Best CCMS guidance from our team of experts

Whether you’re looking into a component content management system (CCMS) for the first time or maximizing the value of what you already have, this collection of insights will help you choose what’s right for your organization. 

You’re likely investigating CCMS options because you want to scale your content operations to match your business expansion. 

Maybe you’re localizing content for new regions, consolidating content after a merger, or producing more and more customer-facing content. A CCMS could be the key to optimizing your content operations. 

Looking into a CCMS for the first time? 

If the idea of a CCMS — or structured content in general — is new, these resources will give you an overview. 

What is a CCMS, and is it worth the investment?

This article dives into the definitions, differences, and integration of a content management system (CMS) and CCMS. It also walks you through the key benefits you can experience after properly implementing the best CCMS for your business.  

“A CCMS is the backbone of efficient content operations. Managing components lets you reuse information in smaller chunks, which makes your content development process much more efficient.” 

— Christine Cuellar

Buyer’s guide to CCMS evaluation and selection

In this article, Sarah O’Keefe recommends factors to keep in mind for a CCMS, as well as how to calculate ROI and accurately assess your needs.

“The trick to buying the right CCMS is to find the one that meets your requirements. Every system on the market has strengths and weaknesses. There is no single Best CCMS, nor is there a Bad CCMS. What we have is systems that are better in some scenarios than others. Therefore, you need to figure out two points: What are your priorities? Which system best matches your priorities?”

— Sarah O’Keefe 

Moving to a new CCMS?  

Maybe you’re choosing between existing CCMSs after a merger, considering a change, or you’ve already selected a new CCMS. Here’s the best CCMS guidance we have for navigating these transitions. 

Replatforming your structured content into a new CCMS (podcast)

This podcast explores the context behind replatforming structured content and tips for a successful conversion.  

“We’re seeing a lot of environments where the CCMS was essentially customized and purpose-built for a particular use case. Then, that customer either changes their use case or the external situation changes. They’re faced with this thing that they’ve customized to a point where they can’t get out, they can’t change it, they can’t fix it, and they can’t modify it. The person who wrote the code is long gone, and it’s very, very difficult.” 

— Sarah O’Keefe 

Transitioning to a new CCMS (podcast)

In another podcast, Alan Pringle and Bill Swallow share what to consider when migrating to a new CCMS, common roadblocks to avoid, and advice for creating a solid transition plan.

“… You need to make a transition plan. This is not something you can just jump into. You need to take a look at your ‘real work schedules,’ because you do not want to be making this transition when you have deadlines, deliverables, or anything going on at your company where you’ve got a new product release coming out.” 

— Alan Pringle

Get the most value out of your CCMS

If you’re already using a CCMS, make sure you’re getting the maximum ROI.

Unlock the full potential of your CCMS with CCMS training

We create custom CCMS training that teaches your authors to generate content in their unique authoring environment. Training is especially important if your CCMS has specialized configurations, and it ensures your team knows CCMS best practices.

“Each CCMS requires new ways of working. With custom training, your users will have a smooth transition, and you can rest easy knowing that your team is using the full potential of your new system.” 

— Gretyl Kinsey

Not sure where to start? 

The best CCMS guidance we can give is to create a professional content strategy. It’s the foundational tool for achieving your content goals, guiding you through critical decisions including— you guessed it — which CCMS is right for you. There are several companies that can help you do this, including us! At Scriptorium, we specialize in building enterprise content strategies.

If you’re ready to build a content strategy that connects you with the right CCMS, contact our team today.