Content creators require a Content Management System (CMS) with an intuitive user interface that enables their authors, editors and designers to use inbuilt tools with ease, even without prior technical knowledge. Further, where there is integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, content management becomes simpler and easier.

Let’s now look at 10 important features of a good content management system that facilitates content creation, editing, and publishing.

1. An Intuitive User Interface: Authors and editors, who comprise the editorial team, are there for just that – writing and editing. They need technology to be an enabler and not a hurdle they need to overcome. Therefore, a CMS should provide an easy-to-understand user interface that the content team can start using from day one, with minimum training.

2. An Editing Tool: Editing involves many things – checking for spelling and punctuation, grammar, thought flow, and proper use of referencing elements such as figures, tables and references. Many of these are rule-based and standardized across the globe. A good CMS should have these rules incorporated into the tool to aid content creators and editors in the writing and editing processes. By integrating it with AI/ML, the tool should also learn and automatically recommend or suggest options than can improve and standardize language and style.

3. Search and Indexing Functionality: A robust search and indexing facility helps with organizing and retrieving content with ease. This improves content management, reduces the chances of duplication, and increases the ability to cross-reference earlier content and verify facts based on earlier content.

4. Document Management: Even an ordinary desktop or laptop allows for the creation of folders and organizing content. But document management goes beyond that. It helps to organize content better, facilitate sharing and interlinking content, and remove content that is duplicated or has outlived its utility.

5. Pre-Built Templates: While designing needs freedom for creativity, it also works within a framework of standards and uniformity. By creating and using standardized wireframes, content creators, editors, and designers can work in parallel and reduce the time to publish.

6. Version Control: When editing, there is a lot of back-and-forth between the author and the editor. And later, in the layout stage, it becomes three-way, with the designer also getting into the picture. This can create confusion if there are multiple versions of the file floating around. A CMS helps manage the different versions. Proper version control allows you to always access the most final version, and also provides a trail of changes so you know what has happened with a piece from the first draft of a manuscript to the final tweaks that were made.

7. Managing Workflows: A good CMS facilitates smooth workflow management, whether it is editorial or production or something else. All communication can happen from within the system, and everyone concerned has access to the same information. The team members know the role they play in the process, and are notified automatically when it is their turn to work on a file.

8. Permission-Based Access: When you have internal and external users working with the content, you might want to have the option of restricting access to certain pieces of the puzzle. A CMS allows you to protect your content by enabling permission-based access. This can minimize the risk of errors being introduced unwittingly by people accidentally opening files not relevant to them. Smooth and customized user management increases the security of the files and prevents breaches from internal and external sources.

9. Multilingual Capabilities: For publishers catering to international audiences, there are CMS solutions that support multilingual editing and intuitive translation. Translations can take time and there can be a lag between the release of the two versions. A “publishing-aware” CMS embellished with customized production tools helps reduce this gap.

10. Reporting: The CMS is a rich source of data regarding the nature of the content being published, the time taken from creation to publishing, the response to content, etc. This can be accessed through customized dashboards and reports for insights on improving processes and identifying trends that can help with content planning and sourcing.

The Global Content Management Software Market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 6.5% from USD 17.5 billion in 2021 to USD 25.5 billion in 2028. This growth is being driven by an increasing need to manage digital content and facilitate editing, publishing, designing, indexing, and retrieving content.

PageMajik is a “one-of-a-kind” CMS that supports end-to-end editorial and production workflows, and also speeds up the content creation and production processes. Click here to know how you can improve your publishing process.