Delivery-First: How Content Delivery Platforms Drive Structured Content Success

Content delivery platforms (CDPs) are revolutionizing how organizations manage technical and product information flow to their audiences. These platforms bring together technical content from various sources—structured and unstructured—and deliver it through a unified customer experience.  

While many organizations get caught in endless debates about content structure and modeling, forward-thinking companies are discovering that starting with delivery creates immediate value while building the case for deeper structural changes. By making content issues visible and demonstrating tangible customer benefits, CDPs prove the business case for structured content in ways that theoretical discussions can't.  

In the March episode of the Content Matters podcast, we had the privilege of speaking with Frank Miller, President and Founder of Ryffine, a technical communications consultancy. Miller shared valuable insights on content delivery platforms (CDPs) and their role in successful structured content implementations.  

Let’s explore Miller's delivery-first approach and how it's transforming content strategies.

The Delivery-First Advantage

Traditional approaches to structured content implementation often begin with extensive information modeling and content specification—what Miller describes as a "waterfall" approach that delays tangible results. In contrast, Miller advocates for a delivery-first strategy that prioritizes getting content to end-users quickly.

"Starting with a CDP means focusing on the customer experience from day one," Miller explains. Rather than waiting for perfect content models, this approach emphasizes iteratively building the infrastructure while rapidly deploying a platform that showcases immediate value. The goal is simple yet powerful: get structured (and even unstructured) content into the hands of customers as quickly as possible.

Breaking Down Silos with CDPs

One of the most significant benefits of implementing a CDP, according to Miller, is its ability to expose content issues that might otherwise remain hidden in organizational silos. By bringing content from various sources into a single delivery platform, organizations can easily identify problems like:

• Content redundancy across departments

• Inconsistencies in terminology or messaging

• Outdated information that contradicts newer content

• Gaps in the customer information journey

"While the CDP itself doesn't automatically solve these problems, it provides unprecedented visibility into the organization's content landscape."  

This visibility becomes a powerful catalyst for change, building a stronger case for adopting more rigorous structured content practices.

Proving Value Quickly: The CDP Advantage

For organizations struggling to secure buy-in for structured content initiatives, Miller emphasizes that CDPs offer a practical path forward. Instead of theoretical discussions about the benefits of structure, a CDP demonstrates tangible improvements in how customers interact with information.

Miller recommends identifying a motivated team and a content set where implementing a CDP can quickly show value. This could be publishing to a documentation portal, support site, or in-product help. The key is selecting a use case that delivers visible results without requiring a complete content overhaul upfront.

"Early wins with a CDP create momentum. When stakeholders see how centralized delivery improves the customer experience, they become more receptive to investing in the underlying structured content that makes those experiences even better."

Flexible Starting Points for CDP Implementation

One of the most valuable aspects of Miller's approach is its flexibility. Organizations don't need to have perfectly structured content before implementing a CDP. In fact, Miller suggests that the starting point depends on where internal content teams are in their readiness for change:

• Teams already using or willing to adopt a component content management system (CCMS) can begin publishing structured content directly to the CDP.

• Teams using unstructured formats like Google Docs or Word can still publish through the CDP while gradually transitioning to more structured approaches.

• Even content from disparate systems can be brought together in the CDP to create a unified customer experience.

This flexibility removes a significant barrier to adoption, allowing organizations to begin their structured content journey regardless of their current state.

Measuring CDP Success

How do you know if your CDP and delivery-first approach are working? Miller outlines several indicators:

• Improved content discoverability as measured by reduced search time and fewer support calls.

• Enhanced customer satisfaction with self-service information.

• Increased content consistency across channels and touchpoints.

• Operational efficiencies in content updates and publication processes.

"The beautiful thing about starting with delivery, is that it generates concrete metrics that justify further investment in structure."  

When organizations can quantify improvements in customer experience from even basic delivery improvements, they build momentum for more sophisticated structured content initiatives.

From Delivery to Structure: The Evolution

Miller describes how successful CDP implementations naturally lead organizations toward greater structure in their content:

1. Initial CDP deployment brings existing content together in one place

2. Content analysis reveals inconsistencies and redundancies

3. Targeted structural improvements address the most visible issues

4. Expanded adoption of structured authoring practices

5. Mature integration between structured content systems and the CDP

This organic evolution avoids the resistance often encountered with top-down mandates for content restructuring. Instead, structure emerges as a natural response to problems made visible through the delivery platform.

The Future of Content Delivery Platforms

Looking ahead, Miller envisions CDPs becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to leverage AI for personalized content experiences. "The combination of well-structured content and intelligent delivery platforms will transform how organizations communicate with customers," he predicts.

Future CDPs will likely feature:

• More sophisticated content analytics and recommendation engines

• Dynamic assembly of content components based on user context

• Conversational interfaces for content discovery and consumption

• Integration with product experiences for contextual help and guidance

Organizations that establish strong delivery platforms today will be well-positioned to leverage these advancements as they emerge.

The Content Delivery Platform Advantage

Frank Miller's delivery-first approach offers a practical path forward for organizations seeking to realize the benefits of structured content. By focusing initially on how content reaches customers through a CDP, organizations can demonstrate value quickly while building the case for deeper structural improvements.

This strategy acknowledges the reality that content transformation is a journey, not an overnight change. Starting with delivery provides tangible improvements that benefit customers immediately while creating the foundation for more comprehensive content innovations.

Want to hear more insights directly from Frank Miller about content delivery platforms and structured content strategy? Watch or listen to the full podcast episode to dive deeper into these topics. And if you'd like to see how a content delivery platform works, reach out for a demo from us or check out this resource.