CONTENT STRATEGY
AND THE FUTURE OF MARKETING
Kristina Halvorson | MN AMA | 06.22.09

@halvorson

WHY DOES
CONTENT MATTER?

A brand is a promise. By
identifying and authenticating
a product or service it delivers
a pledge of satisfaction and
quality.
— Walter Landor

Brands are now used more than
they are preferred.
Functional benefits and relevance
now outweigh the intangible and
emotional allure of a brand.
— The Brand Bubble
by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar

ONLINE, WE DON’T
JUST SEE OR READ
ABOUT YOUR BRAND.
WE USE IT.

OFFLINE

ONLINE

The single most important thing
most Web sites can offer to their
users is content that those users
will find valuable.
— The Elements of User Experience
Jesse James Garrett

NAV BAR
sign in
ROTATING PROMO AREA
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATIONAL
CONTENT
PRODUCT 1 PRODUCT 2 PRODUCT 3 PRODUCT 4
CREDIT CARD

WHAT IS
CONTENT
STRATEGY?

Content strategy is the
practice of planning
for the creation, delivery,
and governance
of useful, usable content.

Content strategy is the
practice of planning
for the creation, delivery,
and governance
of useful, usable content.

•TEXT & DATA
•GRAPHICS
•VIDEO & ANIMATION
•AUDIO

STRATEGY
A plan for obtaining a specific goal or result.

NOT JUST …

NOT JUST …
What

BUT …
What With what
Why When
How Where
For whom How often
By whom What next

WHO’S DOING
IT WELL?

REI employees are called upon to evaluate gear
in an outdoor setting, allowing staff members to
offer feedback on gear performance and remain
experts in the gear they sell.
And although not all employees have summited
Mount Everest, they all can help customers find
the right outdoor gear and clothing for any
outdoor adventure.
REI employees are recognized throughout the
outdoor industry for their product knowledge
and expertise.

At Room & Board, we partner with small,
family-owned businesses that use a
combination of time-honored techniques and
innovative technology to build furniture that
stands the test of time.
This approach gives you the best of both
worlds—handcrafted quality with precision and
attention to detail.
We're committed to helping these artisans
preserve the American tradition of
handcraftsmanship.

USEFUL.
USABLE.
ENJOYABLE.

WHY IS IT SO HARD?

LIES WE TELL
OURSELVES

THIS IS COPYWRITING.

THIS IS CONTENT.
• Audit
• Analyze
• Strategize
• Categorize
• Structure
• Create
• Review
• Approve
• Publish
• Update
• Archive

Late content is consistently one of the
reasons for project delays.
The task itself and resources needed to
complete the task are seriously
underestimated.
Accept it. Plan for it. Charge for it.
— Web Redesign 2.0: Workflow That Works
Kelly Goto & Emily Cotler

PLAN.
CREATE.
PUBLISH.
GOVERN.

PLAN

PLAN.
CREATE.
PUBLISH.
GOVERN.

HOW DOES
IT WORK?

SKILLSET.ORG
Business
Analyst
User
Project Production
Experience
Manager Assistant
Architect
Account
Producer Designer
Manager
New
Information
Business Web Analyst Developer
Architect
Developer
Content Usability
Strategist Specialist Programmer
SEO Technical
Specialist Assistant
Server
Web Editor Admin
Web Writer

PROCESS
Audit
Analysis
Strategy

AUDIT
Quantitative
Qualitative
Specialized

ANALYSIS
Align on business objectives and user goals
Identify success metrics
Define risks and how to mitigate
Create a strategic foundation for content
strategy (recommendations)

ANALYSIS
Brand and messaging
Channels
User research
Competitor site audits
Site metrics
Government or regulatory requirements

ANALYSIS
SEO strategy
Current content assets
Global business and communications strategies
Technical infrastructure
Stakeholder roles, skill sets, agendas, politics
Relationship to other sites, databases, campaigns,
brand strategies, print materials

STRATEGY
What content do we need, and why?
How will the content be structured?
How will users find your web content?
How we will get from today to launch?
What's next once the content is "out there "?
How do these recommendations impact our business?

WHAT DO
YOU GET?

BIG RESULTS
Better user experience
Greater brand consistency
New operational efficiencies
Better risk management through better controls
Improved SEO and analytics
More effective personalization and targeting

WHAT NEEDS
TO CHANGE?

YOU
ARE A
PUBLISHER.

THE WORLD OF MARKETING

THIS IS ALL (web) CONTENT.

TREAT YOUR
CONTENT LIKE A
CRITICAL
BUSINESS ASSET.

Thanks.
E kristina@braintraffic.com
W braintraffic.com/blog
T @halvorson

Resources
• CONTENT STRATEGY
• http://alistapart.com/issues/274
• http://tr.im/lovingercs
• http://www.cmsreview.com/Stages/
• http://tr.im/CSslideshare
• http://tr.im/PublishersandCS
• DELIVERABLES
• http://semanticstudios.com/publications/semantics/000228.php
• COMING SOON
• http://contentstrategy.org