Effective Content Management for Nonprofits looms large as a goal for many organizations in their efforts to present an excellent online and mobile presence. This presence is critical for communicating with stakeholders and the world-at-large. If content changes are slow, and information is not updated, a Nonprofit’s brand image suffers. If brand image suffers, the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission is put at risk. 

The decision about how to manage online and mobile resources comes down to the classic make-or-buy choice. If an organization decides to outsource the process (“buy”), cost must be carefully controlled. Also, response time for making changes needs to be considered. Effective Content Management for Nonprofits cannot be achieved If the outside vendor cannot change the content on time

If the organization itself takes on the Nonprofit Content Management responsibility, the work falls to internal staff or volunteers. While this might save money and provide more control over timing, internal resources must be trained. If the content management system is hard to use, the hidden cost of poor productivity may make this alternative more expensive than expected. Then, the goal of effective Content Management for Nonprofits is lost.

Essentials for a Content Management System

No matter what Content Management strategy the Nonprofit chooses, there are some important features to look for in a Content Management System (CMS). Even if the Content Management task is outsourced, a vendor using a full-featured CMS will work more efficiently and thereby have lower costs that should be reflected in lower prices. 

Important CMS features are: