Do you feel like you're running your own media company in addition to everything else that's already on your plate? Blasting out e‐newsletters, Facebook posts, YouTube videos... Learn how you can keep your digital content in check (and in demand) while you juggle all of your other responsibilities.   We'll cover how to: - Create an Editorial Schedule - Tailor your Messaging by Digital Medium - Recycle Content in the Archives 

2. Well, hello...
My name is Amanda. I play with content.

3. Curating your Digital Content
plan, scan, fan

4. What is online content?
● Images ● Audio
● Text ● Presentations
● Ads ● Links
● Comments ● Infographics
● Videos ● Likes or +1
● Reviews ● Guides

5. Why should we care about online content?
2011 Edelman Trust Barometer

6. Why should we care about online content?
Content builds trust and loyalty by giving
audiences what they want when they want it.
It makes us think, smile, act.

7. Why should we care about online content?

8. Hatching Your Plan
Start at the beginning
● Proven wins w/ visitors
● Customer surveys
● Analytics

9. Hatching Your Plan

10. Hatching Your Plan
Resources to help you along
● Your marketing plan
● Current events / trends
● Audience polls, comments or questions
● Guest contributors
● Running ideas list
● Your vault
● Experts in your organization
● Content gaps

11. Hatching Your Plan - Tools
Editorial Calendar - Who is creating what by when

12. Hatching Your Plan - Tools - Content Templates
for Subject Matter Experts
A List Apart

13. Hatching Your Plan - Tools - HootSuite Social
Scheduling

14. Hatching Your Plan - Messaging
Know thyself
● What are your content goals?
○ reduce printing costs
○ increase public awareness and engagement
○ cultivate trust and loyalty among citizens
○ enhance citizen support and service

15. Hatching Your Plan - Messaging
Know thyself
● What key messages do you want to communicate?
● What's your brand personality?
● How are you going to measure success?

16. Hatching Your Plan - Messaging
Your audience
● Who are they?
● What do they need and want?
● How are they feeling?
● Where are they coming from?
● What do they want to know?
● What do you want them to do?

17. On average 20% of the words on a web page are
actually read.
(that's just 2.5 words of the sentence above)

18. That's because we don't read
online.
We scan.

19. "Scan Me" Content Tips
● S - so what?
● C - be concise.
● A - activate.
● N - not so fast.

20. "Scan Me" Content Tips - So What?
● Show me what's it in for me.
● Use meaningful headlines and subheadlines.
● Emphasize benefits over features.

21. "Scan Me" Tips - Be Concise
● Get to the point.
● Don't use jargon and legalese.
● Pick short words over long words.
● Use lists and bullet points.

22. "Scan Me" Tips - Activate
● Use an active voice.
● Write in the first person if possible.
● Push interaction with video, pictures and animations.

23. "Scan Me" Tips - Not so fast!
Pretend this is a first date...
● What's the most important thing I need to know about
you?
● Give me 1 idea per paragraph.
● Use "progressive disclosure" with links so I can find
more information if I'm interested.

24. Content that Screams "Scan Me"

25. Content that Screams "Scan Me"

26. "Fan Me" Tips
● Create compelling content often.
● Make it easy for visitors to join in the conversation.
● Encourage visitors to share your content.
● Tailor your message to your visitor and your medium.

27. "Fan Me" Tips for Facebook
● Use Insights to give visitors more of what they like.
● Ask questions, take polls, give compelling info.
● Make it personal by tagging peeps.
● Share interesting articles.
● Use photo galleries, videos and animations.
● Stir the pot by keeping dialogue rolling.
● Show love for other organizations and individuals.

28. "Fan Me" Tips for Twitter
● Give more than you get.
● Use analytics to hone in on the kind of tweets your
listeners like.
● Call people out (in a good way) with @mentions and
direct messages.
● Get in on MusicMondays, CharityTuesdays and
FollowFridays.
● Use lists, photos, polls and videos to capture attention.
● Craft attention-grabbing headlines that scream what's
in it for me!

29. "Fan Me" Tips for LinkedIN
● Start and participate in relevant discussion boards.
● Give goodies away.
● Use your network of stakeholders to spread your
message.
● Advertise job postings.
● Targeted advertising opportunities by job titles,
industries and company size.

30. "Fan Me" Tips for Video
● Take advantage of tags and geolocation.
● Write strong descriptions that entice people to click.
● Use videos and pictures in other mediums.
● Keep videos short (under 3 minutes).

31. "Fan Me" Content Broadcast Example

32. "Fan Me" Content Broadcast Example

33. "Fan Me" Content Broadcast Example

34. "Fan Me" Content Broadcast Example

35. What is good content?
Ahava Leibtag
AHA Media Group

36. Content Challenges
● Stuffing print content online
● Extracting ideas from experts into the minds of content
producers
● Lack of time, attention and skill to create/support
● Translation across languages, cultures and
generations
● Legal and political constraints
● Launch it and forget it

37. "It will work. I am a marketing genius."
– Paris Hilton

38. Resources
● A List Apart - Writing
● Copyblogger
● Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that
Works by Ginny Redish
● On Writing Well by William Zinsser
● Smashing Magazine
● Writing for the Web by Jakob Nielsen
● Pro Blogger
● Knol Google Content Strategy
● Online It All Matters