This document provides an overview of content strategy and how to do content strategy. It begins by defining what content strategy is, including the key questions it addresses such as what content to create, for whom, how, etc. It then discusses different types of content strategy including content strategy for UX, adaptive content strategy, and enterprise content strategy. The document outlines the typical content strategy process including assessment and analysis, developing the strategy, architecture and design, implementation, and maintenance. It provides examples and templates for various aspects of the content strategy process such as goals, teams, content models, workflows, governance, and roadmaps. The document is a comprehensive guide for understanding and executing a content strategy.
10. @halvorson
Content marketing is the approach of
creating and distributing valuable and
consistent content to a targeted audience,
with the objective of driving some profitable
actionâŚ
â âThe Evolution of Content Marketing
Will Include Intelligent Contentâ
Joe Pulizzi, 1/12/2015
â
21. @halvorson
Content Strategy for UX
Guides planning for the
creation, management, and
oversight of useful, usable
content.
Infographic published by IBM Customer-Facing Solutions.
35. @halvorson
Set the Stage
PROJECT GOAL:
What are the concrete outcomes?
What are success metrics?
PROJECT TEAM:
Who lives where on your DACI chart?
TIMELINE:
When will activities, deliverables, and sign-offs
happen?
36. @halvorson
Project Goals: Example
Our goals for this project are to:
â˘Align stakeholders on a content strategy for our website
content thatâs based on deďŹned institutional goals and known
user needs.
â˘Determine the appropriate messaging and content organization
frameworks to support the strategy.
â˘Assess current content and identify content gaps to develop a
roadmap for creating or revising content.
â˘Develop content standards for creating and maintaining
content.
37. @halvorson
Project DACI team: Example
WORKSTREAM DRIVER APPROVER CONTRIBUTOR INFORMED
ANALYSIS AND
STRATEGY
EDITORIAL
PLANNING AND
WRITING
IA AND MODELS
CONTENT ENTRY
AND LAUNCH
38. 1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance
39. @halvorson
Business objectives Current technology
Project objectives Functional requirements
User research Cross-platform initiatives
Stakeholder interviews Industry trends
Usability testing Competitors
Design research Content inventory
Typical Discovery Checklist
41. @halvorson
Content Inventory: Uses
⢠Find content ROT (redundant, outdated, trivial)
⢠Identify orphan pages
⢠Get a ground-level look at your siteâs structure
⢠Clean up or add metadata
⢠Assign content ownership
⢠Scope a project
⢠Build a business case (âhereâs how much of a mess
things REALLY areâ)
44. @halvorson
Content Inventory
Easy to automate. Here are a few tools to get
started.
⢠Content Analysis Tool [Kristinaâs favorite]
⢠Blaze
⢠Clarity Grader
⢠âŚcheck with your friendly CMS administrator
46. @halvorson
User Research: Why We Need It
⢠We create content thatâs for ourselves, not for our users.
⢠We organize content the way weâre set up internally, not the way
people think about what they need from us.
⢠We want to tell everyone everything, just in case.
⢠We canât prioritize content because we havenât prioritized our
audiences, so people are fighting for real estate on the home
page.
⢠We make decisions based on our own assumptions.
47. @halvorson
User Research: Itâs not that hard.
⢠Do an online poll.
⢠Create an online survey and invite people via email, social media,
website banners.
⢠Try a Top Tasks workshop.
⢠Do some online user testing.
⢠Interview your customer support people.
⢠Interview your sales people.
51. @halvorson
Some Good Content Questions
⢠Substance: Who are you trying to reach? Why? What do they want to
know? Is your current content accurate, relevant, up-to-date?
⢠Structure: Where is your content? How is it organized? What does your
metadata look like? How do people ďŹnd your content? Are you
delivering content on multiple channels and platforms?
⢠WorkďŹow: How does content happen (from creation to deletion)? Who
is involved?
⢠Governance: What are your policies, guidelines, and standards? Who
owns that?
52. @halvorson
Stakeholder Interviews: How To Listen
⢠Donât complete their sentences.
⢠Donât try to solve the problem right there.
⢠If you feel yourself getting defensive, take a breath. This time is
not about you or your needs.
⢠Donât try to earn trust by talking about your experience.
⢠Learn how to take notes while mostly maintaining eye contact.
⢠Get full clarification. (âLet me just repeat that back to you so Iâm
sure I understand correctly.â)
⢠Get comfortable with silence.
57. 1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance
58. @halvorson
What is a content strategy?
⢠A strategy is the path youâll take towards meeting your goals
and fulfilling your vision. It may be one of a few parallel paths
towards the same goals.
⢠A strategy helps define what you WILL do and what you WONâT
do.
⢠All tactical initiatives must map back to your strategy.
⢠Your strategy should force you to prioritize and to say âno.â
62. @halvorson
âWe will become the industry leader in the pet frog supplies
arena by providing everyone with informative content, real-
time opinions, multiple touchpoint engagement opportunities,
and our ever-increasing commitment to deďŹning the pet frog
lifestyle.â
63. ⢠Rewrite âAbout Usâ copy
⢠Curate articles about dart frogs
⢠Create interactive company history
timeline
⢠Restructure home page around top
tasks vs. top interests
⢠Do Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
⢠Start a daily blog
65. 65
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Content strategy statement
66. 66
This yearâs plans and resources
will specifically prioritize
website content.
Weâll be highly
conservative about the
content we plan for and
create.
The content we feature
will be exclusively about
dart frogs.
Weâll create âDart Frog 101â
content for people who are
curious about what itâs like to
raise and breed our frogs.
Weâll keep topics timely and
fresh for the advanced dart frog
keeper.
Our content is never ânice to
have.â Everything we share on our
website can be tied directly to a
product we sell.
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Content strategy statement
67. ⢠Rewrite âAbout Usâ copy
⢠Curate articles about dart frogs
⢠Create interactive company history
timeline
⢠Restructure home page around top
tasks
⢠Do Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
⢠Start a daily blog
74. PRIMARY
SECONDARY
PROOF POINTS
âWe make it possible for you
to experience the joy of
owning, breeding and raising
exotic frogs.â
⢠You love frogs. So do we.
⢠You might not know
everything about frogs,
but we can help out.
⢠You have found your
frog people.
⢠Our owner has been
studying and caring
for frogs since forever
⢠Testimonials tell the
story
⢠All product
descriptions are
written and edited by
our own experts
⢠We oďŹer 360Âş service
JUNGLEBOX
76. @halvorson
Voice and Tone
The voice of your content embodies who you are as
a company: not just products, not just brand, but the
mind and heart of your story.
Your tone will vary depending on audience and
circumstance.
77. Smart
These tiny springtails float on the
waterâs surface, which makes it easier
to remove them for feedings.
Due to their tiny size, springtails float
on the surface of water. This trait can
be exploited when attempting to
remove the springs from their culture
for feedings.
Helpful Have questions? Iâm happy to help
out however I can.
Should you have questions or
concerns regarding our live
specimens, products, shipping or
other subject, please contact us so
we may be of assistance.
Enthusiastic Our new vivariums have us hopping
up and down with excitement.
OMG! Check out our awesome new
crop of Dendrobates Tinctorius!!
Seriously, youâll freak out over these.
FREAK. OUT.
Junglebox is⌠Like this. Not this.
80. @halvorson
⢠What
⢠Why
⢠How
⢠When
⢠For whom
⢠By whom
⢠With what
⢠Where
⢠How often
⢠What next
Step on in, content strategist.
81. @halvorson
Content Requirements: IMPORTANT
Content requirements are more than labels on the site
map.
Content requirements commit us to living, breathing text,
images, sound, video, and all other content ⌠content
that must be consistent, compelling, and cared for over
time.
82. 82
This yearâs plans and resources
will specifically prioritize
website content.
Weâll be highly
conservative about the
content we plan for and
create.
The content we feature
will be exclusively about
dart frogs.
Weâll create âDart Frog 101â
content for people who are
curious about what itâs like to
raise and breed our frogs.
Weâll keep topics timely and
fresh for the advanced dart frog
keeper.
Our content is never ânice to
have.â Everything we share on our
website can be tied directly to a
product we sell.
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Junglebox.net content strategy statement
85. FEATURED FROGS
Buy Dart
Frogs
Buy Supplies Our
Gallery
Watch &
Learn
Jasperâs
Frog Blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Contact
Jasper
Herpetology the way you like it.
Flexible space #1
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Flexible space #2
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Flexible space #3
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
FROG 1 FROG 2 FROG 3
Our
Story
Login | Checkout
JUNGLEBOX
86.
87. Page: Products
Objective: Help customers understand we are experts who sell
the same high quality products we use ourselves, so
they will have the confidence to buy.
Source Material: Current site, product box copy, current campaign materials
Maintenance: Monthly
Key Messages: After 10+ years of raising frogs, these are the products we
recommend. You donât have to shop around, because
everything you need is right here.
Priority 1: Highlight product categories
Only three bullet points (10-15 words each) for each category.
- What is it?
- What is it for?
- Why will it help you?
Priority 2: Intro text
One sentence about how Junglebox only offers the products we
use ourselves.
Page Table
89. @halvorson
Content Audit
A qualitative process. Determine if what you already have
is what you need, and if itâs any good.
⢠On brand
⢠Readable
⢠Maps to user journey/needs
⢠Legal requirements
⢠Appropriate voice and tone
⢠etc.
Useful for gap analysis, rewrites, and content migration.
94. @halvorson
Content Models
A content type is a kind of content used repeatedly that has a
standardized (agreed-on) structure.
⢠They give content creators patterns of organization (maybe even
templates) to work with, simplifying their job and ensuring that they
include all necessary content elements.
⢠They provide a common communication tool for content creators, UI
developers, stylesheet creators, and print and publishing people.
⢠They give consumers a consistent â and, therefore, more pleasant
and helpful â experience.
⢠They create opportunities for content reuse that donât exist when
content is left unstructured.
⢠They prepare content for automation.
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/intelligent-content/blog/content-types-noz-urbina/
101. @halvorson
WorkďŹow
WorkďŹow means understanding not only what
processes and tools youâll use to create, deliver,
and care for content throughout its lifecycle.
WorkďŹow also means ensuring clarity of roles and
responsibilities.
107. Types of Governance Models
https://www.whitehouse.gov/digitalgov/digital-services-governance-recommendations
108. WORKFLOW TECHNICALEDITORIAL STRUCTURE
INFORMING
 STRATEGIES
PRODUCT DIGITAL
CONTENT
 STRATEGY
BRAND
⢠What
 is
 the
 Voice
Â
of
 Junglebox?
Â
Â
⢠What
 tones
 do
 we
Â
use,
 and
 when?
⢠What
 is
 our
Â
messaging
Â
architecture?
Â
⢠How
 is
 it
 applied
Â
across
 audiences?
⢠What
 are
 the
 roles
Â
and
Â
responsibilities
 of
Â
people
 across
 the
Â
content
 lifecycle?
⢠What
 system(s)
 do
Â
we
 use
 to
 support
Â
the
 content
Â
lifecycle?
⢠Where
 do
 we
 host
Â
our
 content?
Â
⢠Who
 has
Â
publishing
 rights?
⢠What
 is
 the
Â
metadata
 schema
Â
that
 will
 organize
Â
our
 information
Â
and
 data?
METRICS
⢠What
 are
 KPIs
 for
Â
our
 content
Â
properties
 and
Â
channels?
⢠What
 are
 our
Â
benchmarks
 for
Â
content
 quality?
⢠What
 are
 the
 tools
Â
and
 processes
 that
Â
move
 content
Â
through
 its
Â
lifecycle?
LEGAL
⢠What
 are
 our
 legal
Â
and
 regulatory
Â
requirements?
⢠What
 are
Â
accessibility
Â
requirements?
⢠How
 is
 the
 content
Â
structured
 for
Â
front-Ââ
 and
 back-Ââ
end
 findability?
OVERSIGHT
⢠Who
 gets
 to
 say
Â
ânoâ?
⢠Who
 sits
 on
 the
Â
content
Â
governance
Â
council?
Â
⢠How
 often
 do
 they
Â
meet?
UX
⢠What
 are
 the
Â
content
Â
requirements
Â
cross-Ââchannel?
⢠What
 are
 the
Â
primary
 âbucketsâ
Â
of
 information,
Â
internally-Ââ
 and
Â
externally-Ââfacing?
ORG
 STRUCTURE
⢠What
 are
 the
Â
primary
 functions
Â
and
 drivers
 of
Â
each
 team?
⢠What
 does
 the
Â
RACI
 structure
Â
look
 like?
Adapted
 from
 website-Ââgovernance.com
108
Sample Governance Model
109. How do you make the
case for content
strategy?
110. @halvorson
Pain points.
⢠âWeâre struggling with too much content across our digital properties,
with more being produced every day.â
⢠âWe donât know who owns the content.â
⢠âOur content is inconsistent, off-brand, outdated, even incorrect in
places.â
⢠âWeâre partway through a website redesign and suddenly have major
content problems.â
⢠âWeâre duplicating work efforts in digital and print content.â
⢠âPeople in our company all talk about content and content strategy in
totally different ways.â
⢠âThere are lots of politics and opinions that make progress very difficult.â
115. More Ideas: Books and Articles
- How To Create a Clear Project Plan
- Auditing Big Sites Doesnât Have To Be Taxing
- Audit Sampling: Itâs a Numbers Game
- Good KickoďŹ Meetings, by Kevin HoďŹman
- Moments of Impact: How To Design Strategic Conversations
that Accelerate Change
- âInterviewing Humansâ
- Just Enough Research
- Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
- What Is Strategy and Does It Matter?
116. Kristina @Halvorson
GET IN TOUCH!
Coauthor, Content Strategy for the Web
CEO, Brain Traffic and
Founder, Confab Events