Businesses’ perspectives on information management are rapidly evolving. The introduction of COVID-19 and the rapid shift to remote work have made remote content access a vital competency for companies across all industries, even though many were ready to move to a digital platform for content management.
Content services platforms (CSPs) are utilized for content creation, management, sharing, and storage. This is where CSPs come in.
Though it is relatively new, the idea of a “content services platform” developed from enterprise content management (ECM). What is a content services platform, how is it different from enterprise content management, and what are its advantages for your company?
What are content service platforms (CSPs)?
According to Gartner’s 2023 Market Guide for Content Services Platforms, “content services platforms offer a basic set of tools to hold, index, and organize content with the goal of ensuring that it can be edited and versioned.”
Similar to traditional ECM systems, content services platforms let users generate, manage, collaborate on, and save different kinds of data and content, such as text, audio, and video, from a single, easily accessible site that is available from any device and across all organizational departments. However, as they are cloud-based and offer pre-built connections and APIs with other enterprise apps and services, modern CSPs may manage and retrieve material from anywhere in an organization.
What is the purpose of a content services platform?
Since there are a lot of things a CSP may accomplish, we’ve put up a quick summary of the most typical uses for content services platforms that our clients have:
- Convert your files to digital format
Despite the quick shift to digital, numerous businesses still require paper or hard copy files. A CSP allows users to scan paper documents and produce a digital copy that can be viewed safely and securely, whether the papers are compliance documentation, intake forms, or other sensitive material.
2. Keep records in storage
Document digitization is only the beginning! You can store your data on a content services platform as well. This is especially helpful for businesses with a lot of paperwork and historical records. Organizations in the public and private sectors, in human resources, finance & accounting, healthcare, and other fields all require digital document storage solutions.
3. Manage content
Only some documents in your company need to be available to all employees. Using CSPs, you can restrict users’ access to documents and files according to their clearance level or needs.
System administrators can maintain efficiency and streamline processes by limiting access on a system-wide basis based on roles, document categories, and other attributes while facilitating secure document sharing among teams.
4. Safeguard your data
Data security is of utmost importance. Businesses accustomed to working with paper may experience anxiety when moving papers online. Your CSP must offer safe and secure hosting since they recognize security is essential. Amazon Web Services (AWS), one of the safest and most compliant cloud computing platforms today, is where our products are hosted.
5. Combine with additional systems
Because different industries have different needs, it’s important to inquire about integration when deciding which content services platform is best for your company. Organizations utilize numerous tools, so they all must cooperate to create a smooth environment that your staff can use and find beneficial.
Benefits of Adopting a Content Services Platform
Platforms for content services provide several advantages, such as:
- Better decision-making is made possible by enabling organizations to work with content regardless of location or format.
- They facilitate users’ ability to quickly search and retrieve content stored in different repositories and file storage places.
- Maintaining content up to date by managing versions and edits with ease.
- Streamlining content management procedures through efficient collaboration with markup, notes, and electronic signatures.
- Keeping track of the activities on important content in an audit history for tracking and compliance.
- They are integrating various enterprise apps to automate business procedures.
What distinguishes content management platforms from enterprise content management?
Digital content management has existed since the 1990s. In the past, it was known as electronic document management systems (EDMS), which assisted with the online archiving of documents, including files, papers, forms, and microfilm. Along with technological advancements, the sophisticated systems developed to support an increasingly digital environment increased.
EDMS evolved into Enterprise Content Management (ECM) in the early 2000s. ECM was an on-premise hosting solution that established a closed system for document and other content distribution and storage inside an organization.
Selecting a Suitable Content Services Platform
With more and more CSPs on the market, choosing the best one for your company is critical. Here are some essential things to think about:
- Your Particular Requirements: Determine the features you want and the obstacles you have with content management. Do you need sophisticated collaboration tools, strong security measures, or smooth application integration?
- Flexibility and Scalability: Select a platform that can adapt to your changing business requirements and increasing volume of information. Seek a CSP offering customizable features tailored to your needs.
- Safety and Compliance: Ensure the platform conforms to pertinent industry rules and has strong security features to safeguard sensitive data.
- Easy of Use: An interface that is easy to use is crucial to maximizing the value of your CSP and encouraging user adoption. Users of all technical skill levels should be able to explore and use the platform easily.
- Capabilities for Integration: Consider how well your current business applications interface with the CSP. Data silos are eliminated, and a uniform workflow is ensured through seamless integration.
- Vendor Support and Reputation: Examine the vendor’s track record regarding product development and customer service. Select a supplier who has a track record of success and is dedicated to continuous innovation.
Lastly, a Content Services Platform (CSP) provides a centralized location for your content storage, security, and collaboration requirements. A CSP may facilitate data-driven decision-making, increase productivity, and foster collaboration with characteristics like automation, analytics, and seamless interfaces. By carefully evaluating your demands and selecting the best platform, you may maximize the potential of your content and achieve notable financial success.
