The 80:20 rule in Content Management Andrea Chesshire
Investor Relations websites are being recognised for their importance in a company's communication strategy with a wide range of stakeholders, not just as an obligation to disclose mandatory information, but as much more. Going beyond a 2D flat historical channel, becoming an interactive tool, ever changing and flexible, which reaches out to audiences far beyond the boundaries of your industry, sector or country. The shrouds surrounding the intangible subject of websites are falling away, gone are the days where you need to know HTML coding and in are the days of being able to manage your own website.
So what is the 80:20 rule? It means simply you should be able to make 80% of the updates you require without the need to come back to us. Simple changes such as updating your history, financial information, uploading PDFs, adding new images, re-ordering menus, creating new pages ... to name but a few.
Being in a position to do 80% of your updates internally...
- Allows information to be updated in a timely manner. Thus reducing the time delay of going back and forth with an external supplier.
- It is a cost effective way to keep your website updated over time, using internal resources and therefore reducing external costs which could be reallocated to other areas.
- Allows you to keep control of publishing information as our tiered publishing hierarchy allows those making the updates to be grouped as follows:
Editor: can add and amend content on the system but cannot approve or publish the content to go live
Approver: all of the editors roles plus the ability to approve content
Publisher: this is the most powerful user who can do everything including publish to the live site
Therefore updates are not put live to your website without authorisation. Helping to maintain the integrity of the content, messages and branding of your site.
- Allows your branding to be upheld, as the templates are embedded with your set style guides to ensure your consistency is achieved when creating new pages and tables, etc. Leaving you to concentrate on the content rather than making sure everyone is using the correct font and colours, etc.
- Involving staff in the process of updating your website, helps to communicate the message that the website is not a one-off project, but an effective and fast channel of communication with wider audiences outside of the company.
In order to achieve this, your website needs to be built using content management software. These systems, commonly referred to as CMS, are used to create, publish and update website content. This is not a new idea but companies are now taking on this task and recognising the value in having this facility. From updating news stories and key shareholder dates to publishing Annual Reports, which also allows you to use the system as an archive tool. Our CMS system has been specially designed to accommodate the requirements of public limited companies ensuring compliance with accessibility and usability standards whilst maintaining your branding consistency.
Some CMS systems have complex admin systems, whilst others are more flexible but have a steep learning curve when you are trying to customise it to your requirements. Our system is easy to use. The admin face of your website would look virtually identical to the public/live face of your website. Making it simple to understand where you are making the amends. You don’t need to be proficient with HTML coding, as the admin area is setup similar to a Microsoft Word template using recognisable icons. Coupled with a few hours of training, you are then ready to manage your own website, it’s that easy!
And the other 20%, I hear you ask, we say come back to us. We have the skills and resources to cover the more complex updates/additions you may require. For instance creating a flash story for your homepage, integrating a bespoke search system or creating interactive Annual Reports. For, these kinds of elements it would be more cost effective and efficient to use our team than to tie up your resources to do complex, often one off elements for your website.
We understand your website is a vital tool in your communications strategy and the key to its success are the messages you are expressing and the frequency it is updated, which is what the 80:20 rule is all about.
This article was written by Andrea Chesshire (Account Director). We welcome your feedback and thoughts and would love to hear any questions you have.
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Jones and Palmer are focused on the development and delivery of corporate and investor communication media.
Established in 1906, Jones and Palmer have, for the last 40 years, printed annual report and accounts for public listed companies and currently has over 150 plc clients. We are the UK’s largest on-site manufacturer of investor websites and printed annual reports.