Managing the Content Process
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The document discusses managing content processes and provides strategies for implementing content management successfully. It recommends (1) putting content at the core by developing a content strategy, (2) finding what is realistic given constraints, and (3) setting people up for success through training, tools and clarifying processes. Treating content as a parallel process to design is key to creating better content with less pain.
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Managing the Content Process
- 1. MANAGING THE CONTENT PROCESS sara wachter-boettcher @sara_ann_marie Digital Project Management Summit
- 2. con·tent /ˈkäntent/ a seven-letter word that you say like it’s a four-letter word
- 3. flickr.com/photos/puuikibeach/8564682770 we already have all the content we need!
- 4. flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/613445810 we’ll just need to run this by a few stakeholders!
- 5. flickr.com/photos/rhysasplundh/5202454842/ the CEO has a few comments.
- 6. flickr.com/photos/amatuerphotographer/8133278472 we’ll definitely have our content ready by launch!
- 10. There is another way.
- 14. BETTER CONTENT, LESS PAIN without losing our minds our goal:
- 15. flickr.com/photos/bensonkua/2902926323 1 Put content at the core.
- 16. Content strategy defines a purpose and a realistic plan for content.
- 17. It connects business strategy with day-to-day publishing.
- 18. How could content help us get closer to that goal? What’s our organization trying to accomplish? What will it take to make that vision possible?
- 20. flickr.com/photos/dandelion-tree/4525221446 We do this best together.
- 21. Make it easy to focus on core decisions.
- 23. Include: •Core audience •Audience goal(s) •Organizational goal(s) •How content will help reach them •What that content looks/feels like
- 24. Mad libs take us from hand-wavey to specific and audience-centric.
- 26. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 27. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 28. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 29. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 30. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 31. ‘‘Content Vision Deliver accurate, relatable content about all facets of college life—helping overwhelmed students find college matches that make them feel prepared and excited.
- 32. Content Principles Keep it simple Students have a lot going on: courses, clubs, jobs, and sports. Make life easier, not more stressful. Go beyond the books Cover every aspect of college life—from majors to school spirit to social life. Empower, don’t advise Provide clear, complete information that helps students make their own choices.
- 33. content starts with COMMON GROUND
- 34. flickr.com/photos/aukirk/8422681046 2 Find what’s realistic.
- 37. What are the implications of our decisions?
- 38. ‘‘You’ll have to rewrite all your content for this new responsive design.
- 39. ‘‘All product descriptions are too long; they need to be cut in half to fit the design.
- 40. ‘‘Each of those 5,389 PDFs need to be transformed to structured content.
- 43. Agree on what’s achievable now.
- 45. Scale back if your content can’t keep up with features.
- 47. flickr.com/photos/zionfiction/16173858067 3 Set people up for success.
- 48. ‘‘Okay, here’s the new content guideline! Get writing!
- 52. Does not support the core content or align with the brand. Serves our core content needs or aligns with the brand.
- 55. Redundant/ wasted space! I’ve already clicked “Buy a Home.” Confusing— simpler and less similar labels needed. Clear CTA options and nicely prioritized on the page. Labels for loans, calculators, etc. are easy to understand. Why are so many headlines Qs? Doesn’t inspire confidence.
- 56. Create simple tools to lend structure.
- 57. Partnership Profile SUMMARY 2-3 sentences that provide a brief introductory summary of the partnership and the partner organization. These should be around 40 words. DESCRIPTION The complete partnership content. Do not repeat the content from the summary. Explain the programs underway, what the partnership looks like, how is collaboration happening, when the partnership started, etc. Overview (2-3 sentences) About the partner (3-4 sentences) About our partnership (3-4 sentences) O R G A N I Z A T I O N Structured Content Writing Practice N A M E ANATOMY OF PRODUCT CONTENT Get performance and value with the Widgetron 8100 Pro —the only widget that knows as much about your business as you. Never miss another meeting with Widgetron. Ergonomic, durable, and comfortable, the Widgetron 8100 is a great choice if your company wants pro features without the custom-made price. Widgetron 8100 Pro A customizable widget without the custom price. Do it your way. With the Widgetron. • Lightweight, efficient carbon body • 2-inch diameter WidgetBase • Lightweight body—can be carried with one hand • Replaceable bearings and struts • Secure, cloud-based storage of all Widgetron files PRODUCT NAME POSITIONING STATEMENT MARKETING HEADLINE ALT HEADLINE MARKETING PARAGRAPH 1: INTRO MARKETING PARAGRAPH 2: PROFILE BULLET POINTS A widget that adapts to fit you. REQUIRED. Always include the model number, if one exists. 100 CHAR // REQUIRED. The “elevator pitch”—a single line that tells us what the point of the product is. Be translatable and approachable, not awkward. 50 CHAR // OPTIONAL. Be short, punchy, and creative, but focus on the customer. Used in marketing material (e.g. advertising). 180 CHAR // REQUIRED. Answer the question, “Why would I buy this product?” Be conversational, translatable, and benefits- focused. Use search keywords. Must be able to stand alone, while also naturally leading into the marketing profile. 180 CHAR // REQUIRED. Describe who and what the product is good for, focusing on the user experience. Make sure this flows after the marketing intro. 50 CHAR // OPTIONAL. If you include a headline, you must include an alt version for markets that can’t use creative copy. This should be engaging, but straightforward and literal. 80 CHAR/BULLET // REQUIRED. Use minimum of 2 bullets for simple products, up to 8 for more complex items. Describe a single feature or essential spec per bullet. Use active voice and simple language to make each bullet as short as possible. Be translatable and conversational. A quick guide to producing on-brand, CMS-ready content.
- 59. 4 Clarify the path. flickr.com/photos/sjoerdlammers/15990047848
- 60. ‘‘And you’ll find ‘content delivery’ right there in week 37 of our Gantt chart.
- 62. Focus on one bite at a time. flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1564988306
- 63. Content workshop Content batch 1 Internal review CMS entry ONTENT ANAGERS Batch 1 revisions Content batch 2 Internal review Batch 2 revisions QA Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.PROJECT TEAM Backend development High-level IA Content modeling Editorial & CMS guide Front-end development Style tiles Prototyping Prototyping Content principles QASample content
- 64. Content workshop Content batch 1 Internal review CMS entry CONTENT MANAGERS Batch 1 revisions Content batch 2 Internal review Batch 2 revisions QA Content batch 3 Internal review Batch 3 revisions Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. PROJECT TEAM Backend development High-level IA Content modeling Editorial & CMS guide Front-end development Style tiles Prototyping Prototyping Content principles QASample content Content workshop Content batch 1 Internal review CMS entry CONTENT MANAGERS Batch 1 revisions Content batch 2 Internal review Batch 2 revisions QA Content batch 3 Internal review Batch 3 revisions PROJECT TEAM Backend development High-level IA Content modeling Editorial & CMS guide Front-end development Style tiles Prototyping Prototyping Content principles QASample content
- 65. Get a sample you can work with in design.
- 66. Test the workflow with a small set of content.
- 67. Work in batches so you can track progress.
- 68. Cross-check content with the design and the CMS as you go.
- 72. • Align around goals and standards • Partner across groups or roles • Trade off writing • Ask questions of each other’s work • Share with the whole room • Gather feedback from other teams
- 75. flickr.com/photos/roboppy/1297032301 But you can bring more harmony.
- 76. Flickr images used via Creative Commons Attribution license unless otherwise noted. @sara_ann_marie sarawb.com Thank you.