Toward a Unified Field Theory
of Content Strategy
Content Strategy Consortium ~ IA Summit 2009
Memphis, Tennessee
March 19, 2009
Elena Melendy
elenamelendy.com
917 517.1976
@emelendy

“ONE MAY SAY THE ETERNAL MYSTERY OF THE WORLD IS ITS COMPREHENSIBILITY.”
WORD ART: WWW.WORDLE.NET

AN EXCEPTIONALLY SIMPLE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
E8 THEORY PROPOSED BY PHYSICIST ANTONY GARRETT LISI, NOVEMBER 2007

DEFINE:EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING IS CONTENT
•

Theory
A supposition or a system of ideas intended to
explain something, especially one based on
general principles independent of the thing to be
explained
An idea accounting for or justifying something
A set of principles on which an activity is based
Compact OED

CONTENT REACHES CONSUMERS
INTERNET ACTIVITY INDEX (IAI) ~ AS OF JANUARY 2009.

“PRINT IS NOT DEAD. PRINT IS WHERE WORDS GO TO DIE.”
JARVIS:
IRONICALLY, PRINT IS DEAD WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN PAPERBACK.

Field
Discipline: a branch of knowledge
A particular kind of commercial enterprise
Princeton University WordNet

Unify
To become one
To join or combine
To bring together for a common purpose or action
or ideology or in a shared situation
To act in concert or unite in a common purpose or
belief
Princeton University WordNet

Unified
What Brings Us Together?

Desire for Community
Collaboration Professional growth
Collegiality Mentoring
Knowledge-sharing Job leads
Sociability Client referrals

Desire to Contribute
Educate clients Improve quality
Educate peers Improve processes
Influence managers Generate opportunity

Personal Fulfillment
Intellectual stimulation
Career satisfaction
Career advancement
Sense of achievement
Networking

Shared Values
Useful Graceful
Clear Logical
Accurate Meaningful
Appropriate Relevant
Comprehensive Timely
Persuasive Consistent

Field
What Separates Us?

Where We Come From
Library science Advertising
Information science Rhetoric
Information design Journalism
Information architecture Communications
Technical writing Liberal Arts
Marketing Linguistics

Where We Work
Marketing agency Web-only
Advertising agency Cross-platform digital
Web design studio Print and online
Single practitioner Software products
Large enterprise
Small business
Non-profit organization

How We Specialize
Editorial standards and calendaring
Content management technologies and life cycle
Messaging and writing
Content organization and metadata
SEO
Delivery and distribution

Who We Are
Gender identity Personality
Racial identity Religious belief
Age Sexual orientation
Differently abled status Politics

Reminders

WE ARE NOT LOCAL
CONTENT STRATEGY IS A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT

What will define the media company of the
future? The ability to let content travel
across a myriad of platforms, devices and
lifestyles. The will to embrace new forms of
measurement, data, technology and digital
infrastructure to manage complexity. And
the vision to compete on the future.
Razorfish Digital Outlook Report 09, March 9, 2009
WE ARE NOT WEB-ONLY
THE INTERACTIVE LANDSCAPE IS RAPIDLY EVOLVING

EXTERNAL PRESSURES
DISAMBIGUATION: THIS IS MARKETING

EXTERNAL PRESSURES
DISAMBIGUATION: THIS ALSO MARKETING. THOUGH SHE CALLS IT PR.

“Where’s your business case?”
Territoriality
Organizational resistance
Bureaucracy
Arrogance
Conservatism
Personal agenda

Theory
What Do We Do About It?

As content strategists,
we are uniquely
positioned to address
these challenges—
by using the tools of
our discipline itself.

What Do We Need?
An actionable communications
strategy aligned with our values

How Do We Get One?
Define mission
Define values
Define target audiences
Outline specific goals
Align messaging and create content
Secure communication channels
Distribute and promote

What Tools Do We Use?
Consistent labels and taxonomies
High-traffic sites with sound metadata and SEO
Content aggregation
Cross-platform publishing
Formal lobbying / national trade association
Informal social networks, virtual and in-person
???

Our Mission
Create a content strategy for Content Strategy

References
Digital Outlook Report 09. Razorfish, March 9, 2009, pp. 174–175. http://
www.razorfish.com/#/ideas/reports-and-papers/special-reports/
Halvorson, Kristina. “The Discipline of Content Strategy.” A List Apart,
December 16, 2008. http://www.alistapart.com/articles/
thedisciplineofcontentstrategy
Internet Activity Index, January 2009. Online Publishers Association. http://
www.online-publishers.org/page.php/prmID/421
Lovinger, Rachel. “Content Strategy: The Philosophy of Data.” Boxes and
Arrows, March 26, 2007. http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/content-
strategy-the
MacIntyre, Jeffrey. “Content-tious Strategy.” A List Apart, December 16,
2008. http://www.alistapart.com/articles/contenttiousstrategy

Toward a Unified Field Theory of Content Strategy
Elena Melendy
Minty Fresh Media LLC
115 South Oxford Street, No. 524
Brooklyn, New York 11217
elenamelendy.com
917 517.1976
@emelendy