Why content migration can be difficult
When we think of content migration, we think of the physical task of moving the content from one CMS to another. This is, however, only one aspect of content migration and while exceptionally resource intensive, is by far the least complicated.
The more challenging part of content migration happens long before the act of physically moving the content and is more of an organisational issue than a technical one.
- Content creators can be “emotionally” attached to the content that they have created and see it as a validation of their value and work. Notifying them that their content has not made the cut can, as “silly” as it may sound, cause them undue anxiety and unhappiness. These conversations need to be approached diplomatically and one way of avoiding a situation like this now and in the future is to introduce a content expiration program whereby you assign expiration dates to different content types. If content contributors are aware of this practice, they do not become emotionally attached to their content allowing you greater control over which content to “expire” on the site if need be.
- When the size and scope of the content migration effort is significant there is a tendency to “migrate as is” on the understanding that the content will be reviewed at a later stage. In all my years of working with content this never happens – it is a pipe dream. If you don’t have time to review the content prior to launch, why would you think that you will have time to review it after launch? Start early with your planning so that you have a clear path to migration, from the initial content audit right through to content upload and sign-off. Identify who will be responsible for the migration, who will deliver what content and who is ultimately responsible for signing the different content off.
- Many people believe that content migration is a simple “cut and paste” exercise so do not see the need to invest time thinking about it upfront. If this is the mindset that you are facing you have an uphill battle ahead of you plagued with little or no commitment or a sense of urgency from content contributors. The best way to deal with this is to make sure your senior management team are fully aware of the significance of this phase of the project and have nominated a content ambassador who can drive from the top down and support you when you encounter any resistance within the organisation.
The above organisational challenges can turn what is already a difficult undertaking into a very stressful event and place a lot of unnecessary strain on a team. It is for this reason that many organisations insist that the
content migration is managed by the agency building the new website or an outsource agency who have experience dealing with the difficulties inherent in content migration.
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