Build a high performance content machine. Includes a walk through of content strategy basics, along with new Agile tools like user stories, workflow visualization, and backlogs that enable fast and efficient content production.

1. 5 Ways to Put Your
Content Strategy Into
High Gear
Andrea Fryrear, President & Lead Trainer
AgileSherpas

2. Content Marketing =
Driving a Car

3. Content Strategy =
Manufacturing Cars

4. Content Strategy vs. Content Marketing

5. What Does Content Strategy Do?
1. Defines how content will do double duty

6. What Does Content Strategy Do?
1. Defines how content will do double duty
2. Guides content from ideation to deletion

7. What Does Content Strategy Do?
1. Defines how content will do double duty
2. Guides content from ideation to deletion
3. Sets benchmark for future content success

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SUB HEADER
#1 Parts of the Content Engine

10. Content Engine Parts Audience
Messaging
Topics
Voice &
Tone
Sources
Purpose

11. Audience
Who are you trying to
reach?
(Hint: not “everyone”)
Personas go here
Prioritize and target
Messaging
Topics
Sources
Purpose
Voice & Tone

12. MessagingWhat do you want
them to remember?
Hierarchy: primary
message, secondary
message(s), details
Not customer facing
Audience
Topics
Sources
Purpose
Voice & Tone

13. Topics
MessagingMust relate to biz
requirements/user
needs.
Not just cool stuff to
write about.
Audience + Message =
Topics
Audience
Sources
Purpose
Voice & Tone

14. Purpose
Messaging
Audience
Topics
Sources
Voice & Tone
Examples:
● Persuade
● Inform
● Validate
● Instruct
● Entertain
Multiple purposes are
OK

15. Voice & Tone
Messaging
Audience
Topics
Sources
Purpose
You have ONE brand
voice.
It takes on different
tones depending on
situation, purpose,
and audience.

16. Sources
Messaging
Audience
Topics
Many options:
● Original
● Co-created
● Aggregated
● Curated
● Licensed
● User-generated
Purpose
Voice & Tone

17. Checking Your “Fluids”
1. Core Strategy Statements
2. Guidance for content teams
3. Content audits

18. Core Strategy Statements
Curate an entertaining, online reference guide that helps
stressed-out law students become successful practicing attorneys.
Source: Content Strategy for the Web
Their content, our context.
Like museum curators, we’ll create and care for a
collection of great works created by others and add
context for our unique audience: law students.
Like a reference book, but fun.
Like a trusty reference book, we’ll provide
complete, accurate information. But, we’ll also add
a little humor and encouragement. Reference
material never looked this good.
Specially for students.
Being a law student isn’t easy. That’s why everything
we do is designed to make law school survivable.
It’s all about the end game.
Nobody does law school for laughs. Law students
don’t have time for anything that won’t help them
reach the ultimate goal.

19. People Make Content. Help Them.
Define roles & responsibilities:
content creators
editors/web managers
SEO specialists
content strategists

20. Map your REAL content workflow
idea → create → revise → approve
(it never works like that)
Help people navigate the reality of
content creation and maintenance.

21. Visualized Workflow

22. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT!
Do a Content Audit
Buffer’s Guide to Conducting a Content
Audit + Spreadsheet Template
Moz: How to Do a Content Audit

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#2 Driving the Content Racecar

24. Who Is Your Content For?
2 Ways to Approach Personas

25. ● Less time to create
● Made for iteration
● Great for evolving
markets and new
products
MVP - Minimum Viable Persona

26. WPP - Well-Planned Persona
● More up-front effort
● Fairly static document
● Best for stable
markets whose
audience doesn’t
change much

27. “CUSTOMER” JOURNEY MAPS
Brand Focused vs. Customer Focused

28. CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAPS
Consider
alternative care
arrangement
Explore options
in the area
Compare and
evaluate
options
Monitor and
engage with
facility
Share
experience with
others

29. Putting it All Together
Persona #1
Persona #2
Persona #3
Consider
alternative care
arrangement
Explore options
in the area
Compare and
evaluate
options
Monitor and
engage with
facility
Share
experience with
others

30. Putting it All Together
Persona #1
Persona #2
Persona #3
Consider
alternative care
arrangement
Explore options
in the area
Compare and
evaluate
options
Monitor and
engage with
facility
Share
experience with
others

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#3 Maintaining the Content Vehicle

32. 3 New Revved Up Tools
User
Stories
Backlogs Workflow

33. User Stories

34. User Stories

35. User Stories

36. Backlogs

37. Backlogs

38. Visualized Workflow

39. Visualized Workflow
Backlog Creation Review Publish Done

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#4 Avoiding Content Hazards

41. Hazard #1: Metric Mania
Content Goal: What to Measure:
1. Page/video views, downloads
2. Likes/shares/tweets/pins,
forwards, inbound links
3. Form completions, email
subscribers, comments,
conversion rate visitors to
leads
4. Online and offline sales,
anecdotes
Increase Engagement
Generate Leads
Expand Reach
Make Money

42. Hazard #2: Document Desert

43. Documented Strategy =
1. More effective content marketing
2. Less challenging implementation,
measurement, etc.
3. Tactics & channels work better
4. Higher budget

44. Hazard #3: Pit Stop Paranoia

45. Hazard #4: Audience Amnesia

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#5 The Need for Speed

49. It’s not all about speed.

50. It’s not all about speed.
No, really.

53. Andrea Fryrear
President & Lead Trainer
AgileSherpas
@andreafryrear
andrea@agilesherpas.com