NYC Event Recap – “I Hate My CMS ? The Perils and Promise of Modern Content Management Systems”

We had a full house for our panel discussion on Content Management Systems on February 26, 2008 ! Although it was a morning meeting in NYC, lots of people from around the country called in, including many at 5:30am ! It was a no-holds barred session where we discussed the good, the bad and the ugly about CMS. Our great group of panelists covered the best practices for successfully planning and deploying a content management system, minefields to avoid, real life case studies, industry trends, and the vendor landscape.

Event Description:

No matter what type of website your company publishes, it’s likely that a content management system (CMS) is at the core of your operations. But while CMSes are among the most vital systems in digital businesses, they are also among the most cursed due to their limitations and idiosyncrasies.

In the early days of the web, many companies built their own systems, only later to standardize on one of the emerging commercial offerings. But now, with the popularity of open source, as well as the growing complexity of content operations, there is no clear path to CMS success. Some companies continue with the major vendors, while others take the custom development route. And there are a large number of viable open source platforms, particularly for smaller operations.

This panel attacks the CMS issue from all of those viewpoints, plus provides a perspective of a leading technology analyst. We explore both the technology and business issues surrounding CMS selection and operation, as well as inviting audience members to share their own “tales from the trenches.”

Panelists

• Stephen Powers, Principal Analyst, Forrester Research
• Tim Peters, Managing Director, Leading Hotels of the World/LHW.com
• Albert Lee, Director of Technology, New York Magazine
• Tristan Louis, Former Technology Executive, HSBC

Moderated by Joe Galarneau, CTO of Thomas Publishing Hosted by Lee Huang and Joe Galarneau.

- Lee Huang, lhuang23@yahoo.com -

Surviving Your Competition, Part 1

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.–Michael Corleone in “The Godfather: Part II”

Excellent survival tip, but what do you do if you don’t know who your enemies are?

Learn from Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the classic movie, “Predator,” Schwarzenegger plays Dutch, leader of a team of commandos on a mission in the Central American jungle. His team comprises seasoned professionals ready to defeat any enemy, or so they think.. But they encounter an opponent they’ve never faced before: an extraterrestrial warrior. It can turn invisible, it possesses high-tech weapons, and it hunts them for sport. The commandoes, taken completely by surprise and unable to respond effectively, are killed one by one. Only Dutch survives. Once he realizes he’s never faced an adversary like this before, he quickly and objectively assesses his enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, then adapts his offensive strategy to embrace his environment and ultimately emerges victorious.

OK, clearly I had a film fest over the weekend. As online publishers, though, you’re living in a digital jungle, where it’s a battle for survival. This column, part of a series that discusses the 12 Cs for thriving in a digital world, examines competitors, including predators and hostiles, all of whom you’ve never faced before.

Before you lose more battles to this new competition, you’ve got to get into “Dutch” mode so you survive, nay thrive, in the digital jungle, and don’t get crushed:

• Quickly identify all your new competitors.
• Understand what makes them tick.
• Develop a new arsenal and offensive strategy.
• Jettison legacy anchors that hold you back.
• Respond in kind.

Read Full Article on ClickZ

- Lee Huang, lhuang23@yahoo.com -

San Franciso Chapter Launched !

The San Francisco Chapter of the Internet Strategy Forum launched on February 27, 2008. Under the leadership of Lisa Demoney, Online Marketing Manager at Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the SF-ISF chapter had a terrific 1st meeting with a great turn out. Jeremiah Owyang from Forrester was the guest speaker and he gave a wonderful presentation on Social Media trends and best practices. If you’re interested in joining the San Franciso chapter, contact Lisa at ldemoney@jdvhospitality.com.

The 12Cs for Thriving in the Digital Age

I’ve just written my first article for a new column on “Online Publishing” for ClickZ.
Hope you like it. Also, the info is relevant to all industries, not just publishing and media.

The 12Cs for Thriving in the Digital Age
Twelve actionable ideas to grow audience, monetize digital assets,and improve digital operations.

As an online publisher, your day might go like this:

You wake up in the morning, pumped up and optimistic about this new digital world we live in and all the great opportunities it offers. You think about how you’ll seize upon the promise of it all, engaging your customers in new ways; establishing deep, meaningful relationships with them; expanding your audience via community and viral campaigns; creating new user experiences that are compelling and differentiated from the competition; and ultimately hearing the virtual cash register cha-ching as you capitalize on the new digital revenue streams.

But by midday, reality sets in. You shake your head, feeling overwhelmed and somewhat scared about needing to deliver on the hype and promises you’ve made and keeping your online business in business. You secretly wonder if your company has what it takes to survive in a marketplace comprising an increasing number of competitors whom you’ve never heard of and who don’t behave like you. You need to develop new content strategies that require things like metadata, taxonomies, entities, and relevance. Emerging technologies are way over your head; and you must consider new distribution and marketing options, like SEO (define), RSS, widgets, and social bookmarking. And let’s not forgot all the organizational challenges you face with insufficient resources, lack of new media skills, and legacy organizational structures.

Plus, the rules of the game have been thrown out the window, and new rules are being created every day, often by your competitors and disruptive technologies.

To survive, nay, thrive in this digital world, you must have a digital strategy that integrates the key disciplines (i.e., content, marketing, technology, sales, business development, research, etc.) as well as a deep understanding of the details and how to execute them. You’ve got to be completely customer-centric and deliver a value proposition that’s meaningful and embraced by your audience. You must welcome the new and experiment, but go in with eyes wide open. Invest in new technologies and new skills. Too often companies still work in silos, but with a cohesive strategy you’ll be able to create a unique, compelling, and desirable Web experience for your audience and provide your advertisers and sponsors with highly targeted ad opportunities… Read Full Article on ClickZ

- Lee Huang, lhuang23@yahoo.com -