1. Introduction

Purpose

This section outlines the guidelines for managing web content on the official Long Beach City College (LBCC) website. It ensures that all material is carefully reviewed, approved, and aligned with LBCC’s commitment to high-quality standards, user engagement, and accessibility. This framework promotes collaboration and centralization in the ongoing development, deployment, and maintenance of our online presence.

Scope and Applicability

• Scope: These guidelines apply exclusively to all content published on the official LBCC website (www.lbcc.edu), including text, images, multimedia, and interactive elements. This covers all pages that begin with www.lbcc.edu/ and does not apply to external domains.
• Applicability: All individuals and departments, including LBCC staff, faculty, and contracted partners, who are involved in the creation, review, management, or publication of web content using the CMS must follow these guidelines.
• Exemptions: These guidelines do not apply to content on other internal platforms or systems such as www.apps.lbcc.edu, Canvas, Courseleaf, Starfish, or external non-LBCC systems.

LBCC Web Content Priorities

• Clear and Accurate Information: Keep website content accurate, current, relevant, and easy for students, employees, and the community to understand.
• Accessible and Inclusive Content: Create web content that supports ADA accessibility, including readable page structure, descriptive links, accessible documents, image alt text, and mobile-friendly formatting.
• User-Friendly Experience: Organize content in a way that helps visitors quickly find information, complete tasks, and understand next steps.
• Efficient Review and Publishing Workflow: Support a clear process for submitting, reviewing, approving, publishing, and maintaining web content.
• Consistent LBCC Brand and Voice: Maintain a consistent LBCC look, tone, and experience across the website.

2. Definitions

Content Management System (CMS)

The institutional platform that LBCC uses for creating, editing, and managing web content efficiently across academic and administrative departments.

Web Content

Refers to all forms of digital content published on the website, including but not limited to: textual content (articles, program descriptions, FAQs), visual content (images, videos), interactive elements (forms, web applications), and digital documents (PDFs, whitepapers, reports).

3. Core Roles & Responsibilities

At LBCC, web roles determine an individual’s specific responsibilities regarding content management and system access:

Roster Roles & Responsibilities

• Public Relations & Marketing (PAM) and CommunicationsTeam: Manages global content strategy and maintains administrative authority over the digital ecosystem. PAM is solely responsible for high-level site navigation structure, homepage content, and official institutional news posts while providing overall support to CMS users
• Web Coordinator/CMS Admin: Oversees all web content submitted for final review before publication. Manage user permissions, provides platform training, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing guidance on web content best practices and compliance.
• Web Content Owner (VPs, AVPs, Deans, Directors, Managers or Department Heads): Manages the high-level strategy, accuracy, and institutional alignment of their area’s web pages. They are also responsible for designating which staff or faculty receive CMS access as Editors or Contributors.
• Content Editor: Responsible for drafting and editing daily departmental content within the CMS. Contributors submit their finalized drafts through the system for review and publication. This role has direct access to publish finalized content via the CMS.
• Content Contributor: Responsible for drafting and editing daily departmental content within the CMS. Contributors submit their finalized drafts through the system for review and publication.

Web Coordinator

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and implement the overall web content strategy and content guidelines.
• Manages user permissions, provides platform training, and reviews standard content submissions for layout and accessibility compliance before publication
• Collaborate with the third-party Web Hosting Provider to ensure website functionality, stability, and security.
• Manage web templates  in collaboration with technical support teams.
• Maintain the integrity of the CMS, keeping an updated roster of designated Content Owners, Contributors, and Editors across all units.
• Provide regular training sessions to content creators regarding web best practices.

Content Owners

Key Responsibilities

• Assess departmental content needs and make final decisions for webpage content to ensure alignment with college goals.
• Ensure all published departmental/work area’s content remains highly accurate, relevant, and entirely up-to-date.
• Designate qualified faculty or staff as CMS Content Contributors and Editors for their respective areas.
• Oversee the internal content creation process to maintain high quality and complete compliance with institutional standards.
• Review and approve content drafts before they are submitted to the Web Coordinator for final publication.
• Document and submit ownership of departmental web pages to the Web Coordinator, communicating any personnel changes promptly.

Content Contributors & Editors

Key Responsibilities

• Develop original, clear, and accurate web content based on departmental resources and strategic needs.
• Ensure all content aligns with institutional branding guidelines, stylistic voice, and compliance standards.
• Submit drafts to the designated departmental Content Owner for formal evaluation and internal approval.
• Monitor assigned web pages continuously and regularly update information to prevent outdated material.

Roster and Training Requirements

Mandatory CMS training is provided twice a year. Completing this training is required to obtain system access. Once credentials are issued, trained Editors and Contributors assume full responsibility for updating their assigned pages and ensuring all content remains accurate and up to date. In the interim, untrained departments must submit an LBCC Launch Ticket to coordinate updates through the Web Coordinator.

4. Permissions & Publishing Workflows

At LBCC, web updates follow a strict structural hierarchy to ensure data integrity, brand alignment, and full ADA compliance across our digital ecosystem.

Administrative & Editorial Roles

• Public Relations & Marketing (PAM) and CommunicationsTeam: Manages global content strategy and holds ultimate administrative authority over the digital ecosystem. PAM establishes and enforces sitewide page structure, brand compliance, and editorial style guides, while directly managing the homepage and official institutional news.
• Web Coordinator/CMS Admin: Conducts final quality, and compliance reviews before officially publishing content live.
• Content Owners: Department heads or coordinators who hold administrative authority over their specific web sections and approve all internal drafts.
• Content Contributors & Editors: Trained staff or faculty responsible for drafting, updating, and maintaining daily departmental content. To ensure consistent coverage and accountability, each individual work group or department area must designate at least two individuals as Content Contributors who will be responsible for updating and managing that specific area’s web pages.

Choosing Your Workflow: Updating vs. Requesting Support

As a CMS user, you are responsible for updating and maintaining your own department’s web pages. Before making changes, determine which pathway your update requires based on its complexity:

• Track A: Standard CMS Updates (Self-Service)

Use this track for routine updates like text changes, event details, or minor informational edits. As a Content Contributor, you will modify the text directly within the CMS and submit the draft through the system. Your update will automatically queue for a quick validation check by the Web Coordinator before going live.

• Track B: Complex Web Requests (Launch Tickets)

If you need features outside of your standard CMS access—such as utilizing different page templates, creating a new microsite, or modifying complex site structures—you must submit a web support ticket via the LBCC Launch Ticket system. The Web Coordinator/Admin team will then step in to assist you with the build. 

Submission Tip for Track B: To keep your request moving quickly, please package your Launch Ticket completely with your finalized copy in a Word document, properly licensed media files, and a layout mock-up to visualize their design vision for PAM review.

The Step-by-Step Publishing Process

Follow this 5-step workflow to get your content from a rough draft to a live web page.

1. Step 1: Create & Self-Check – The Contributor or Editor drafts the content based on department needs, ensuring it follows the Web Content Best Practices below.
2. Step 2: Content Owner Approval​ – The draft goes to your department’s Content Owner (VP, Dean, or Director) to review for accuracy and institutional alignment.
   • If Rejected: Returned to the editor for revisions.
   • If Approved: Moves to Step 3.
3. Step 3: Select Your Publishing Track – Based on the update complexity:
   • Track A (Simple Updates): Submit directly through the Web CMS system.
   • Track B (Complex/Structural Requests): Submit a ticket via the LBCC Launch Ticket system.
4. Step 4: Web Admin Review & Launch – The Web Coordinator conducts a final quality review, ensures compliance, and officially publishes the content live on the site.
5. Step 5: Regular Maintenance​ – Once live, Content Owners and Contributors must continuously monitor page relevancy. Mandatory full-scale content audits occur twice a year (every January and July) to update or remove outdated material.

5. Web Content Best Practices

Before you hit submit, ensure your draft aligns with LBCC’s digital standards:

Step-by-Step Content Creation Process

Step 1: Audit & Identify Audience Needs

• Begin by mapping out your users’ primary goals, FAQs, and search intentions.
• Every piece of content should directly solve a specific user problem or answer a clear question.

Step 2: Draft with Clarity and Intention

• Write using plain, concise language that matches the reading and comprehension levels of our diverse student body.
• Avoid academic jargon or overly dense paragraphs.

Step 3: Enhance with High-Quality Visuals

• Incorporate professional, relevant imagery and multimedia to break up text blocks and boost user engagement.
• Ensure you have proper licensing or permission for all media used.

Step 4: Structure for Digital Scannability

• Modern web users scan rather than read line-by-line.
• Organize your page layout logically by utilizing appropriate semantic headings, brief subheadings, and clean bulleted lists.

Step 5: Align with LBCC Brand Identity

• Maintain a unified institutional voice by strictly adhering to the official LBCC brand guidelines for tone, messaging style, and visual standards.

Step 6: Execute an Accessibility (ADA) Check

• Before submitting, ensure full compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.
• This includes writing descriptive alt text for all images and verifying that any embedded videos feature accurate, synchronized closed captions.

Step 7: Deploy Strategic Calls to Action (CTAs)

• Guide your user to their next logical step.
• Feature prominent, straightforward action phrases—such as Apply Now, Check Your Grades, or Register for Classes—positioned where users can easily find them.

Step 8: Embed Descriptive Internal Hyperlinks

• Keep users within the LBCC ecosystem by cross-linking to relevant internal pages.
• Always use meaningful anchor text that describes the destination (e.g., “Review the Financial Aid Deadlines”) and completely avoid uninformative phrases like “click here.”

For more details on content creation and structure, please check the LBCC Web Content Standards, CMS Best Practices Guide.

Web Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 & ADA Compliance)

All content published to the www.lbcc.edu domain must fully comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines  WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, alongside the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and federal FERPA privacy mandates. Accessibility is a legal requirement. All web contributors must ensure inclusive language, descriptive text elements, proper contrast ratios, and structured code tables so that users with assistive screen-reading technologies can consume our services seamlessly.

Review Accessibility Guidelines for LBCC CMS Users

Making Our Content Findable & On-Brand

We want it to be as easy as possible for future students and our community to find us online. Here is how we keep our website optimized and looking sharp:

• Optimize for Search: Use clear keywords, smart page titles, and helpful internal links so search engines (and real people) can navigate your pages effortlessly.
• Structure with Headings: Use a logical heading structure (like H3s and H4s) to break up your text. It makes pages much easier to scan for readers and screen readers alike.
• Keep it HTML: Always write your content directly on the page. Tucking text away inside uploaded PDFs hurts our SEO and accessibility compliance.
• Stay on Brand: Don’t worry about picking fonts or colors! Our official logos, typefaces, and color palettes are baked right into the system’s CSS templates.

Copyright Rules & Regulations

To protect our institution and respect intellectual property, all content creators must follow these compliance guidelines before publishing:

• Original & Licensed Material: Only publish original content or materials that are properly licensed and authorized.
• Media Verification: Verify the copyright status of all photographs, music tracks, and embedded videos prior to upload.
• Media Releases & Consent: Secure and document formal consent from any recognizable individuals, students, or staff members featured prominently in your visual media.
• Source Attributions: Always credit external sources appropriately and transparently.

6. Quality Control & Maintenance

Error Handling and Review Responsibility

Before submitting content to the Web Coordinator, your department/work area must complete an internal quality control review.

• Pre-Submission Checklist: Verify basic spelling, grammar, active hyperlinks, formatting style, and copyright compliance.
• Review & Rejection Policy: Submissions containing errors or failing accessibility standards may be rejected back to the editor for mandatory revision, or corrected directly by the Web Coordinator (with departmental notification).
• Accountability: Content Owners remain fully accountable for the accuracy and quality of their respective pages.

Content Relevancy and Biannual Maintenance

To keep our website accurate and useful, web content must be dynamic and regularly updated.

• Biannual Reviews: Content Owners and Contributors must review and verify their pages at least every six months if not earlier to remove outdated event dates, deadlines, or old program guidelines.
• Mandatory Audit Schedule: Full-scale departmental web audits are required twice a year, specifically in January and July (prior to the Fall and Spring semesters). 
• Outdated Content Removal: Content Owners and subject matter experts (SMEs) are ultimately accountable for the accuracy of their specialized content. If a page is reported or found to contain obsolete info, the Web Coordinator will flag it for the department’s immediate attention. If the department fails to verify or update the content within the requested timeframe, the Web Coordinator reserves the right to unpublish the page to protect institutional accuracy.

7. Training & Ongoing Support

To support our Web Content Contributors, the Public Affairs & Marketing department partners with ITS provide extensive ongoing resources.

• Bi-Annual Training: Comprehensive CMS training sessions are offered twice a year. These sessions cover fundamental system navigation, layout best practices, and essential web accessibility standards (WCAG compliance).
• Technical Support: For technical issues or complex structural changes, please submit a request via the Launch Ticket system. Ensure all materials are fully prepared as outlined in the request checklist before submitting.
• Documentation & Resources: CMS users can access web guidelines, CMS training materials, and request checklists directly on LBCC CMS Training & Resources Portal via downloadable PDFs .