Connected Content: Rethinking The Role Of Websites

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Connected Content: Rethinking The Role Of Websites

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It’s easy to see why social media has become the ‘front of house’ for small businesses in recent years – almost literally in the case of many independent restaurants and cafés.

Free, fast and convenient, these channels offer a multitude of functions for businesses, enabling staff to share information and content and respond to enquiries on the go.

Similarly, customers naturally gravitate towards social media because they don’t need to type in a web address, create an account or fill in a form but simply use an app already on their phone. They don’t have to contend with laggy or difficult-to-navigate websites either.

Back in 2012, social media had firmly established itself in our lives and become a useful tool for businesses. Some 97% of all global web traffic still came from desktops, suggesting that websites arguably didn’t feel the same pressure as they do today. Now the balance has shifted to nearly two-thirds of the global market preferring mobile.

But there are other challenges to contend with too. Including the move towards "centralized networks" of social media platforms, YouTube, Amazon and Google – which have their own search and commerce functions and generate vast amounts of content.

As much as 90% of internet activity now takes place on these sites, which are continually optimised for better user-experiences (UX).

Despite the shift towards mobile, native apps themselves could soon be superseded by progressive web applications (PWAs), while the rise of augmented and virtual reality, including the Metaverse, are challenging how we create and consume content.

Here to stay

Websites, in comparison, might feel a bit old-hat – but nothing could be further from the truth.

They’re non-negotiable for most organizations, particularly larger ones, that need to foster truth. Customers might interact with them primarily via social media – but they still want the reassurances that a legitimate website offers, including reliable content, legal statements (e.g. GDPR, terms and conditions, modern slavery) and, where applicable, secure payment.

Yet a basic website, offering just minimal content and sitting apart from other channels, won’t cut it either. An increasingly important indicator of trust and sentiment, particularly for Gen-Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), is how well a brand manages their experiences across the various channels they engage with. This includes social media, web display advertising, physical marketing and, of course, websites.

True omnichannel

Much has been said about omnichannel in recent years, though much less about the practical ways to achieve it.

Unlike multi-channel, which uses any number of channels separately, omnichannel joins them up to deliver seamless user experiences.

An API-first content management system (CMS) allows organizations to create, publish and manage content for all their channels from a central point. Content can be created once, and repurposed for a range of audiences, and in different languages, so staff don’t have to start from scratch every time.

By making it straightforward for people to produce and update content, organizations can ensure all their channels remain fresh and relevant, not just their social media. This is particularly important for Gen-Z users who expect information immediately and are likely to look elsewhere if they can’t find it.

The fact that this content exists in a single location makes it easy for managers to check for compliance, adherence to brand guidelines and accuracy, rather than logging onto numerous accounts. Organizations can therefore ensure consistency in voice and messaging, even when multiple people are contributing. 

Another benefit of an API-first CMS or headless CMS is that digital teams are not limited to delivering content to a single website or platform, moreover, they have the flexibility of using the same content in apps, intranets, online portals - and add new integrations as and when they’re needed.

This enables future-proof content management since they can simply add new social media channels as they emerge and are deemed valuable. It also removes the hosting and technical issues associated with web development, reducing the time burden on DevOps teams and its associated costs.

A change for the better

It’s clear that, far from being redundant, websites have reached a new level of maturity – indeed, the proliferation of apps and social media channels means they’re more important than ever in today’s world.

An API-first CMS is a way to streamline what would otherwise be a disparate and growing number of channels, helping to improve efficiency and reduce potential risks. It brings everything together to ensure a frictionless experience for both content creators and end-users.

Speed, functionality, consistency, and fresh content help organizations stand out. To achieve that, they’ll need a powerful CMS that connects their channels, including their website and any new ones that come along in the future.

About the Author: Richard Saunders, product owner of SaaS product Contensis, believes that websites will continue to dominate for some time to come, but suggests we should move away from thinking of them as the only way to share content. To find out more about Contensis, visit www.contensis.com.