Online Publishing Is Worth the Work

People naturally turn to the internet when they need information. With the right preparation, you can be there with the job information your staff are looking for. Online publishing takes many different shapes: a website serving a specific niche, a handful of pages in a larger training portal, video tutorials, infographics, and much more.

But presenting the information isn’t enough.

Training content should be delivered in accordance with the ways people access and consume information online. What does that mean? People want their information fast. They want it accessible on their mobile devices. They want it current. People rely on the search function. They skim. They click around to related content.

For your content to be accessible and engaging it must be effectively organized, employ engaging headlines and illustrations, and leverage a website’s tagging structure to create useful connections between materials.

If all that seems overwhelming, consider the many situations where an online information portal comes in handy.

Some training subjects are vast, on the scale of a multi-day live event. Publishing that content online is a cost-effective alternative (or supplement). Materials can be broken into manageable chunks. People can return to the content as needed.

Some training subjects are narrow. A very specific procedure may need to be illustrated. Perhaps a misunderstanding in the field needs correction. Online publishing allows even small training subjects to get their due.

Some training subjects are timely. A new product has been released. The sales team needs to know about a new award. Or a competitive move requires a strategic response. Online publishing allows a rapid response to timely information.

In the many forms online publishing can take, its main benefits include:

• Searchable reference. People can easily find what they need.
• 24-hour access. People can read online when they want, where they want.
• Broad reach. The internet knows no bounds.
• Exploration of related topics. Modern content management systems make it easy to suggest related content to users.
• Self-direction. Readers can go where they want, find what they need, discover things that are new to them, and refer back as necessary.
• Easy updates. From small spec changes to major overhauls, online materials can be adjusted as needed.

We can help.

Want to build a custom publishing platform for your organization? We’ve been in the training and development space for over three decades. So, whatever your timeline or budget, we can help you make the most with what you’ve got.