Content lifecycle management – Learning key concepts

Large enterprises use content lifecycle management systems for content creation within projects. Learn the basics of when and how to utilize a content lifecycle management tool.

What is content lifecycle management?

Content lifecycle is the process any piece of digital content undergoes throughout its existence. It is the beginning, middle and end of data creation. Content lifecycle is dynamic and looks vastly different from one piece of content to the next. It’s usually managed with content lifecycle software.

Just like a living thing, content moves through different cycles of life depending on the type of content it is. Certain content will be instructed to undertake different forms and constructions, making lifecycles numerous and overwhelming for businesses to oversee. The best way to understand content lifecycle is to visualize content as a concrete object, for example a drawing of a logo. This drawing undergoes a lifecycle similarly to any living creature – it has a beginning, middle and end.

Content lifecycle administration

Content lifecycle management (CLM) is the administration of an organization’s content creation. It’s the coordinating of how a project will happen. After overseeing initial phases of content ideas, CLM tackles the development of the content. Because of the numerous members creating content within an enterprise, executive oversight is a necessary part of CLM.

As the lifecycle progresses past the creation phase, CLM prepares it to be introduced to the public as a completed product. The management doesn’t end there though, as now the upkeep of the content begins. The content may eventually be deleted at some point, ending the cycle of a particular piece of content. CLM goes along for the entire ride of a piece of content’s lifecycle.

When is content lifecycle management necessary?

For smaller companies with minimal mediums of content creation, CLM might not be that important. However, evolving companies utilizing the plethora of content platforms find keeping control over the entirety of their content an impossible task. As companies grow and begin creating content on things like social media, blogs and other formats, the need for CLM grows exponentially. When administrators can no longer keep track of the entire content lifecycle of a business, it is officially time for a business to use a CLM system.

Benefits of content lifecycle management

CLM saves time and resources, allowing administrators to focus on tasks other than overseeing processes in the content lifecycle. This increases efficiency and productivity, enhancing creative development within projects and campaigns. It gives a clear rundown of the different processes a content within a campaign undergoes. An underrated aspect of a CLM system is the concrete data and evidence it gives admins concerning production of its teams and performance of individual team members.

CLM systems inevitably have to mesh with other tools and business necessities. One such necessity is brand management, which keeps finished projects up to brand code. Keep this in mind when researching potential CLM software.

Ideal features of CLM software

When considering which CLM to implement, ensure it has important features to integrate it into your daily operations. It should work alongside everyday functionality of a business, easing the pressure off administrators in charge of content creation. It should handle the analytics of content lifecycle processes. This ensures that everything important is processed immediately for decisions to be made concerning changes of creation, employees and other factors.

Utilizing a CLM system is a big choice for an organization, one that requires deep understanding of different aspects of content lifecycle. Examine the benefits and nuances of CLM tools to help your company excel in handling all forms of creative content.