We all know that content is now considered a business-critical activity. So how come good content is still so hard to squeeze out of people? Why are your stakeholders still insisting on 9 rounds of amends? Why do your product owners refuse to be user-friendly? Why has the ceo come over all editor-at-large? If you think your content problems might actually be people problems, this session has some smart ideas on how to fix that. Maybe even without them noticing. This session will give practical advice on how to: - build the business case for content strategy - streamline content sign-off - encourage good editorial habits - help people stay on brand and on message - build a content culture - manage difficult content stakeholders

1. Clever ways to get good content
out of stupid people
Catherine Toole, 18 June 2014
@stickycontent
@catherinetoole
#B2BSummit

2. We do 3 things…

3. Who we’re working with…

4. “You can redesign a home page. You can buy
a new CMS. But unless you treat your
content with strategic consideration,
you can’t fix your website. Once people
started to accept this fact, the conversation
took off. It’s a pain point everyone
shares and content strategy offers
relief.”
What’s the point of content strategy?
From Content Strategy for the Web
by Kristina Halvorson & Melissa Rach

5. © PA
“Please don’t look at our
website. It’s awful! But I’m
trying to change things…”
100s of delegates share their content pain
“A lot of our content is
unnecessary but managers
get upset if we suggest
culling it”
“We’re so reactive, most of
the time we’re creating
content on demand”
“The CEO just wants to
know why we’re not on
instagram/Facebook/
twitter…”
“Our stuff is too long for
mobile and full of jargon. If I
change it, I’m ‘dumbing it
down’”

6. “Biggest challenge? People just don’t really get it…”
Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

7. Are your problems really content problems?
Core
Strategy
Substance
Structure
Workflow
Governance
People
components
© Brain Traffic 2011
Content
components

8. © PA
It’s people who screw up your content
© PA

9. They’ll do it at the planning
stage…

10. The Venn diagram of content shame
Credit Randall Munroe
http://xkcd.com/773/

11. … and they’ll do it during creation.

12. Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

13. They’ll do it at sign-off stage...

14. You work hard for what goes into your
current account.
Shouldn’t that account work hard too?
♥ Wonderbank ♥
 Extra money: earn interest on the cash you aren’t using
 Total control: you set limits on what to keep – and sweep
 No hassle: your account sweeps automatically for you
 Instant access: if you need it, sweep it back instantly
Make my account work harder for me >>

15. At Wonderbank, we know you work hard to
earn what goes into your current account.
Our Instant Sweep Saver® works hard too.
 Sweep spare funds into a higher interest account: earn a
higher rate of interest* on the cash you don’t need this
month
 Take control: you agree a monthly amount to keep – and
sweep
 Easy to manage: your Instant Sweep Saver® account
sweeps automatically for you on set days of the month
 Instant access: if you need it, sweep it back instantly**
*Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates
terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and
conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions Interest rates terms and conditions AER
**Instant sweeping cannot be guaranteed, in some circumstances funds may take up to 46 hours to sweep. Overdraft
charges may be applied to Instant Sweep Saver accounts which fall into negative balance.
♥ Wonderbank ♥
Winner!
Best high
street bank
2003

16. …and they’ll also ignore your
governance.

17. Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

18. Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

19. © PA
They’ll turn your lovely stuff to frankencontent

20. © PA
How will you make these stupids listen?
© PA

21. © PA
“If you talk to a man in
a language he
understands, it goes to
his head.
If you talk to him in his
language, it goes to
his heart.”
Nelson Mandela
1. Win hearts and minds

22. Hearts need different techniques from minds
♥ Engage – don’t manage – stakeholders
♥ Include everyone, generate excitement, reward ideas
♥ Find a content place for everyone
♥ Instil pride (or at least a competitive edge)
♥ Counteract fear constantly
£ Suggest and share measurement for every activity
£ Publicise all kinds of ROI
£ Show both overall efficiencies and individuals’ benefits
£ Map everything to core business strategy

23. © PA
“A camel looks like a
horse that was
planned by a
committee.”
Anonymous
2. Streamline stakeholders and sign-off

24. Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

25. Get your free copy of the full 36-page State of Digital Copywriting report here: http://www.stickycontent.com/survey/

26. 5 tricks for getting good content approved
1. Set limits: on numbers of people involved, rounds of amends and
timescales for feedback
2. Streamline the publishing approvals: build risk categories into
your inventory and only seek approval of high-risk content
3. Insist on expertise over opinion.
4. Have the fights first. Establish levels of content veto before
anything is created. Agree a hierarchy of feedback and that
conflicting feedback will be resolved between individuals, not
arbitrated by you
5. Stop ‘asking for it’!

27. Hi Claire,
Please review the attached and send your feedback as soon as possible blah blah…
Here’s some fantastic content for your approval which we need by 2pm this Friday at the latest…

29. © PA
“In my career, I found
that the best people
are the ones that really
understand the
content. And they’re a
pain in the butt to
manage! But you put
up with it because
they’re so great at the
content.”
Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
3. Build a content culture (not a corporate)

30. Corporate behaviour V editorial behaviour
corporate editorialContent planned
around what the
company cares
about
Content planned
around what
people want to
read/watch
Sign-off
according to
seniority
Sign-off
according to
editorial
expertise
Processes built
around existing
company
workflow
Processes
designed to get
good content
out to deadline
Design and
build before
content
Content - led
design

31. Any questions?
emailus@stickycontent.com
ww.stickycontent.com
+44 (0)20 7963 7070
@stickycontent
@catherinetoole