Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/37773
LEVERAGING SHAREPOINT TO BUILD YOUR FIRM’S WEBSITE that your website is not going to exceed 100 million documents any time soon. Some of the other compelling features that FAST provides, such as entity extraction (i.e., the ability to implicitly derive metadata from document content), ability to sort by metadata properties, refine results based on user profiles, and provide document • Extensibility and Customization: SharePoint 2010 is a highly extensible platform, which can be perceived as a double-edged sword. On one hand, SharePoint enables you to meet previews within search results, do not often apply to public website search scenarios. content management environment. A SharePoint intranet environment can support content authoring while a SharePoint extranet environment, scaled properly, can also support your website. If you have in-house SharePoint developers and administrators, their skills and experience are readily transferrable in supporting, troubleshooting and customizing your website. Similarly, existing best practices and disaster recovery systems and procedures for your intranet can be applied to your website environment. Know what you’re getting. When comparing SharePoint to other platforms make sure that you understand what is included out-of-the-box, what is an add-on, and what requires configuration or custom development. In any solution, some degree of development and customization will be required to meet your specific needs. Everyone knows that customization is required for SharePoint, but the degree of custom development required in other solutions is often surprising and underestimated. Leverage existing systems. Many law firms already have e-marketing solutions in place, such as Tikit eMarketing, which are already integrated with customer relationship management systems. Your human resources system may already have a Web interface to post available positions and manage applications. Combining these with your website can provide supplemental capabilities without purchasing additional software or services. Remember that search is about content. In recent years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on search engine optimization tools and techniques. There are features of Web content management platforms, such as friendly URLs, which can incrementally improve your rankings in search engines, but be sure that you don’t end up losing sight of the forest for the trees. The most important thing you can do is to create relevant and timely content that uses less marketing lingo and more of the terms familiar to your clients. Start building. Website projects tend to be “I know it when I see it” projects. Wireframes or page schematics are important for early buy-in and setting direction. Getting working prototypes in front of your key stakeholders quickly and frequently will help to identify issues early in the process and enable you to more quickly launch your new website. ILTA www.iltanet.org Portal Platforms 47