When companies are tasked with preparing documents and content for their readers, it's important to gain every advantage for making the best product possible. One of the most beneficial ways to do this is to use document analytics. When writers and editors know what sort of works are most popular among clients, it is much easier to generate content at a faster rate and of a higher quality.

However, the words and meaning of content isn't necessarily the only thing that can be improved to appeal to customers better. In fact, one of the single most important qualities that affects how often consumers pay money for content in media is how it is delivered. With so many options for text, video, audio and software, customers can become spoiled when it comes to how their going to receive products that they've paid for.

Thankfully, document analytics can also be used to figure how what types of delivery options appeal to clients the most. In fact, when there's a clear record of the habits that most clients possess when reading, it will be no time before they're being catered to effectively.

Saving and exporting
Content producers need to carefully protect their products and keep people from illegally copying their work. However, sharing and exporting to other devices should be encouraged when possible to help spread news of popular stories and documents. Consequently, knowing how people will share popular posts, stories or articles will help facilitate the sharing that increases the number of a company's customers.

Formatting
The type of device that a document is viewed on will determine how it should be formatted, which is something that isn't always known until document analytics are used. While most customers may not use one single device, such as an iPad, Kindle or laptop, it's a good idea to offer the most common options so that customers won't be disappointed that their reading experiences aren't ideal. 

Printing and transferring
Some people like using digital devices, but they might be tempted to make physical copies of content. This is especially the case when it comes to commercial documents, such as at schools and in offices. Make this option available for paying customers if it seems that they're going to try it anyway.

Bring-your-own-device programs are being utilized more often now, as companies look to meet the demands of the ever-growing mobile workforce. However, such policies can create document security risks, especially for small and medium-sized businesses, according to InformationWeek.

Speaking with the news provider recently, industry expert Giri Sreenivas identified three of these risks. Among them is the fact that enterprise data stored on personally owned devices is vulnerable.

According to Sreenivas, a recent study found that 33 percent of devices with network access analyzed were inactive for a month-long stretch.

"That means personal devices that are later lost or upgraded, for example, retain potentially sensitive data long after they should," the report stated.

With a document security tool, such issues aren't a problem as these measures remain with information no matter where it is stored or accessed from.

A separate report from InformationWeek outlined several other steps companies can take for mobile security. Among the first is the creation of a security policy, which should contain provisions for who has access to confidential information and how such data should be handled.

The end goal of any mobility program is to give employees greater access to company documents and other information. However, it's important to keep in mind that mobile devices may also place data at greater risk.

That's why, according to a recent InformationWeek report, it's necessary for companies embarking on an enterprise mobility plan to also have a robust security policy in place. As part of such a document, the report stated, the organization should outline provisions for who can access sensitive and confidential information.

"Establish the appropriate controls, aligned with your corporate policies, and that make sense for [your] type of organization," Tony DeLaGrange, a senior security consultant at Secure Ideas and instructor for the SANS Institute, told the news provider.

Furthermore, the report noted that it's not always enough to simply have a policy in place. Companies should also ensure they are followed.

Experts agree that document security can also support a company's efforts to protect its confidential files against unauthorized access, theft and loss. With these tools, companies control who can open and view files, as well as to which devices data can be downloaded.

The internet has expanded immensely during the past decade or so, as more people around the world rely on the web as an information resource and important tool. Also, the ensuing influx of connected devices has made accessing information and collaboration easier than ever.

These two trends have increased the threats against privacy and the security of confidential information, according to a recent ITweb report.

"The strength of the internet is bringing people and ideas together, yet this will challenge intellectual property owners and national security secrets," the news provider stated.

Now, confidential information is routinely targeted by cyberattacks launched by sophisticated hackers, the report stated. As a result, never before have document security measures for confidential and sensitive information been so important to the operations and success of companies.

Also this month, technology industry organization CompTIA released a report with similar findings. That study revealed that 83 percent of respondents to a poll felt security threats were on the rise, with the increased number of endpoints in use among employees the leading cause.

Many companies are deploying the cloud to leverage the technology's ability to reduce the cost of IT, while also improving the flexibility and efficiency of the IT department. When storing information online, however, it's important that security needs and practices are not overlooked, according to a recent Metropolitan Corporate Counsel report.

The correct approach, expert Joshua Gold wrote, is to focus on the document or data level to protect sensitive information.

"A starting point is developing a data security protocol that establishes clear directives regarding the handling of and access to information within the organization, as well as that information that might be transmitted outside the institution as part of cloud computing," Gold wrote.

By restricting access to data, an organization can ensure that only authorized personnel and end users can open and view a file regardless of whether it's stored locally or in the cloud, according to the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel report.

Such capabilities can be provided by a document security solution, according to experts. Companies can use these measures to safeguard the trade secrets or intellectual property contained on the documents that are used by numerous employees and partners each day.

The era of mobility is fast approaching, if it hasn't already taken hold within organizations across numerous industries around the world. As a result, companies should be preparing today for an influx of mobile devices and the associated challenges, according to Forrester Research.

One such issue is the ease with which information can be accessed through mobile devices. While the capability will present greater productivity and efficiency gains for end users, it will also give information security professionals plenty of headaches as they try to protect data.

To deal with this, organizations are encouraged to deploy document security solutions, experts say. Adding the measure at the document level will ensure that protection capabilities remain with confidential information as it travels in and out of the enterprise network and onto employees' devices.

Those unprepared to deal with greater access to information will be vulnerable to data loss and theft, Forrester stated.

Several recent reports have predicted big things for enterprise mobility. By the end of 2015, IDC recently stated, the global mobile workforce will reach 1.3 billion people and account for more than one-third of the world's employees.

Now more than ever, it's important that organizations take steps – by deploying a document protection solution, for example – to safeguard intellectual property. That's because the theft of trade secrets, product blueprints and other confidential information can doom a company, according to a recent Info4Security report.

"Intellectual property is recognized by many businesses as one of their most valuable assets," the report stated. "In its broadest sense, IP can encompass any proprietary data that took cost and effort to compile or create."

With a document protection tool, companies can rest easy knowing their IP is fully secured. That's because the technology allows an organization to determine specific users and even device types that are allowed to both access and view sensitive information. Furthermore, professionals can restrict access to data during set time periods.

U.S. Senator John Kerry is acutely aware of the damage that can be done by intellectual property theft. According to the New York Times, Kerry planned to share the story of American Semiconductor with Chinese politician Xi Jinping. The company's sales plummeted 70 percent after a partner coaxed an employee to hand over trade secrets.

Enterprise technology organization the TechAmerica Foundation recently released a report that encourages government organizations at both the state and local levels to embrace cloud computing offerings. When doing so, however, security must be a priority.

With the cloud, these organizations can streamline the access to information enjoyed by their employees, making it easier to both leverage and share data, the report said.

"Now is the time for these benefits to accrue to state and local governments as well," said Tarkan Maner, the chairman of TechAmerica's State and Local Government Cloud Commission.

However, the commission also recommended state and local governments focus on security in the form of identity management capabilities, such as those provided by a document security solution. Restricting access to only certain employees is key to protecting the confidential information utilized by government organizations.

The Obama administration has also been vocal about the use of cloud computing at the federal level, as well, as a way to update and streamline IT infrastructures. However, experts and lawmakers alike have raised security concerns when it comes to storing sensitive documents and other data online.

Quite a few companies are tasked with creating content in the modern internet-driven world. Between organizations that are focused on developing information that helps with search engine optimization efforts or those whose actual products are composed of content, there is a lot at stake when writing and generating media. Therefore, any tools that help to increase the quality of company-generated media should be embraced by such companies.

It can be hard to find out what readers actually like. Even polling can be skewed by the fact that customers might not even know what it is that they like reading, and more importantly, why they like what they consume. Consequently, business owners have to go deeper when evaluating their products and improving their ability to deliver information and entertainment. One way to do this is by using document analytics.

These tools let organizations peer into the reading habits of customers using information that they've created. Metrics such as which files are most downloaded, which pages have the most views and the amount of time spent on particular data points or portions of content can all be used to unlock customers' reading patterns and improve future offerings. Here are some ways that media will ultimately be improved by document analytics.

Efficiency
When companies strike upon what readers and customers are fond of, it's hard to produce it fast enough. The internet is such a fast medium that one can never work too quickly, which is hard to do when a company is constantly experimenting and struggling to figure out what interests readers. With a firm grasp of the preferences that customers have, companies can churn out popular media and content faster than ever before.

Subject matter
Gaining an understanding of what people like to read is sometimes as simple as finding out what subjects appeal mostl to them. When writers, artists and other content producers are able to focus on a limited set of topics, it is easier to mine such areas for increasing amounts of information. It will also ensure that a higher percentage of documents or reports will be preferred by readers and consumers.

Types of media
Content isn't strictly text, and even PDF files will frequently contain graphs, pictures and links to other kinds of media. Readers often find that such additions liven up the content that they're reading and make it easier to understand what's being said. Use document analytics to determine which particular pieces of information are most appealing and should be included in future offerings. 

The theft of American companies' intellectual property by Chinese organizations and their agents is at the heart of several issues affecting the two global superpowers lately. One high-profile case involves American Superconductor, which saw sales plummet 70 percent after its partners in China convinced an employee to hand over trade secrets.

According to the New York Times, Senator John Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had plans to share the story with China's next leader, Xi Jinping, during his trip around the United States. Kerry hoped to expose the serious implications of IP theft, the newspaper reported.

“It’s a very clear and, in our judgment, egregious, palpable demonstration of the practice that we are deeply concerned about,” Kerry said, according to the newspaper.

Both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden have already voiced such concerns with Xi, the Times reported.

The involvement of the country's leaders demonstrates how severe the theft of intellectual property has become for American businesses. To better protect themselves, companies are encouraged by experts to deploy document security tools to protect the IP and trade secrets that set  them apart within their industries.