6. ASSESSING
current content for
quality, volume,
format and
appropriateness
!
COMPARING
content against
competitors and
comparators in the
market
ANALYSING
current content
situation vs.
business
objectives &
audience/user
needs
!
VISION
for content in the
immediate and
longer term
ANALYSING
the structure and
purpose of
current content
types for devices
& channels
!
PLANNING
for what content
needs to get
created or
reworked
CREATING
templates, rules
and glossaries
for authors to
follow, in line
with usability and
accessibility best
practice
CREATING and
SUPPORTING
content
production with
briefs, the
content itself,
and editorial
functions
DESIGNING
customised
editorial
workflow and
role/
responsibility
definitions for
clients to ensure
content quality
over time
Audits Strategy
Planning &
IA
Guidelines
Briefing,
creating &
editing
Workflow &
governance
8. ‘but ...[organisations] with hundreds
or thousands of pieces of online
content need
someone who can stand back and
figure out
what all that content should
communicate.’
!
- Erin Kissane
28. As a company, choosing &
planning effective content
requires you to know
your user’s context.
29.
30. But it’s not just about device
And devices will
continue to
diversify – mobile is
just the beginning
31. We all make
assumptions
Assumptions about reader context -
however well researched - will never
be perfect.
Quit thinking you can just guess what subset of
content a “mobile user” wants. You’re going to
guess wrong.
!
- Karen McGrane
34. W h at ’s a n
a u d i e n c e w i t h o u t
a s t o r y ?
35. G o o d s t o r i e s a re h o w
y o u g e t t h e m t o l i s t e n -
a n d ke e p l i s t e n i n g .
( A n d t h at ’s h a rd ) .
“If your idea ends with “and
then we drive traffic to it,”
you’ve failed.”
Whatconsumesme.com
36. Th at m ea n s y o u
n e e d t o l i s t e n t o
t h e m , t o o
37. I t ’s h a rd t o l i s t e n
w h e n t h e re ’s s o
m u c h n o i s e .
38. I n s i g h t = d e c i d i n g
w h at t o l i s t e n t o.
39. •Set goals
•Learn from your content competitors - not just those
in your market
•Adapt your content to the user, don’t expect them to
come to you
•Illustrate your integrity with service that matches
your content promise
•Be supportive - get to the point when you need to
Rules to guide that insight:
40. A n d re m e m b e r,
y o u ’ re n e v e r
c o m p l e t e l y i n
c o n t ro l .
45. W h i c h m ea n s
u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h at g o e s
o n b e h i n d t h e s c e n e s .
46. W e o f t e n p r o d u c e c o n t e n t
w i t h o u t t h i n k i n g a b o u t
t h e s e t h r e e t h i n g s :
c o n t e x t
r e u s e
& s c a l e
47. This is why content
strategy
is an end-to-end process
53. First, audit thy content
•The key first step - don’t try to skirt it
•It will debunk the deepest beliefs you
have about your web content (or any
content you produce)
•Watch out for things like inconsistent
tone of voice, and poor content
structure
55. Then create a plan
•People will not just come and tell you what
their plans are
•Everyone thinks their content is top priority
•If you don’t have a company-wide editorial
calendar or plan, you can’t show them
where they fit in the hierarchy of needs
56. Plan inclusively
•Get stakeholders to provide real goals and KPIs for their
requests
!
•Give marketing and business teams clear deadlines
!
•Set time aside for scoping and prioritising requests
!
•Establish clear review and upgrade milestones
!
•Factor in activities like asset gathering and regulatory
review
!
•Look at upcoming events and schedule in new content and
distribution mechanisms to align
57. Before you create,
think beyond web
•Your story is not just happening on the
web, or on mobile or tablet - where could
your assets be going? How much could
you be saving?
•This goes two ways as well - get data to
inform content planning from in store
publications, from call centres, from online
forums
59. Measure and analyse
•Get to know Google Analytics - or
whatever tool you use
•But remember, it’s not really about the
numbers
•It’s the insights they reveal
•And above all, the changes you make
as a result
60. Test and adapt
•Do this as lightly as you have to (A/B tests)
or as thoroughly as you can (constant MVTs)
•Use testing during design to define your
users - and develop personas, if you like
•Try to set personas for each organisational
area so you have something external to
measure content against
61. And listen
•Still using social media just for PR?
(Your audience can tell)
•Use it to talk directly people, to find out
where & how they’re talking to each
other
•Monitor the conversations you want to
lead
62. What this boils down to
•Figure out what you have
•Plan ahead
•Listen to the public
•Talk to your users
•Analyse their responses
•Write for them, not at them