Managing content online is often dominated by content management systems that are great at managing text-based articles, youtube videos, photos, PDFs and the like. These CMS platforms are not as helpful when managing lists of locations, and their associated supporting data. This creates a role for a special type of CMS, the LCMS, or Location Content Management System.
Location Content Management Systems can manage location data effectively in bulk. They can import, export, publish and edit information related to multiple locations quickly.
A good LCMS should also help correct and complete location data by standardizing address formats and filling in missing address components where needed. Similarly, an LCMS should help identify locations with missing photos, email addresses and social media contact information.
A basic LCMS should:
- Allow bulk location data operations such as import, export, publish, delete etc.
- Provide geocoding tools to assign latitude and longitude to each location
- Help foster data consistency by identifying missing or incorrect address components
- Allow multimedia management tools for uploading location photos, videos
- Contain WYSIWYG editors for adding location-specific HTML content
- Categorize locations for easy search and browsing different location types
- Manage location-specific features such as available products, services or location events
- Report analytics regarding searches, clicks and conversions
- Publish an SEO-optimized location-specific landing page
- Contain tools to build location search systems, such as directories and store locators
- Have an API to connect with external databases and provide for programmable control
- Permit the creation of multiple users, groups and access levels
These features represent the must-have controls for every location CMS. Other features go much further to include items like review monitoring, coupons and offers and even touch-tone phone searches.
Without an LCMS, content managers lack the tools to curate a complete location data set, upon which a local marketing campaign can be built.
MetaLocator is a full-featured location content management system. Take advantage of our no-obligation 30-day trial to experience everything an LCMS should be, for free.