This document outlines the content strategy process undertaken by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital to improve their website. It describes how they defined their primary audience and goals, analyzed existing content and structure, and developed new content guidelines and information architecture. The strategy included structural changes to the site, writing guidelines focused on their audience, and establishing workflows and governance around content production and maintenance. Implementing the strategy over several phases helped transform their site from over 1,600 poorly organized pages to a user-focused resource that better meets family needs.

1. Untangling the Web
Creating a Website Content
Strategy That Works
Amanda Mauck
Digital Marketing Manager

2. Objectives for Today’s Case Study
• Define content strategy and illustrate its importance
• From strategy to reality, learn why teamwork is key
• Content is more than words and why every word counts

3. Whose job is it anyway?
• Exclusively work with online content
• Manager of a online content person
• Contribute content; periodically update web
• No web responsibilities whatsoever

4. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

5. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital
• Memphis, Tennessee
• 255 hospital beds
• Only free-standing, comprehensive children’s hospital
in 250-mile radius
• 2,500 employees
• 900-member medical staff
• Part of six-hospital system (only children’s hospital in system)
• Opened new building in December 2010
• American College of Surgeons Level 1 Trauma Center
• Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s
Best Children’s Hospitals
– Neuroscience, Heart, Pulmonology, Nephrology, Urology

6. Our Department Structure
• Director
• Marketing
– Manager
– Coordinator
– Strategist
• Publications
– Manager
– Sr. Specialist
– 2 Specialists
• Media Relations
– Manager
– Coordinator
– Specialist
• Digital
– Manager (me!)
Manage LBCH brand and communications
Reports to hospital CEO and SVP of Marketing at Methodist
Corporate

7. Let’s Put It Online!
• This article was so good…Let’s put it online!
• That publication is so information rich…Let’s put it
online!
• Did you see that video? …Let’s put it online!
• We worked so hard on that Annual Report…Let’s put it
online!

8. Before Content Strategy
• Lebonheur.org by the numbers:
– 1,600 pages of information
– $60,000 per year in third-party health content
– Too broad audience
– Many websites that didn’t connect to each other

9. We had the content

10. What is Content Strategy?
Content strategy:
1. Defines how you’re going to use content to meet your
business goals and satisfy your users’ needs
2. Guides decisions about content through its life cycle –
from discovery to deletion.
3. Sets benchmarks against which to measure the
success of your content.

11. The Year of the Web
• 2011: Engaged Brain Traffic
• January 2012: Recommendations delivered
• February 2012: Developed implementation plan
• March – December 2012: Phase 1 implemented
• September 2013: Strategy check-up
• Now: On-going maintenance

12. First Step: Stop, Look and Listen
• Listen to your users
• Dive into your analytics
• Review your business objectives
• Discover what makes your brand unique
• Learn from the best in class in your industry

13. We Found:

14. What are we doing here?
• Defining audience and purpose
• Understand what the user needs
• Balance with business goals

15. What are we doing here?
Hospital Selection Factors
1. Proximity
2. Physician recommendation
3. Insurance coverage
4. Reputation of quality (best doctors, world-renowned,
newest treatments)
5. Compassion (responsive, respectful, good communication,
family-friendly facilities)
6. Previous experience with hospital

16. This means for lebonheur.org
Our Primary Audience:
Parents of children with a serious medical issue,
including:
1. Families choosing a care provider
2. Families visiting a Le Bonheur location
3. Families seeking to optimize their Le Bonheur
experience.

17. Matching Audience to their Needs

18. This means for lebonheur.org
Our Primary Purpose:
Demonstrate why Le Bonheur is the best choice for children
and their families, and provide information to support the
entire experience of care.

19. Now the hard work begins
Define the strategy:
1. Structural changes
2. Content guidelines
3. Workflow and governance
Write it out, and agree upon it.

20. Define the Strategy – Structure
• Information architecture is key.
• Balancing primary and secondary audiences
• Does your structure meet audience and business
needs?
• Include guidelines and wireframes

21. Defining the Strategy - Structure
Before:
After:

22. AfterBefore
Defining the Strategy - Structure

23. Defining the Strategy - Structure

24. Define the strategy – Content Guidelines
• Develop Writing Guidelines based on:
– Be concise
– Write for primary audience
– Structure content for easy reading
– Use a reassuring, supportive tone
– Use the most appropriate format
• Use examples to demonstrate

25. Define the strategy – Content Guidelines
• To be published, all content must be…
– Strategic
– Helpful
– Proportionate
– Differentiated
– High-quality
– Cared for

26. Define the strategy – Content Guidelines
• Show, don’t tell.
– Statistics
– Proof statements
– Pull Quotes
– Think beyond words – Photos and Video

27. • Roles and Responsibilities
– Assign Roles
– Define Clear Responsibilities
• Workflow Process
• Process Changes
– Editorial board, meetings
Define the strategy – Workflow, Governance

28. From Strategy to Reality
• Create a plan – and stick to it
• Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize
• Teamwork is Key
• Relax - It’s going to take a while

29. Work like a team
• Think beyond the “Web” team
• Editorial Board, Content Owners, Subject-Matter Experts
• Find an Executive Champion

30. Lessons Learned
• Keeping the momentum
• Buddy system
• Balancing internal politics
• Saying no and delete
• Patience
• Set expectations

31. Questions?
Amanda Mauck
Digital Marketing Manager
amanda.mauck@lebonheur.org
facebook.com/lebonheurchildrens
twitter.com/lebonheurchild
youtube.com/lebonheurchildrens
lebonheur.org