CONTENT
STRATEGY FTW
Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic | SXSW | 03.13.2010

@halvorson

THE CONTENT PROBLEM

SKILLSET.ORG
Business
Analyst
Project
Interac9on
Produc9on
Manager
Designer
Assistant
Account
Visual
Producer
Manager
Designer
New
Web
Analyst
Informa9on
Developer
Business
Architect
Developer
Content
Usability
Strategist
Specialist
Programmer
SEO
Technical
Specialist
Assistant
Server
Web
Editor
Admin
Web
Writer

http://www.mollystevens.com/portfolio.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concept_map

SKILLSET.ORG
Business
Analyst
User
Project
Produc9on
Experience
Manager
Assistant
Architect
Account
Producer
Designer
Manager
New
Web
Analyst
Informa9on
Business
Developer
Architect
Developer
Programmer
Technical
Assistant
Server
Admin
Web
Writer

LIES WE TELL
OURSELVES.

THIS IS COPYWRITING.

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

HOW DID WE
GET HERE?

“
I thought the explosion of data needed an
architecture, needed a series of systems, needed
systemic design, a series of performance criteria
to measure it.
There are thousands of people using the term
(“information architecture”), and they have no
idea where the term came from, and 90 percent
of them aren't doing what I think they should
be doing anyway.
— Richard Saul Wurman

CONTENT IS
NOT A
FEATURE.

“
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

WHAT IS CONTENT
STRATEGY?

CONTENT STRATEGY
… plans for the creation, publication, and governance of
useful, usable content.

• Text and data
• Graphics
• Video and
animation
• Audio

TEXT IS…
 Page copy  Error messages
 Articles  Task instructions
 Links  Forms
 Labels  Search results
 Flash elements  Metadata
 Alt tags  All of it

STRATEGY
… is 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

HOW DOES IT HELP?

MESSAGING

REQUIREMENTS

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
+ USER GOALS

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.

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.

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.

STRUCTURE

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WORKFLOW

REALITY

HOW CAN YOU START?

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

OMG
that is so not
my problem.

STUFF YOU CAN
DO THAT WON’T
HURT TOO MUCH

#1: AUDIT

#2: ASK

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

#3: ANALYZE

INTERNALLY

#4: ALIGN

Govern
1. Guide
2. Measure Create
3. Maintain 1. Source
2. Execute
THE PLAN
3. Approve
Deliver
1. Push
2. Pull
3. Exchange

#5: ASSUME
RESPONSIBILITY

YOU ARE A
PUBLISHER.

WHAT DO
YOU GET?

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

THANKS.
e info@braintraffic.com
w braintraffic.com
contentstrategy.com
t @halvorson

MEETUP TOMORROW!
Inaugural Austin
Content Strategy Meetup
Sunday, March 14, 7pm
Lustre Pearl
97 Rainey St