A good taxonomy architecture makes it possible to automatically generate complex relationships between pieces of data, which offers admins more control and a whole range of new possibilities while also relieving team members of content management and organization duties. Ultimately, the efforts to develop a good taxonomic architecture will enable a streamlined workflow and improved product creation and marketing processes.
But let’s get granular. Functionally, when you are navigating through your CMS, where is the taxonomy? Well, it’s in the tags. Taxonomy in a content management system (CMS) is the organized and labeled system of classifications and sub-classifications used to categorize content within the CMS. Taxonomy typically consists of hierarchical categorization that includes a broad set of topics and subtopics, as well as controlled vocabularies. Taxonomies can be seen as taxons and controlled vocabularies, pre-defined and limited sets of terms. These can be used to consistently label specific content attributes, such as product type or content topic. It allows users to efficiently map out their content by assigning labels, keywords, and categories to create a structurally organized and easy-to-navigate environment. Taxonomies also provide users with a means to control permissions over the content and monitor how and where content is used. With effective taxonomies in place, users are able to find, reference, and reuse content more easily.
There are a number of benefits to establishing a taxonomy structure for your organization. Three notable benefits of tagging your content well are:
- Data normalization- Implementing a good taxonomy structure in a content management system can provide an organization with a powerful tool for consolidating and normalizing data across departments. By leveraging metadata to organize data into a unified and centralized repository, companies can create a comprehensive and consistent data set. Information that was formerly stored in spreadsheets, paper trails, and email threads, can be entered into a user-friendly form. This will put the power of information in your team’s hands, as they gain access to a much broader set of meaningful data. The standardized dataset can then be used to help develop various applications and interfaces, enhancing operational efficiency and data sharing across departments.
- Dynamic Content Management- Your organization can also develop a taxonomy structure that enables you to leverage dynamic content generation. Companies can use labels (or 'tags') to generate automated pages, galleries, and other assets quickly and with ease, meaning that team members need only enter information into a single form, set the tags according to predetermined formulas, and the information is dynamically usable throughout a website. For example, imagine uploading a quick start guide for a new product line. You enter the title and summary and apply tags for each of the products for which this guide can be used. Then, upon publishing, the quick start guide is dynamically added to each product page on the Support and Marketing sections of your site. By building workflows like this, businesses can reduce time and effort and maximize the content that can be created from a single source.
- Search Engine Optimization- Taxonomy in a content management system (CMS) can benefit an organization of any size by improving search engine optimization (SEO) results. These tags not only help structurally organize the content into meaningful topics and categories but are also found and read by search engine robots. This helps increase the chances that search engines will index the organization's content and, more importantly, ensure that their name is associated with the right searches, resulting in increased organic leads. Taxonomy structures allow for better organization of information, improved findability, and more meaningful content flow.
Taxonomy is an essential part of any content management system. It helps to normalize data and enables dynamic content generation, in addition to providing tangible SEO benefits. Proper implementation of taxonomy architecture requires an understanding of best practices in digital experience strategy, something that the team at KNUT is well versed in. With 20 years of experience, the digital experience company specializes in developing and guiding companies in building a comprehensive taxonomy that leverages their content features to the fullest possible potential.
If you are interested in discovering more about working with KNUT, simply enter your business email in the form to receive a free consultation from the team. So act now, and unlock the many potential benefits of tapping into the power of taxonomy for your business.
