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Content Management Specialists

History

The first Web site was launched in 1991. It was a static site that provided basic information about the Web and how to create web pages. Unlike modern Web sites, it did not use content that was created and stored on a back-end database. (You can view it at http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html.) With each passing year, advances in technology increased the complexity of Web sites, and a need developed for software that would automate and streamline the preparation and publishing of web content. In the mid-1990s, the first content management systems (all proprietary products) were created to help writers, editors, developers, and others manage digital content. One major example was GeoCities, which launched in 1994 and allowed users to create and publish Web sites for free. It was at this time that the career of content management specialist emerged (although they may not have had that job title) to oversee these systems and ensure that they were operating properly.

In the early 2000s, the first open-source content management systems were launched. Major systems were Drupal (2000), WordPress (2003), and Joomla (2005). These systems allowed everyday users who did not have knowledge of programming languages and content management architecture to create and post content to the Web or other digital platforms. The emergence of Web-ready devices such as smartwatches, voice assistants such as Alexa, gaming consoles, and Internet of Things devices created a need for more complex content management systems. As a result, digital experience platforms (DEPs) have emerged that feature content management systems that allow users to create and publish different versions of the same content for different digital touchpoints, as well as include customer analytics, e-commerce, search engine optimization, and artificial intelligence features. The growing complexity of DEPs and the ongoing expansion of the content management marketplace suggests that there will continue to be a strong need for content management specialists.

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