Today’s business owners structure their content flows differently than they would have almost 30 years ago, when the first web page went live. The premise is largely the same: attract new business and retain current customers. But resource allocation has changed dramatically, and consistent modernization is required to compete in the current digital landscape.
Companies are slashing their internal infrastructure, increasing accessibility and turning to subscription-based service models, even as more sites, mobile apps and social channels are operating under the same umbrella. Outdated software is being replaced with new, innovative solutions that lighten the framework while boosting productivity with flexibility, scalability and customization.
How is it all being managed? Businesses have turned to software as a service (Saas), which allows for cloud-based work processes. Data, platforms, storage, security and many more have their own specialized service trends, with the anything as a service (XaaS) market expected to grow to a $344 billion industry by 2024.
Here’s a quick description of what CaaS is:
Content as a service is a streamlined content creation, management and migration mindset.
Keep that definition in mind as we take a look at a few reasons why CaaS is expected to have a lasting impact on the way digital content is created and nurtured.
1. It makes content extremely accessible.
One of biggest perks that comes with hosting content in the cloud is that an entire enterprise can utilize it. Having control across your organization allows for fluid content circulation in a highly-functional content infrastructure. The best CaaS solutions use representational state transfer (REST) application programming interfaces (API) that allow for stacked API uploads and downloads with easy communication to and from external services.
Using a single, unified platform allows companies to break down silos and create a content process that combines technology with strategy. Measures such as content repositories provide for enterprise-wide accessibility but also give the option for specific administrative oversight. The goal is to allow for the creation, management and migration of content to be completed in separate areas, but in a cohesive manner.
The idea of CaaS is still relatively new. While they could technically be classified as CaaS solutions, most resources are a bit different than content management services (CMS) like WordPress and Drupal. Those are designed as one-stop-shop solutions for businesses to be implemented with expert assistance while more formal CaaS retailers typically focus entirely on the accessibility process instead of additionally looking at the deliverable.
2. It brings separated content together on the back-end and makes it easy to implement on the front-end.
Content marketing strategies realigned with content as a service represent the future of content management, according to Entrepreneur.com. And it makes sense for marketing, as well as any other aspect of content production. Why have your content live in a CMS, an app, or elsewhere when you can place it in a centralized location that is easily accessible for editing, review and updates?
Once you have a solution in place, you can build the foundation of CaaS using structure. Take a look at some of the functionality Contentful needed to build their content infrastructure product:
- Structured content encourages the concept of content chunking vs. content blobs. This is a fundamental benefit of content separation.
- Headless/decoupled CMS is what truly allows for content to be separated from presentation. Creation, management and storage are all housed on the back-end and can easily be transformed for a front-end, omnichannel approach. Some CMS providers like Ibexa promote collaborative tools like a semantic content repository that allows you to define content relations and market them.
- A solid product model allows for content editing, management and structuring. The CMS also requires a comprehensive internal technical infrastructure and a development ecosystem with resources and tools.
CaaS products continue to move away from the mentality that design must influence content. Since your content is run on a cloud-based platform, your vendor will handle not only the set-up and maintenance, but also the scalability.
3. It cuts costs while enhancing quality.
Switching to almost any cloud-hosted technology is a way to save on business expenses. When you reduce your infrastructure, eliminate steep capital and overhead expenses, and move to a pay-as-you-go format, you naturally keep money in your pocket. Since content as a service follows this model, it cuts costs, while also allowing for a better product.
While CaaS focuses on the process, it should create an improved final result because the process has been enhanced. Structured content formats don’t stifle creativity, as some might imagine. Instead, they ensure that new or repurposed content follows best practices for formatting, style, tone and more. You can choose from a wide variety of pre-determined templates designed to fit a wide variety of front-end solutions.
A CaaS solution also provides opportunities to create content maps that feed into content models or blueprints of what your content pieces are and how they fit together.
Likewise, metadata such as titles, tags, descriptions and other important elements are included with your content as a service product. They will maximize the impact of your work and can be easily accessed across your platform.
More and more companies are moving toward content as a service processes with the need to stake out an outstanding digital presence. The Digital Marketing team at Americaneagle.com has extensive experience assisting businesses with XaaS strategies that grow revenue and eliminate unnecessary expenses. Our team of professionals can craft custom-tailored solutions that allow for unmatched gains through proven content marketing tactics. Ready to change your digital content processes for the better? Contact us today and begin your digital transformation.
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