The content management system (CMS) space is crowded with options.  Really crowded.  These range from micro platforms for blogging to enterprise-level content management systems that help organize, publish and promote content across the Internet. It's a space that is constantly changing, as new software enters the picture and existing systems add new features on a regular basis.  

To help make sense of the current landscape we asked Barb Mosher, Managing Editor of CMS Wire, to join the conversation on the Go To Market Show.  She verified the wide range of solutions available, running the gamut from basic web publishing to web experience management and customer engagement systems designed to help marketers generate and nurture demand.

The importance of CMS stems from the fact that content is at the core of a company's marketing efforts.  The goal of customer engagement is to deliver the right information to the right customer, at the right time and in the right context. Doing so, significantly advances your odds of making a sale. Looking for a CMS with solid publishing functionality should be the starting point of any system selection.  

Mosher says companies should also consider if they need multilingual capabilities - and look at the need to publish content beyond their website, on social channels such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.  Mobile publishing is also a factor to consider, and systems should be able to deliver content across multiple operating systems - from iPhone and Android, to the more difficult, Blackberry. Updating and pushing content should be easy and shouldn't involve significant development (programming) resources. Ease of use is increasingly important in a time when information flies at the speed of light.

From an IT perspective, systems cut across programming languages.  From .NET and Java, to PHP and open source languages like Python (which was the language of the year in 2010 and is used extensively by Google, NASA, the CIA and more).  Regardless of the language a system is built in, it is critical to find one that has features matching each company's unique needs. Finding a system that also delivers great user experience (usability) will help make sure it is fully utilized within an organization.  Systems that are too hard to use don't get used.

In the end, the right decision on a CMS comes down to integration within the organization.  At Salva O'Renick we talk about systems (or ecosystems) as people, process and technology.  We also talk with our clients about iterative advancement.  Mosher agreed. "You can't go big on customer engagement if you don't have your basics down." she said. Some companies are just starting out with basic publishing and analytics.  Others have that down and have moved on to more advanced customer engagement strategies, according to Mosher.

Every organization has to look at their needs and then pick a system based on that.  Every system has its strengths.  Matching those against your needs is the key to avoiding buyer's regret.

For more information on the CMS landscape, visit www.cmswire.com.