Getting content right

Getting content right (or Your lips are moving, but all I hear is blah, blah, blah) Donna Spencer – Maadmob

About me

Freelance information architect/interaction designer

8 yrs

Website, intranet, business applications

Design, strategy, mentoring

Chair for last year's IA Summit

Board member – Information Architecture Institute

Writing a book about card sorting - due mid 2008

…and I write web content

About this talk

How to do some of the stuff Andy talked about – with content

You’ll leave with:

3 simple-sounding principles

Examples to see the principles in practice

I’ll see if I can make you laugh

The brain doesn’t know what made it feel good, just that it did

So these principles will stick

Walk out of here and apply just one principle, and you’ll make your writing better

(oh, btw, some of my slides have bullet points – after all, it’s a content talk)

We want our content to be…

Understood

Acted on

… without much effort (from the reader)

3 key things about people

We like to be at the centre, important, valued

We are social

We learn better via stories than by theory

Principle 1: You (the writer) are not important

Kathy Sierra said it best… http://headrush.typepad.com/

The idea…

Humans are mostly selfish

We don’t care how awesome you are

We don’t buy, hire or make decisions because you are great

We make decisions based on what will make us feel great

Being noticed

Being recognised for doing well

Feeling like we have achieved something good

Winning

(OK, not entirely. We do some things for others or for a greater good. But most of our day is about us!)

What to do about it

Figure out what will make the reader feel great

Write that

Simple?

It’s harder than it sounds

Why…who cares…so what

A typical ‘why choose us’ page

We are an interactive marketing and technology company. Since 1992 we have built world-class, customer-focused Web sites, intranets and extranets, supported by interactive marketing and advertising campaigns for many of the largest Australian companies.

Our work involves rigorous usability testing, customer research, site analytics and technologies such as e-commerce systems and content management tools. Our focus throughout is on using interactive technology in the most cost-efficient way to create superior service experiences that deliver value to businesses and customers alike.

We are an interactive marketing and technology company. Since 1992 we have built world-class, customer-focused Web sites, intranets and extranets, supported by interactive marketing and advertising campaigns for many of the largest Australian companies.

Our work involves rigorous usability testing, customer research, site analytics and technologies such as e-commerce systems and content management tools. Our focus throughout is on using interactive technology in the most cost-efficient way to create superior service experiences that deliver value to businesses and customers alike.

What might the reader want to know?

Can they actually do the work I need them to do

Does the organisation have the skills and experience

Will I get someone who has the skills and experience

Will they listen to me or push their own agenda

Will they treat me like I’m stupid

Will they finish the work when they say they will

Will they blow my budget

Will the work be great quality, or will I be re-doing it again in 6 months

Will my boss think I’m useless

Will my peers think I’m useless

What might some of this really mean…

Since 1992

Cynical: So what

Pro: Being in this business a really long time means we have come across lots of common problems and know what to do

Websites, intranets, extranets, interactive marketing campaigns for large Aust companies:

Cynical: Wow, what do these things even have in common? Do they know what they are talking about

Pro: Chances are we’ve tackled a project like yours before and thought about the tricky parts

Pull it apart to see what matters…

Usability testing, customer research, site analytics:

Cynical: What do these things mean anyway

Pro: By getting into your customer’s heads, you can deliver something that really works for them

Technologies such as e-commerce systems and content management tools:

Cynical: so broad to be meaningless

Pro: We know what we’re doing and won’t waste time

Using interactive technology in the most cost-efficient way to create superior service experiences that deliver value to businesses and customers alike

Blah, jargon & waffle

Rewrite it

We are a small interactive agency who specialise in websites & related advertising campaigns. We have been in this business since 1992 (and our core team have been with us all that time). We’ve worked on all types of projects and likely have tackled a project like yours.

We care about just two things - that your website does exactly what your customers need it to, and that you are comfortable throughout the project. We research your customer’s needs, analyse usage statistics and always usability test. We work so closely with you that you’ll never wonder where we are or when we’ll deliver.

My ‘why choose me’

High quality, appropriate results

I have extensive information architecture and interaction design skills; experience with a wide range of projects (intranets, websites, business systems and web applications) and experience with a wide range of industries (government, healthcare, e-commerce, insurance).

For you this means:

you get the right outcome for your project - you can be confident that I do have the right experience to produce a high-quality output

you don’t lose money while I learn how stuff works

I can learn about your domain quickly, saving you money and project time

You get my experience

I actually have all the skills I’m selling.

I’m not combining a team’s skills to sell you my services, then offering you a consultant who has none of the skills. You get me, and you get my experience.

I’m flexible

I don’t have fancy, fixed methodologies and step-by-step approaches that I must follow. I’ll work in a way that suits you - after all, you are buying my skills, not a methodology.

I play nice with others

I get along with almost everyone, work well in teams and get my hands dirty to do what needs to be done.

Principle 2: Use a real voice

Voice

People are social, and pay attention to other people

If your content sounds like a person is really talking, readers will listen

Voice gives your content personality

Lots of voice…

Hello Donna I'm Little MOO - the bit of software that will be managing your order with us. I will shortly be sent to Big MOO, our print machine who will print it for you in the next few days. I'll let you know when it's done and on its way to you.

Please note, as your order will be shipped via First Class/Airmail, it should be with you in around 10 working days, but it won't have a tracking number.

Please note that different products are mailed separately so if your order contains a range of different products they will be packed separately and may not arrive together.

Remember, I'm just a bit of software. So, if you have any questions regarding your order please first read our Frequently Asked Questions at: http:// www.moo.com /help/ and if you're still not sure, contact customer services (who are real people) at: http:// www.moo.com /service/

Thanks, Little MOO

No voice…

Do people really talk like this?

How to write with voice

First draft - write how you speak

Imagine you are having a conversation

Anticipate questions

Answer them succinctly

Practice – start a blog or do something else to find your voice

‘ Voicy’ writing doesn’t have to be cute, chatty or informal – it just needs to sound like a real human

Principle 3: Show and tell

Show and tell

Content is more than just words

People have different learning styles – write for them

‘ Show’ your ideas with

Examples, case studies

Images, graphics

Things that stop and make the reader think

An obvious example

All of that area within Bass Strait, excluding any coastal waters* in relation to the State of Victoria or the State of Tasmania, contained within and bounded as follows**:

commencing at the point of latitude 39 degrees 6 minutes south, longitude 147 degrees 6 minutes east;

then south-easterly along the geodesic to the point of latitude 39 degrees 22 minutes south, longitude 147 degrees 28 minutes east;

then south along the meridian of longitude 147 degrees 28 minutes east, to its intersection with the parallel of latitude 39 degrees 36 minutes south;

then west along the parallel of latitude 39 degrees 36 minutes south, to its intersection with the meridian of longitude 146 degrees 34 minutes east;

then north along the meridian of longitude 146 degrees 34 minutes east, to its intersection with the outer limit of the coastal waters* of Victoria at approximate latitude 39 degrees 16 minutes 32 seconds south;

then easterly and generally northerly along the outer limit of the coastal waters* of Victoria to its intersection with the parallel of latitude 39 degrees 6 minutes south; and

then west along the parallel of latitude 39 degrees 6 minutes south to the point of commencement.

Just show it

I recently wrote a blog post about researching car sites:

“ You know what makes this all worse. I could just cope with having to dig into three different ‘family sites’. If they were consistently done, I could find the specifications part for each and flick between browser tabs. But no, each family site is structured differently.”

http://headrush.typepad.com/

Work through an example

Pull it all together

The C4 can be factory ordered with a Bluetooth hands-free telephone system in which the address book is displayed on the vehicle’s multifunction screen.

This hands-free telephone system, based on Bluetooth wireless technology, is integrated with the passenger compartment.

Bluetooth is a convenient and safe option for making personal in-car calls from a mobile phone, since the driver can make calls without taking the phone out of his pocket. In this way, he can make phone calls from the car without taking his eyes off the road or releasing the wheel.

To make a hands-free call, the driver uses the ergonomic control function on the wheel, and the microphone built into the roof. Conversations are relayed over the C4’s audio system.

The driver selects the name of a correspondent from the address book of his mobile phone, using the steering wheel controls. He can also use the ‘voice recognition’ function to initiate a call.

Step 1: Think about the reader

So, this page is about a ‘bluetooth’ feature that the car has

If a friend said to you ‘hey, I just bought a new car and it has bluetooth’, what would you want to know?

Step 1: Think about the reader

What would you want to know about this?

What is it?

Allows you to make phone calls without touching your phone

How would I do that?

There is a mic and speaker in the roof. You turn on the phone from the steering wheel, then can use your voice or the steering wheel controls to choose who to call. Then you can talk and listen too.

Do I pay more?

Nope

P1: Write to the reader (call them you!)

The C4 has a Bluetooth hands-free telephone system in which the address book is displayed on the vehicle’s multifunction screen.

This hands-free telephone system, based on Bluetooth wireless technology, is integrated with the passenger compartment.

Bluetooth is a convenient and safe option for making personal in-car calls from a mobile phone, since you can make calls without taking the phone out of your pocket. In this way, you can make phone calls from the car without taking your eyes off the road or releasing the wheel.

To make a hands-free call, you use the ergonomic control function on the wheel, and the microphone built into the roof. Conversations are relayed over the C4’s audio system.

You can select the name of a correspondent from the address book of your mobile phone, using the steering wheel controls. You can also use the ‘voice recognition’ function to initiate a call.

P1: Answer their questions

The C4 has a Bluetooth hands-free telephone system. Bluetooth is a convenient and safe option for making personal in-car calls from a mobile phone, since you can make calls without taking the phone out of your pocket. In this way, you can make phone calls from the car without taking your eyes off the road or releasing the wheel.

This hands-free telephone system is integrated with the passenger compartment. It has an ergonomic control function on the wheel, and the microphone built into the roof. The address book is displayed on the vehicle’s multifunction screen and conversations are relayed over the C4’s audio system.

To make a hands-free call, you select the name of a correspondent from the address book of your mobile phone, using the steering wheel controls. You can also use the ‘voice recognition’ function to initiate a call.

P2: Give it voice

One of the most popular features with C4 owners is the hands-free telephone system. You can make phone calls without taking your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel. It’s safe and it’s useful.

This system uses bluetooth - a wireless system that lets you make calls from a mobile phone without taking it out of your pocket. It is fully built into the passenger compartment, with an ergonomic control on the steering wheel, a microphone in the roof, the address book on the vehicle’s multifunction screen and the sound over the audio system.

All you do is select the name from your phone’s address book, using the steering wheel controls or by turning it on and saying who you’d like to phone. It’s that easy.

Summing up

Summing it up