How to Manage Content Lifecycle in a CMS
IntermediateQuick Answer
TL;DR
Managing the content lifecycle in a CMS means overseeing content from creation through publication, maintenance, and eventual archival or deletion. Set up lifecycle stages in your CMS (draft, in review, published, needs review, archived), assign ownership for each stage, schedule regular content reviews using metadata like review dates, and automate lifecycle transitions where possible using scheduled publishing and expiration alerts.
Key Takeaways
- Define explicit lifecycle stages in your CMS: plan, create, review, publish, maintain, archive
- Add lifecycle metadata fields to every content type: created date, published date, review date, expiry date
- Assign a content owner to each piece responsible for keeping it accurate and current
- Use scheduled publishing and expiration alerts to automate lifecycle transitions
- Conduct regular content audits (every 6-12 months) to catch content that has drifted out of its correct lifecycle stage