As a content designer Rachel loves asking questions – she has to get to the root of the real problem she's trying to solve. But in this talk she actually answers some questions: - Why did she move from digital marketing into content design? - What makes content design so different from any other copywriting? - What does she love about it? - And if you’re looking to move over too, where should you start? After studying journalism, Rachel moved into advertising, brand and marketing, working on household name brands such as Flora. Realising she had a passion for digital user experience, she then moved into digital content strategy. After building and leading a team of content designers creating insurance journeys for high street brands, she moved to Deliveroo to focus on their rider experience. She’s more recently known as the content strategist at Clearleft, helping businesses increase their content maturity. Rachel is the author of 'Why you need a content team and how to build one.'

2. From engaging
to invisible

3. © Clearleft 2018
Ben Barone-Nugent
I dream of interfaces where all my
words can cascade away during the
journey.

4. 2013

5. © Clearleft 2018 144
Content writing
Research
Usability
Design
Tech
Agile

6. © Clearleft 2018 145
The current state of content survey 2019
“Who creates the microcopy in your
web journeys?”

7. © Clearleft 2018 146
The current state of content survey 2019
7.5
15
22.5
30
Product owner Just marketing Marketing plus content designer Designers Developers

8. © Clearleft 2018 147
The current state of content survey 2019
49% said non-content related
disciplines create the copy

10. WTF is content
design?

11. © Clearleft 2018 150
• Research
• Understand mental models
• Design a frictionless experience for
the intended audience
Solving problems

12. © Clearleft 2018 151
• Format
• Structure
• Voice and tone
Defining the
brand experience

13. To design content that works, we
need understand our users’
intentions

14. This product’s great!
This product’s great!
This product’s great!
Advertising PR
I’ve heard this
product’s great!
I’ll help you find
this product
SEO CRM
Please don’t buy anyone
else’s product now!
Marketing
Here’s why this product’s
great for you
I’ll make it easy and
enjoyable for you to buy and
use this product
Product

15. “The digital product”
A digital service offering value to a
customer or business

17. © Clearleft 2018 156
Over 32,000
words! !!!

18. © Clearleft 2018
Every word matters

19. © Clearleft 2018
Content is fundamental to UX

20. Content
Designer

21. Design/UX
Developers
Analytics
&
data
Product
owners
Research
Content
Designer

22. Marketing
Design/UX
Developers
Analytics
&
data
Product
owners
Legal
SEO
Tech
architects
Subject
matter
experts
Pricing Research
BrandContent
Designer

23. Empathise
Define
problem
Ideate
Prototype
Test

24. How’s it different
from traditional
copywriting?

25. Not only …but also
Writing for clarity and brevity
Contextual relevance
Empathising with users
Using natural language
Being conversational
Storytelling
Collaborating
A/B testing
Co-designing and protocopy
Journey mapping
Flexing voice and tone
Using different metrics
Usability testing
Group writing
Writing the boring stuff
Knowing when not to sell

26. Thinking conversationally

29. Storytelling in just a few words

31. Or no words at all if possible

33. Co-designing and proto-copy

35. Zooming out with journey mapping

37. Flexing voice and tone

39. © Clearleft 2018
Anna Pickard
“Voice…who you are, how you speak,
and why.
Tone…understanding your audience…
when to speak, and when not to.”

40. User feels
Tone
Curious Happy and excited AngryConfusedNeutral
" #$ %&
Relatable Enthusiastic Honest and
apologetic
Straight-
forward
Warm and engaging

41. Valuing different metrics

43. Observing usability testing

45. Group writing

47. Writing the boring stuff

49. Knowing when not to sell

52. Not only …but also
Writing for clarity and brevity
Contextual relevance
Empathising with users
Using natural language
Being conversational
Storytelling
Collaborating
A/B testing
Co-designing and protocopy
Understanding the bigger picture
Flexing voice and tone
Using different metrics
Usability testing
Group writing
Writing the boring stuff
Knowing when not to sell

54. How can I
move into
content
design?

55. • Make friends with designers and researchers
• Think copy last
• Document rationale and design decisions
• Think about frameworks

56. What happened
More detail and
how to fix
CTA/way to close

59. Attend meet-ups and conferences

60. @Minette_78
medium.com/@rachel.mcconnell
medium.com/clear-left-thinking

61. Paul Rand
Design is the silent ambassador of
your brand

62. Thank you