1.
The Day 2
Problem
Jeffrey MacIntyre CHI*Atlanta 2009
Predicate, LLC Atlanta Content Strategy

2.
Introductions
I’m an independent content strategist in
NYC. My practice focuses on
editorial product strategy.
‣ Jeff MacIntyre, Principal
@jeffmacintyre

3.
The Story
So Far

4.
Content Strategy Today

5.
Before Content Strategy ...

6.
“Tragedy = comedy + time”
Woody Allen

7.
How the Content Strategist
Still Sees (a Lot of) the Web.

8.
“Design
without
content is
decoration.”
Jeffrey
Zeldman

9.
Louis Rosenfeld:
‣ “Redesign must die”
‣ “Every large website
is a complex
adaptive system.” Credit: “Redesign Must Die” , louisrosenfeld.com

10.
The Content Strategy Gospel
‣ The web is a publishing medium.
‣ Content is integral (to experience).
‣ Content producers = de facto publishers.
‣ To users, the web is awash in content.
Site owners feel the floodwaters, too.
So, sink or swim. Filter or be flooded.

11.
Editorial Strategy:
Content Strategy as
Product Strategy?

12.
Why
EDITORIAL STRATEGY?

13.
“The Day 2 Problem”
Postlaunch is a
project phase.
Nothing shines a light on the good
faith agreement between client and
consultant than thoughtful aftercare.
Editorial strategy is about caring for
content after launch day. Credit: Flickr Commons

14.
Your website
isn’t a magazine.

15.
“[G]etting better at
publishing is the only way
you’re going to get better at
content.” Gerry McGovern
Content Critical

16.
Your website
isn’t a magazine!

17.
Publishing is Pivotal
‣ Everything I learned
about content
strategy I learned
from being a web
editor.

18.
Your website
isn’t a magazine.
But it should be.

19.
Recognizing
an EDITORIAL STRATEGY

20.
Do You Have One?
Editorial strategy is ...
‣ a set editorial mix Credit: Jessica Hagy
‣ scheduled release of ongoing content
‣ packaged as a bundle of like content
‣ supported through masthead workflow
‣ guided by a product strategy

21.
Defining Editorial Content
What is it? A publishing asset.
‣ Repeatable and repeatedly
published content in a
recognizable form (article, podcast,
etc.) and packaged (e.g., edited) for
consumption;
‣ Made valuable to an audience by:
being innovative; through subject
matter expertise or authority; by
voice or other brand attributes.

22.
Example: Slate’s “Today’s Papers”
12 years ago, Slate.com pioneered a daily
form of content aggregation for news
consumers.
It evolved from novel
convenience to meta-digest
to spin-offs to modular, near-
realtime editorial.

23.
Key Debates in Editorial Strategy
‣ Free v. paid (rev. models: licensing, etc.)
‣ Production model: factory v. atelier
‣ Curation v. aggregation
‣ Original content: longform/shortform
‣ Editorial mix: stock & flow

24.
Editorial Strategy FYI Credit: Jonathan Maziarz, eatmedia.net
Credit: Clinton Forry, content-ment.com
Credit: Jason Santa Maria, SVA presentation
Credit: Luke Hayman, Pentagram.com
Credit: Adam Taplin,
Content Strategy Google Group Credit: Robin Sloan, snarkmarket.com
Credit: Prasanna Lal Das,
prasannalaldas.blogspot.com Credit: Muriel Vandermeulen,
wearethewords.com

25.
Delivering an
Editorial Strategy

26.
Our Methodology
1. Audit 2. Plan 3. Build 4. Grow
content content editorial
content audit
strategy specification calendar
content
migration plan copy deck style guide
inventory
metadata content
gap analysis
schema development

27.
Our Editorial Strategy
1. Audit 2. Plan 3. Build 4. Grow
content editorial
strategy calendar
style guide
content
development

28.
Content Strategy
!
! !

29.
Style Guide Editorial Calendar
!

30.
Content Development
Credit: Webbmedia Group

31.
Cui Bono?

32.
The Future of Publishing:
The Future of Literacy.
Credit: Denis Pelli & Charles Bigelow, seedmagazine.com

33.
Panel Discussion
SUSAN Robinson, CDC
RICHARD Sheffield, UPS
TRACY Wilson, HSW