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Make content a two-way street

When it comes to developing content, users should never be treated with condescension -- with an attitude of "Don't worry about anything; we know what's best for you." A content manager's job isn't to force-feed an audience the content they think their users will need. Users must have a say over what their intranet has to offer. But this process shouldn't be a guessing game for content managers. There's a reason television show producers use focus groups when developing new shows.

User surveys and intranet usage statistics are often used to gauge both content trends and user satisfaction. They can be used in concert to make an intranet more of an interactive system, as opposed to staring at some boob tube like a mindless drone. Users are more likely to use an intranet if they feel that they have a stake in the future direction of the system.

Keep up with serial content

If you're going to develop serial content -- blogs, podcasts, vlogs -- make sure that it's something you really want to do, and try to maintain somewhat of a regular schedule. Serial content should never be started on a whim.

It would be a definite plus to come up with a formal schedule -- for example, every Monday afternoon -- so that users know when to expect the next installment. But it's perfectly alright to maintain an informal schedule as well (for example, once a week, but on different days of the week). What you shouldn't do, however, is post serial content at irregular intervals -- especially with large gaps in between posts. At the very least, serial content should have some form of consistency. Don't turn a daily blog into a monthly blog, and then into a biweekly blog. Users will never know when to expect a new post. What's even worse is to visit a blog and discover that the "most recent post" is six months old.

Another crucial question to consider before launching serial content: Are you going to see it through? A corporate blog or podcast might seem like a novel and fun thing to do at first, but serial content requires ongoing dedication. If you build up a steady following and then, a year down the road, get bored and want to stop, you still have an audience out there to think about -- an audience that depends on your content. Users' disappointment at the termination of a popular blog, podcast, or vlog can easily carry over to the intranet itself.

Closing thoughts ...

It takes more than timely and relevant content for users to connect with an intranet. Rather than adopting a blanket approach, intranet owners and content managers must understand the subtleties in user demographics and target content to specific audiences. Failing to understand the needs and backgrounds of your users can drastically shorten the lifespan of the system. And the last thing you want is for your intranet to be cancelled after only one season.

Paul Chin (www.paulchinonline.com) is a freelance writer and journalist. He has previously worked in the aerospace and competitive intelligence industries as a software developer and intranet specialist. He currently writes on a wide range of IT topics, including systems development and security, digital communications and media, content management and web design.

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