reason we thought this a good purchase is for the fact that, like many software companies, we spend a lot of time sitting when we work. A LOT. Now I consider the staff here pretty healthy in regards to food choices and almost everyone is into some sort of active pastime--whether it’s running, swimming, cycling, etc. But let’s face it, we spend most our time working. The tread desk helps for when you need to burn some of that extra energy or stretch your legs without having to leave the floor. It’s not noisy, and a lot of the staff has already given it a try. See below to check out the action shot I managed to snag for this blog post:

Some other recent office additions include the new ratings scale for utilizing our magnetic dartboard. This was a makeshift of clear tape and sharpie markers, but it accomplished the goal. The farther you stand to take the shot, the better your skills are. I have displayed one of the labels for those less skilled in the art of darts in the photo below:

Whether it’s a larger, new item like the tread desk or something as simple as our new dartboard rating system, it’s easy to add a little fun to the office. If you work in an office setting, you likely spend a lot of time with a group of co-workers each and everyday. Why not make the most of it?

What are some inventive approaches your staff has come up with to add to the positive culture within your office?

However, I find that organizations testing our Cascade Server web content management system and current clients continue to include CMS workflows as a significant piece of their web implementation process. 

As with almost everything related to Web CMS and website initiatives in general--thinking through the strategy is a big determinant of success. Here’s a few questions to ask as you consider implementing workflows.

Is this workflow(s) designed primarily to

• Assist in the collaborative content creation process (Ex: Add an image or include Related Content), or
• Is it simply for a reviewer approval process (i.e. Accept/Reject/Publish)?

• Have you mapped out the CMS workflow task(s) based on the goals and objectives of the content type itself and the final publishing location(s)?
• Have you defined the content roles for your users (i.e. Author, Editor, Approver, Manager etc) and how these roles apply to the content management workflow tasks?
• Have you cultivated your organization or content contributors to establish the appropriate “buy-in” for workflows in action?

These are some of the key areas that often impact the success of your workflow implementation within Cascade Server CMS or any Web CMS.  For a step-by-step guide, Rick Allen (MeetContent) effectively covers the plan for a CMS workflow, which I highly recommend.

Once you’ve addressed the people and process issues (the “brains” behind workflow success), then you’re ready to benefit from the “muscles” behind the process--a robust web content management system like Cascade Server.

During last year’s Cascade Server User Conference, Leah Einecker of Pima Community College provided a great walk-through of Enhanced Workflows in Cascade Server. As she mentions, Pima follows a decentralized content creation model that focuses on staff who are content experts on the subject matter and empowers them to update website content.

However, they have a centralized publishing model where essentially all content contributors are required to go through a workflow process before their content is actually published.

• How and why this workflow model works
• Useful applications of stock Cascade Server workflow features
• Utilizing workflow reports
• Customizing workflow emails
• Creating custom workflow triggers
• “On-demand” workflow escalation tool implemented by Pima

Congratulations on taking the Workflow plunge!

What questions do you still have about workflows? Does your organization use them currently? 

There is a lot more to analytics than visitors and page views. While monitoring traffic to your website can give you great insights into how much exposure your content is getting, ultimately, you want to dig deeper in order to find ways to make your content as targeted and effective as possible. Let’s examine some of the ways in which you can use data to optimize your content strategy.

Conversion Rates

Search Terms

Inbound Links and Referral Sources

Two resources available to you as a content marketer are inbound links and referral sources. Inbound links, also known as backlinks, occur when someone links from another site to yours. Referral sources are the sites that contain the links on which your visitors clicked to get to your site. Those links could either be hard-coded into the content (for instance, when someone links to one of your blog posts from within their own post) or they could be dynamically generated, which happens, for example, when someone uses a search engine and your site comes up on the results page.

While inbound links and referral sources may not be included in the analytics data that you look at on a daily basis, they certainly deserve to be a factor in your marketing strategy, as they can give you valuable information about your audience and the effectiveness of your content.

Let’s look at those two analytics resources a bit more closely.

Inbound links

Inbound links can do wonders for your SEO, as they are among the factors that search engines use to determine how sites rank for certain keywords. One thing to keep in mind, though, is the fact that not all inbound links are created equal. A backlink from a questionable source can actually hurt your rankings, while one from a high caliber, high credibility source can give your rankings a significant boost.

From guest blogging to participating in discussion forums or submitting press releases, there are multiple things that you can do to get that coveted “link juice.” However, the best thing you can do to earn inbound links is to provide fresh, valuable content that people love to share.

Referral sources

Referral sources can be a great validation for you as content strategists, as they reflect the fact that people actually clicked on links to your site. With regard to referral sources, be sure to distinguish between search engines, such as Google and Bing, your own resources, such as your knowledge base or help forum, and external sources, such as industry articles or discussion forums. This way, for instance, you can better determine if you need to optimize your SEO further for specific keywords, and whether you get the desired amount of referral links from outside sources.

Here’s a quick cheatsheet if you need some help remembering how to think about Inbound Links and Referral Sources:

If you’re not convinced that these are valuable metrics, here are our top three reasons why paying attention to these two items can help you as a marketer:

1. They are a great indicator of the quality of your content because only valuable content gets shared.
2. They can help you define your target market by giving you some insight into where your audience spends time online.
3. They can help you optimize your strategy by tracking the conversion rates for visitors who come to your site from inbound links and referral sources.

How often do you look at the inbound links and referral sources for your site?

How have your findings affected your marketing campaigns?