Believe it or not, more than a month of the third quarter of 2014 has already passed, and it's time to start end-of-year reviews and clean-ups in preparation for 2015. For content publishers, these types of reviews and preparations are usually related to editorial calendars, personnel, and budgets. However, the third quarter is also a perfect time to review the technology you're using for your content publishing.With that in mind, here are five end-of-year technology review tasks that content publishers should do in order to set themselves up for success in the new year:

1. Clean up Your Content Management System

Whether you use WordPress, Blogger, Drupal, Joomla, or another blogging application or content management system to publish your online content, an end-of-year clean up is very important. For example, a WordPress blog can get cluttered with spam comments, trashed posts, broken links, deactivated plugins, and more. If you let these things go for too long, they can cause problems. Don't ignore them until those problems start. Instead, dedicate time during the third quarter to clean them up!

2. Review Your Content Backup System

What tools are you using for your content backups? Are they working? Could you restore your site instantly if it were attacked? The end of the year is the perfect time to ensure that backups are configured and working correctly, and if you don't have a backup system in place yet, you need to get one right now!

3. Conduct a Technology Performance Review

Is all of your technology working? Is everything on your site working the way it's supposed to? Check your site's online forms, links, social sharing buttons, automated newsletters, and and automated social media posting processes. Are they all working correctly? Things break and you might not even know when it happens. Go a step further and test your site's page load speed to ensure nothing is causing a delay that can damage the user experience. If you find any problems, this is the time to fix them.

4. Review Your Site's Security Features

How strong are your passwords? Have you deleted old users' accounts? Have deactivated plugins and add-ons been deleted? Have you set up two-step authentication and limited login attempts features? If not, you should start working on getting all of these security features configured. And if you don't have security features installed and running already, make it a priority!

5. Evaluate New Technology Investments

Are the tools, equipment, and gadgets you're using still the right ones? Or is there something better out there? Content publishers are very busy and taking the time to investigate and switch to a new piece of tech or a new tool often gets dropped to the bottom of the To Do list. However, that tool you started using three years ago might be limiting your productivity, your potential, or your success.Don't create self-imposed limitations. Instead, take the time to determine if a new tool or technology can make your life as a content publisher easier, more productive, and more successful and then commit to making the change---even if it's uncomfortable, confusing, or stressful. If the end result will be worth it, do it before the new year arrives.Image: Nikolay Bachiyski licensed CC BY 2.0