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Managing Content on your Website

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Managing your content on a university website can often be an arduous task. Sometimes the process involves submitting the information to your powers-that-be, having it approved then forwarding it on to the tech team who puts it on the waiting list where it can take anywhere from several hours to several days (I've even heard of several weeks from some clients). It can be cause for a great deal of frustration. It should also be considered unnecessary frustration as there are many solutions available for managing content on a website. I hope that everyone agrees, updated content on a website is essential, especially on your university home page, your department's landing page or at the very least, a latest news section of your site. If you expect regular visitors to your site, you'd better keep things fresh. That said, let's consider some of your options.

1. You could hire someone who has HTML skills, maybe some experience with Image software like Adobe PhotoShop, possibly some PHP or other coding language (important if you want to add RSS feeds or the like). Someone dedicated to updating content on your site will make life a lot easier for you. It's going to cost you though. Salaries are not cheap and even a part-timer can set you back quite a bit plus you might have a tough time justifying it to your department head.
2. You can outsource the work to a company who specializes in web design/maintenance. Our own consulting division offers such a service. This is pretty handy if you have no desire to do it yourself. Generally updates are turned around quickly (within 72 hours). Again, cost may be a factor. We will charge anywhere from $65 - $110 an hour depending on the package you purchase.
3. Purchasing a cheap content management solution may also be a consideration. We have recommended Macromedia Contribute to several clients who love it. It's certainly easy to use. We generally suggest that if you can use Microsoft Word, you can pick this one up fairly easily. If set up appropriately you can do a lot with it.

On the plus side:

It's easy to use
CSS support (can be tricky to learn though)
Supports user management including approval system
Image editing in-place
Cheap at around $150
Set-up can be quick and easy

On the down side:

Need to download onto individual computer (unless you get the publishing server which is more expensive)
Poor support of dynamic websites
Publishing workflow is not very robust
Some compatibility issues (especially with sites not developed using DreamWeaver).
Conclusion: Overall, not a bad option if you have a static website and want the ability to add or change content on your site (and you don't have to rely on an approval process). Not recommended for large or dynamic websites.