Script: Slide 2 • Want to get back to office, create taxonomy structures, detailed audits, etc. Slide 3 • But already projects in flight, budgets have been set, all those projects I had in mind – poof! Slide 4 • Time, scope and stakeholders get in the way. Slide 5 • Never enough time. • Decisions get rushed or we’re brought in too late in project lifecycle. Slide 6 • But as in-house strategists, we know this stuff. • Agencies need time to ramp up, learn content, business objectives, etc. • We live and breathe it. Slide 7 • Recent project got caught in corporate churn, left me with just two days to make critical decisions about which pages were staying and which were going. • Initially panicked, then remembered I know these pages like back of my hand. Slide 8 • Keep running audit if you can. • Set aside an hour to read content you don’t see often • Automate analytics reports – may not look at them but invaluable to fall back on • Be ok with not getting to everything. Slide 9 • During analysis you find something that wasn’t originally planned for. • Ideally it’s early enough that you can work it into the project. But if it adds time? Not so much. Slide 10 • While re-doing the office pages on our site, found Claims offices included on the site that we don’t want people visiting. • According to IT removing them from search would add too much time. Had to leave them. Slide 11 • It’s a marathon not a sprint. I’m going to sneak this into some other project down the road. A luxury in-house folks have that agencies who come in for one project don’t have. Slide 12 • I keep a running list of issues/items that I want to fix outside of my audit. • Work with my project managers and team to get them to think of content early and often • And I work with IT to try to understand technical limitations so I don’t frustrate myself recommending stuff we can’t do. Slides 13 • Perfect world stakeholders are easy going, recognize brilliance, go along with everything we say. • But sometimes wish you had sumo suits. Slide 14 • A good reminder from Eileen Webb Slide 15 • Thankfully, unlike an agency who may not know all the players and their personalities, you know these people. • Certain stakeholders only respond to data, others who need to see mock-ups, some who just need an email. Slide 16 • Half of you are looking at me skeptically – you don’t know MY stakeholders, Kim. • I don’t, but I’m YOU do because you have the time to create those relationships. Slide 17 • Build the relationship – mine took almost 3 years to build. • If you get to know them you can learn how best to communicate and work with them. Slide 18 • Real bottom line of in-house – we play the long game Slide 19: • Don’t give up dreams coming out of Confab. Revel in daily wins. It adds up to a whole lot of awesome.

1. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Letting Go of Perfection:
How to Survive as an In-House
Content Strategist
Kim Marques
Principal Website Editor / Content
Strategist
Liberty Mutual Insurance

2. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
After Confab Each Year

3. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Upon Returning to the Office
Image:
Kalexanderson

4. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Three Biggest Hurdles
Time StakeholdersScope
Image:
Sergioς

5. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Never Enough Time
Image:
elycefeliz

6. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Rushed Decisions
Image:
jovike

7. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Familiarity Doesn’t Always Breed Contempt

8. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Sanity Saving Tips:
• Keep a running content audit
• Set aside time each week to read a section of
your content you haven’t touched in a while
• Automate where it makes sense
• Be ok with not getting to everything … (I know it’s
not easy. I had to take my own advice when creating this presentation. It
sucked.)

9. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Four Dreaded Words
“That’s out of scope.” –
Every Project Manager
Ever
Image: Ahd Photography

10. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
True Story: Claims Offices

11. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint
Image: See-ming Lee

12. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Sanity Saving Tips:
• Keep a running list of issues/items you want to
fix – can be separate or a part of your audit
• Work with your project managers to get
content strategy slated in as early as possible
• Find out what your technical limitations are
(aka: don’t be afraid of IT)

13. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Stakeholder Meetings
Image:
JackBunny

14. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
A Good Reminder
“Stakeholders can’t see how terrible their
content is because this isn’t their space. But it is
our space, and it’s our job to show them how to
make it better.”
~ Eileen Webb
@webmeadow

15. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Know Your Audience

16. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
No, Honestly, Trust Me
Image:
Lee Haywood

17. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
Sanity Saving Tips:
• They’re just people – get to know them
• Play to each of their strengths
• If you don’t get them this time – you’ll get
them the next time

18. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
In the End, Nothing’s Prefect
Image:
lonely radio

19. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
In the End, Nothing’s Perfect
Image:
lonely radio

20. @ContentKim #inhouseCS
(oh thank God I made it … that wasn’t scary at all… where’s the bar?)