The best Cloud Content Collaboration Platforms & Tools

Cloud Content Collaboration Software Definition: What are Cloud Collaboration Tools?

Remote work and remote collaboration, or decentralized work, has been an important topic for many companies even before the pandemic. More and more everyday processes of team work need to be flexibly coordinated and jointly carried out with employees at different company locations, in the home office and/or in the field. This also applies to content management.

In the past, for corresponding collaborations, masses of emails with relevant documents and assets were often sent. Required to-dos were communicated by phone in a long-term difficult to understand manner. The files to be edited were finally stored in numerous versions on different computers. The result: complex workflows, file silos, multiple editing of individual tasks, errors, insufficient results and dissatisfied team members.

All this is finally a thing of the past with the correct use of a suitable cloud content collaboration tool. A content collaboration platform in the cloud enables employees to work together on documents and assets in the digital space. The files and all features of the software are stored or usable outside the company at a central location.

Team members can use cloud-based collaboration platforms to work together on projects, coordinate work steps, share results and refine them constantly. All this happens in real time and from a single document base. The latter is accessible to everyone involved. Access is via a special web desktop interface or an app or simply via a browser.

How do Cloud Content Collaboration Platforms work?

How a cloud content collaboration software works or what it can do, of course, first depends on which features it comes with. It is not possible to give an overview of all conceivable areas of application. However, there are certain standard options that almost every cloud collaboration tool guarantees or serves.

A content collaboration platform gives companies digital support in achieving two important goals:

• It facilitates cooperation between all persons involved in the production of content - even across different locations.
• It supports productivity in creating content by streamlining many typical work processes.

A cloud content collaboration platform allows content teams to jointly create content and optimize corresponding files. This is done, among other things, via specific content creation tools, comment functions or release features - even live chats are possible. Thus, participants can edit assets in real time within the team, comment on them and annotate drafts during the release process.

In addition, there is usually a storage function with appropriate management tools. With such document management functions, companies can not only store all files in a central location, but also organize them for all participants. This ultimately reduces the time team members have to spend finding the relevant file (version). There are special security functions to prevent unauthorized access to individual files.

Finally, most cloud collaboration software offers tools for project management or at least applications for managing and assigning tasks. These help to plan the work around the content to be created precisely. Some solutions offer more or less simple task lists. Others offer more comprehensive Kanban board features or similar.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Content Collaboration Softwares?

Cloud content collaboration tools can greatly help to make the daily work of content teams easier. The benefits from which those and the companies involved as a whole can benefit are listed below.

• Productivity and Efficiency: The fact that team members can access content projects at any time and from any location within a cloud content collaboration software is a huge gain in productivity. With instant messaging, video conferencing, shared documents, calendars and other online tools, teams can work efficiently together even outside the office in virtually any situation. Whether employees are working towards a deadline at night or simply want to check their to-do list early in the morning - due to the always guaranteed access, projects always progress well.

• Lower Costs: Not least due to Corona, the home office model is now somewhat established in Germany. Collaboration in the cloud facilitates this and can even lead to significant cost savings in office expenses. In addition, the license and administration costs for cloud-based tools are often generally more flexible than for on-premise software.

• Expandable Workspace: Thanks to unlimited scalability, there is always room in the cloud for additional employees. Those responsible can quickly add additional people to the virtual workspace by inviting them via email. This can be very useful not only in internal teams, but also to share and coordinate initial concepts with partners, consultants and/or customers. Whether additional team members or people outside the company need to be included - the integration is done in no time.

• Protect Documents: Another major advantage of content collaboration tools is that users can better protect relevant documents within the systems. Often there are sensitive files that may only be accessed and edited by certain people - for example when it comes to content for the introduction of a new, innovative product. A good cloud collaboration tool includes special file sharing features that let managers make documents accessible only to those who are actually authorized to use them. If new employees need access, managers can give it to them quickly and securely.

• Project Overview: Managing a project usually involves many “moving” aspects. Version control is always a difficult topic. It is important to know exactly who has made changes to a document at what time and which draft is currently up to date. Cloud content platforms centralize all document edits and updates, track changes (in real time), and keep an audit trail of each team member's editing history. They also secure copies of all previous versions of a document, so no one can lose content or overwrite it permanently. Cloud collaboration tools also store emails and chat records alongside all project documents and other relevant, potentially highly sensitive materials.

Are there any disadvantages in spite of all the advantages? Absolutely - as with virtually any software, specific difficulties can also occur with cloud content collaboration tools. The following potential problems are particularly critical.

• Data Protection: The main problem with cloud solutions for content collaboration lies in data protection. To use these platforms, companies must hand over their (sometimes sensitive) data or files to the vendor of the solution. This always carries certain security and compliance risks.

• Flexibility: Cloud content collaboration tools are usually delivered in a software-as-a-service model. This results in clear advantages at first. Above all, customers do not have to worry about technical management with such software and the solutions are relatively inexpensive. The disadvantage of the model is that companies are largely bound to the features provided by the provider. Integrations are possible, but if it is necessary to adapt the program itself to the company's own processes and workflows, it becomes difficult.

How to choose the right Cloud Content Collaboration Software?

Anyone looking for a suitable cloud content collaboration software today has a fairly wide choice. To really find the perfect tool for their own requirements, interested parties should mainly ask themselves which requirements it must be able to meet. The respective range of functions naturally plays a very important role. The following features should always be considered in the weighing process.

• Synchronization: As a cloud content collaboration software is a platform for collaboration in the virtual space, it must have a certain degree of synchronization. Whether it's the collaboration of multiple files with the central collaboration server or tracking changes among multiple participants. This is an indispensable feature of any modern content collaboration platform. This feature enables a higher level of productivity and fewer errors when working on files. Good synchronization eliminates the need to transfer different versions of the same file individually or manage version control manually. Reducing duplicate files also means less strain on the server. All participants always have access to the latest version at a central location.

• Integration: In many companies, systems to support content processes are already in use. When introducing a new solution, those responsible must then pay attention to the integration possibilities of this software. The more compatible a cloud service is, the greater the chance that it can simply be integrated into the existing software-based content workflows. This not only shortens the deployment time. Ideally, it also makes the entire process of content management - from planning to generating content to its distribution and long-term organization - more holistic and efficient.

• Remote Access: One of the biggest advantages of cloud content collaboration solutions is that they are not dependent on a local infrastructure. For this reason, such software should also be easily accessible to all relevant individuals even outside the corporate network. This ensures that all content on the platform can be edited or accessed even when users are not on the corporate network. This ensures more flexibility in changes and in working on new media or similar processes. Modern encryption and a contemporary access control should be integral parts of the remote access system. Especially with mobile access or from foreign computers, the attack possibilities on sensitive information should not be underestimated.

• Document Repository: One of the main criteria of companies that are looking for a system for collaborative work on content should be the provision of a central document repository. This is a cloud file system that allows easy storage and retrieval of content. As a rule, the central document repository must contain the majority of the functions of a file management system. Again, specific security measures and granular access control for the management of sensitive content are essential. A central repository is an absolute must to ensure the smooth functioning and easy usability of the cloud content collaboration platform. It ensures that the employees involved can access all content efficiently and without unnecessary software breaks.

• AI-based Applications: Cloud content collaboration platforms can also benefit from the increasing possibilities offered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Here, useful automation functions are particularly in focus: From intelligent checking of grammatical errors to analysis of usage patterns, AI functions increase the efficiency of employees who work with the platform. It is even possible to receive intelligent recommendations using specific analysis functions. These enable the right content to be delivered to the right target group at the right time. The delivery here is completely automatic.

• Access Levels for Documents: The setting of permissions for access, editing and downloading of documents has already been mentioned in parts. Such features are not only highly relevant in terms of security, but also in ensuring maximum efficiency. If everyone can use only exactly the files that are really important to them, this facilitates the entire lifecycle of content. Some cloud content collaboration software also offers a special external access for the joint use of files with partners or customers outside the company.

• Security: Any solution developed for use in companies must offer a high level of security. This is especially important for cloud collaboration tools, as these solutions are often used to organize company-critical files. In addition to appropriate encryption, it should also be ensured that the software manages personal data in compliance with GDPR. This is particularly relevant when AI tools are integrated to automatically serve content to specific groups of people.

What do Cloud Content Collaboration Softwares cost?

The cost of a cloud content collaboration software largely depends on the functional scope of the respective solution. Simple systems are easily affordable even for companies with a relatively low budget. But more complex tools with AI applications can become expensive - especially if they need to be available for large teams.

Basically, there are four main pricing models for cloud content collaboration tools:

• free trial versions
• monthly subscription payments
• annual subscription payments
• quote-based packages

Completely free bundles are usually not available. For a first cloud content collaboration software test, there are so-called trial versions. Here, interested parties can usually try out all the features of a solution for a certain period of time for free. Afterwards, it is then possible to use monthly and yearly payment packages that contain tools and services more tailored to their own needs. How much these cost is often also based on the number of employees who are to use them in the end. Interested parties should expect to pay about ten to 20 euros per user per month for a well-equipped application.

When it comes to enterprise content collaboration platforms, i.e., those for larger companies with many employees, individual calculations are usually made. Those responsible provide a request and then receive an offer from the respective provider, which is exactly tailored to the needs of the company or its content employees. For such bundles, several thousand euros per year can be due.