MARLOWE BECKLEY
A Core Content Strategy
Process for a Strong Start
Agenda
• Introductions
• Overview
• Methodology
• Intermission (15 min)
• Deliverables
• Resources
Goals for Today
• Learn Everything
• Provide Resources
• What are your goals?
ABOUT MARLOWE BECKLEY
• Content Director, Hathway, a mobile innovation agency
• Formerly of SapientNitro, Razorfish, and Manifest
• 10 years in Content Strategy
• Previous clients include Fortune 50 financial services
firms and some of the world’s largest companies
• @marlowebeckley
• marlowe@wearehathway.com
• www.linkedin/in/marlowesarahbeckley
ABOUT HATHWAY
• Since 2008, Hathway has been helping
global brands put useful brand
experiences in the hands of customers at
the right time and place
• Our value lies in concepting
breakthrough ideas paired with
outstanding execution across media,
touchpoint and device
• www.wearehathway.com
Every interaction, connection
& touchpoint matters.
Class Bio
• Name, title, company, goal for today
• How many years have you been working in content?
• Who works at an agency?
• Who reports to IT or Operations?
• Who reports to Marketing?
• How many of you work in an Agile environment?
• How many work in waterfall?
• What types of content do you work with?
Business Issues Bio
• What is the biggest content
problem you have?
• What is the biggest business
problem your company is
facing?
• How is content positioned to
support that problem?
Overview Objectives
Define Content
Define Content Strategy
Purpose of Content Strategy
What Is Content?
 Rahel Bailie: The stuff between the tags
 Joe Pulizzi: Compelling information that informs,
engages or amuses
 Kevin Nichols: Any recorded information
 Ann Rockley: Not limited to one purpose, technology or
output. Intelligent content is structurally rich and
semantically aware, and is therefore discoverable,
reusable, reconfigurable and adaptable.
Quiz
 Besides text and photos, what kind of content formats do you deal with now?
 What kind of content do you expect to create in the next five years?
 Is your company’s current process set up to handle that content?
Strategy Definition
• A plan of action designed to
achieve a long-term or
overall aim
• Options chosen to create a
desired future, such as
achieving a goal or finding a
solution to a problem
Content Strategy Definition
• Fundamentally, it’s simply getting the right
content to the right customer at the right
time, in the right format.
• A content strategy is a repeatable method
for identifying all content requirements up
front and to create consistently structured
content designed for reuse, managed from a
definitive source, to meet both customer
and business needs.
• A repeatable system that manages content
throughout its lifecycle
Two “Sides” to Content Strategy
• “Front end”: Editorial
• Content Development
• Writing/Editorial Style Guides
• Editorial Calendar
• “Back end”: Content Architecture
• Content Models
• Content Types
• Taxonomies
• Metadata Source: Ann Rockley
Content Strategy Components
Where is the Content Strategy?
• A set of guidelines that document the
standards and requirements of the
relevant content
• Outlines the business process for creating
consistent, unified and structured content
• May include a content model to illustrate
the enterprise’s content and their
relationships
Content Lifecycle
Content Lifecycle
Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
• Acquire
• Author
• Localize
• Metadata
• Present
• Transform
• Aggregate
• Revise
• Requirements
• Testing
• Metrics
• Models
• Standards
• Structure
• Repository
Manage Analyze
CollectPublish
Content
Repository
Workflow
Integration
Strategy
Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
• Requirements
• Testing
• Metrics
Manage Analyze
CollectPublish
Implementation
Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
• Present
• Transform
• Aggregate
• Revise
• Acquire
• Author
• Localize
• Metadata
• Models
• Standards
• Structure
• Repository
Manage Analyze
CollectPublish
Governance
Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
Content
Repository
Workflow
Integration
Quiz: Lifecycle
• Can content exist in all quadrants?
• Where is your content coming from?
• What should happen to content before it moves through the lifecycle
again?
• Content management/governance allows content to?
• How do you add value to content?
Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
Methodology
Methodology Overview
Discover:
Current state
• Content process
• Content
requirements
• Business
performance
• Use cases
• Tech/Tools
Define:
Future State
• Content metrics
• Business goals
• User needs
• Tech/Tools
• Channels
• Processes
• Blue sky
Gap Analysis
• Identify needs
• Determine level
of effort
• Low-hanging
fruit
• Provide options
Define:
Roadmap
• Editorial plan
• Process
• Tech/Tools
• Governance
Deliverables by Phase
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Content Brief
• Content Assessment
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Editorial
• Editorial Strategy & style
guide
Content Production /
Migration
• Content Matrix
• Content Migration Plan
• Content Production Plan
• Localization Strategy
• CMS Authoring Guide
Define Design Implement
Business Planning & Resources
• Governance Model
• Business Org Structure
• Staffing Plan
Content Model and Workflow
• Content Types definition
• Template recommendations
• CMS Content Model
• Content Matrix
• Content Lifecycle definition
Taxonomy & Meta-tagging
• Taxonomy
• Metadata and Tagging Strategy
• Taxonomy Governance Plan
Editorial
• Editorial Calendar
• Editorial Style Guide
• Copy Deck
Source: Kevin Nichols
Quiz: The Purpose of Content Strategy
• Why do we go through all this effort?
CS as Strategist/Consultant
• The content strategist is a management
consultant in disguise (according to
Rahel Bailie)
• Content strategy is business
transformation
• CS solves business problems
• CS uses a repeatable methodology, just
like consulting
• Consulting exists to help clients
improve ROI
Content Strategy ROI
• Enhanced communication across teams and less rework, reduced
duplication of content
• Better, more consistent user experience
• Consistent SEO to give your content more mileage
• Repeatable methods for identifying requirements
• Definitive sources of legally-approved content
• Re-usability for a variety of content through multiple devices
(modularity)
• On-demand assembly processes to meet customer communication
needs efficiently and consistently
How to calculate content strategy ROI
• There are hard and soft evaluations of content strategy return on
investment
• For example: Consistent voice and tone that improves the customer
experience through increased engagement may be “soft” to measure but
invaluable to the brand credibility and perception
• Tie key performance indicators to content.
• A/B test calls to action and measure the results
• What other measures are there?
Content versioning escalation example
Quiz: Align Business Goals to Content Strategy
Common Business Goals
Increase revenue
Reduce risk
Globalization
Increase engagement
Improve economies of scale
Content Tactics
High quality content
Streamlined content production
Automated review process
Multi-channel publishing
Personalized content
Deliverables
Deliverables by Phase
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Content Brief
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Content Production /
Migration
• Content Matrix
• Content Migration Plan
• Content Production Plan
• Localization Strategy
• CMS Authoring Guide
Define Design Implement
Business Planning & Resources
• Governance Model
• Business Org Structure
• Staffing Plan
Content Model and Workflow
• Content Types definition
• Template recommendations
• CMS Content Model
• Content Matrix
• Content Lifecycle definition
Taxonomy & Meta-tagging
• Taxonomy
• Metadata and Tagging Strategy
• Taxonomy Governance Plan
Editorial
• Editorial Calendar
• Editorial Style Guide
• Copy Deck
Source: Kevin Nichols
Map Deliverables
The Minimum
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Content Brief
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Content Production /
Migration
• Content Matrix
• Content Migration Plan
• Content Production Plan
• Localization Strategy
• CMS Authoring Guide
Define Design Implement
Business Planning & Resources
• Governance Model
• Business Org Structure
• Staffing Plan
Content Model and Workflow
• Content Types definition
• Template recommendations
• CMS Content Model
• Content Lifecycle definition
Taxonomy & Meta-tagging
• Taxonomy
• Metadata and Tagging Strategy
• Taxonomy Governance Plan
Editorial
• Editorial Calendar
• Editorial Style Guide
• Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols
Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
The We Don’t Want Content Strategy Minimum
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Content Brief
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Define
Source: Kevin Nichols
Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
The New CMS Minimum
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Content Brief
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Content Production /
Migration
• Content Matrix
• Content Migration Plan
• Content Production Plan
• Localization Strategy
• CMS Authoring Guide
Define Design Implement
Business Planning & Resources
• Governance Model
• Business Org Structure
• Staffing Plan
• Content Model and Workflow
• Content Types definition
• Template recommendations
• CMS Content Model
• Content Lifecycle definition
Taxonomy & Meta-tagging
• Taxonomy
• Metadata and Tagging Strategy
• Taxonomy Governance Plan
Editorial
• Editorial Calendar
• Editorial Style Guide
• Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols
Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
Deliverables to Share
Discover
Assessing & Auditing
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Content Brief
• Content Inventory
• Content Audit
• Competitive Assessment
Business Planning &
Resources
• Staffing Recommendation
Requirements
• Content Metrics
• SEO Recommendations
• Content Requirements
Strategic Recommendations
• Content Recommendations
• Content Strategy
framework
• Conceptual Content Model
Content Production /
Migration
• Content Matrix
• Content Migration Plan
• Content Production Plan
• Localization Strategy
• CMS Authoring Guide
Define Design Implement
Business Planning & Resources
• Governance Model
• Business Org Structure
• Staffing Plan
• Content Model and Workflow
• Content Types definition
• Template recommendations
• CMS Content Model
• Content Lifecycle definition
Taxonomy & Meta-tagging
• Taxonomy
• Metadata and Tagging Strategy
• Taxonomy Governance Plan
Editorial
• Editorial Calendar
• Editorial Style Guide
• Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols
Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
Successful Content
The Ideal Content
• High Quality
• Relevant
• Accessible
• Accurate
• Engaging
• CMS Agnostic
• Findable
• Timely
40
PLUS gives users
what they want:
• Task completion
• Entertainment
• Social
engagement
Steps to Create Content
Plan
Acquire assets
Align to Model
Migrate
Build
Author Process
Quality Content Checklist
• Chunked and designed for reuse
• Semantically tagged
• Mapped to a content model
• On brand –voice and tone correct
• Consistent across all channels –analog and digital
• Uses quality, unique keywords (Mathewson)
• What else?
Select Deliverable Examples
Content Audit
Content Audit
• Read Content Audits and Inventories: A Handbook by Paula Land
• Use the inventory as your base
• Identify high-value content
• Popular
• Required by law
• Current
• Meets top 5 business/customer goals
• Other criteria?
• Look for patterns and gaps
Content Brief
Content Brief
• May be a stand-alone document
• Often part of Experience Strategy, Creative Brief or other doc
• Structure:
• Background/Project purpose
• Business problem
• Content objectives
• Special considerations, if any (third parties, APIs, etc.)
• Recommendations
• Roadmap (optional)
• Process (may be separate by phase)
• Budget (may be in another doc)
MGM GRAND &
MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
Role: Content Director, led team of six content strategists
Project Overview: This project required a flexible, scalable, cross-platform
content strategy and uniquely structured content model to allow for
consistent content to live anywhere across 12 separately branded MGM
Resorts.
Responsibilities: Team management, presented all client-facing work,
collaboratewith internal work tracks, daily meetings with client
stakeholders, presentations to executives, facilitated taxonomyworkshops,
plus ran tagging and authoring training sessions.
Tasks & Deliverables:
• Stakeholder Interviews & Research
• Content Audit Findings & Content Strategy Recommendations
• Site Navigation Research and Recommendations to 4 levels
• Content Model to accommodate multiple content sources
• Scope Matrix & Content Requirements
• Content Matrices and Migration Management
• Content Governance Plan with Workflows
• Content Authoring Training Manual (co-author, 500 pages)
Results: Increased conversions, cross-sell ability and content
management, allowed for more engaging story-telling.
Content Mapping
Conceptual IA
Physical IA
Conceptual Information Architecture
• Map the current and future state
content to a conceptual site map
• Card sort
• Client workshop
• Make sure you have all the content from
everywhere
• Map goals and objectives of the
content
• Use the customer’s/user’s mental
model/terminology
Goal
Objective
Task
Content
Content
Objective
Activity
Content
Physical Information Architecture/Site Map
Courtesy Kate Cleveland.com
Taxonomy/Metadata
Taxonomy and Metadata
• Taxonomy = controlled vocabulary + structure
• Essential for findability
• Drive navigation
• Bridges the content model and metadata
• Three kinds of me data:
• Admin
• Structural
• Descriptive
• Quiz: Define types of metadata
Taxonomy Example
• Business: Cell phone provider
• Create three levels of taxonomy
• Include synonyms where possible
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Amenities
Golf
Green
Sand Trap
Tee
Fairway
Water Hazard
Clubhouse
Caddy
Pool
Architecture
Cabana
Daybed
Lazy River
Umbrella
Lifestyle
Wet
Splash
Sunbathing
Swimsuit
Shopping
Type of Store
Clothing Store
Jewelry Store
Gallery
Asset Metadata Requirements Example
55
Exercise: Create a taxonomy
• Business: Cell phone provider
• Create three levels of taxonomy
• Include synonyms where possible
Content Model
Content Model
• White: Static content
• Greens: CMS
• Blue: Dynamic content
58
Content Type Example
59
Attraction Attraction Name User Entered Text Field
Description User Entered Text Field
Attraction Times User Entered Text Field
Hours of Operation User Entered Text Field
Additional Ticketing Options User Entered Text Field
Ticket Prices User Entered Text Field
Restrictions User Entered Text Field
General Information User Entered Text Field
Disclaimers User Entered Text Field
Images User Entered Image
Video User Entered Video
Buy Tickets Guest Hyperlink
Website User Entered Hyperlink
Deals User Entered
Background/History/Design of attraction User Entered Text Field
Fan/Guest videos and images User Entered Image/Video
Awards/Accolades User Entered Text Field
# of visitors per year User Entered Text Field
Cost to build User Entered Text Field
Opened User Entered Text Field
Stats User Entered Text Field
Name Element` Content source Field type in CMS Required or optional
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
N
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Model to template example
PAGE TEMPLATECONTENT TYPES
Global Header
Local Navigation
Featured Content
Link List
Footer
Article
Content Matrix
66The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | CSA2014
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CONTENT MATRIX?
• It is what we make it
ECM matrix used with permission from Wordimage.com
When Do You Use A Content Matrix?
• Any time you need to understand your content
• Structure unstructured content
• Whenever you need a:
• Content inventory
• Audit/assessment
• Gap analysis
• Migration plan
• Content development tracking
• Capture any data about content
• Identify content goals/audiences/priorities
By Project Phase
• Discovery: Inventory, audit, gap analysis
• Design: Site map, content model
• Develop: Page templates, tracking
• Deploy: Migration plans
• Govern: Metadata, taxonomy
A Migration and Build Matrix Example
Bank Bank
Ban
k
B
a
n
k
Ban
k
B
a
n
k
B
a
n
k
B
a
n
k
Ban
k
Long-Form Content Solution
Editorial Calendar
Functional
Integrated
Where is your content published?
• Website
• App
• “Old social media”: Facebook, LinkedIn
• “New social media”: Snapchat, Instagram
• Content Design
• Content Marketing
Common Business Goals
• Increase
• Online purchases
• Lead generation
• Promote
• Ideas
• Brands
• Yours? Line up business goals and customer needs with the calendar
Editorial Calendar
• Functional calendar:
• Schedules when and where content is published
• Leave room for emergencies and surprise
campaigns
• Include all content channels –what if owned by
another team?
• Integrated calendar:
• Go beyond a schedule
• Anticipate content needs
• Identify content connections, upsells, duplication
Campaign
• Social media
• Landing page
• Email blast
New Product
• Landing page
• Support/help content
• Campaign
Blog
• New products
• New ideas
• Social media
The Future of Content Strategy
• What skill differentiates a
content strategist from the AI
copy writing and automated A/B
testing and automated tagging
software that is becoming
standard for large companies?
76The Content Matrix: Deconstructed | CSA2014
THE FUTURE IS CHANGE
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change
something, build a new model that makes the exiting model obsolete.
- Richard Buckminster Fuller
76
RECOMMENDED READING
• Content Strategy: Connecting the dots between business, brand, and benefits by Rahel Anne
Bailie and Noz Urbina
• “Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide” by Kevin Nichols
• Managing Enterprise Content by Ann Rockley and Charles Cooper
• Content Strategy for Mobile by Karen McGrane
• Content Everywhere by Sara Wachter-Boettcher
• Mobile First by Luke Wroblewski
• Content Typing & Flows, Rahel Anne Bailie
• Modeling Information Experiences: A Recipe for Consistent Architecture, Andrea Ames
• Content Strategy Alliance templates
77
CONTENT IS PRECIOUS
“You can’t afford to create a piece of content
for any one platform. Instead of crafting a
website, you have to put more effort into
crafting the different bits of an asset, so they
can be reused more effectively, so they can
deliver more value.”
- Nic Newman, BBC (via Karen McGrane)
Thank you
79

A core content strategy process for a strong start csa

  • 1.
    MARLOWE BECKLEY A CoreContent Strategy Process for a Strong Start
  • 2.
    Agenda • Introductions • Overview •Methodology • Intermission (15 min) • Deliverables • Resources
  • 3.
    Goals for Today •Learn Everything • Provide Resources • What are your goals?
  • 4.
    ABOUT MARLOWE BECKLEY •Content Director, Hathway, a mobile innovation agency • Formerly of SapientNitro, Razorfish, and Manifest • 10 years in Content Strategy • Previous clients include Fortune 50 financial services firms and some of the world’s largest companies • @marlowebeckley • marlowe@wearehathway.com • www.linkedin/in/marlowesarahbeckley
  • 5.
    ABOUT HATHWAY • Since2008, Hathway has been helping global brands put useful brand experiences in the hands of customers at the right time and place • Our value lies in concepting breakthrough ideas paired with outstanding execution across media, touchpoint and device • www.wearehathway.com Every interaction, connection & touchpoint matters.
  • 6.
    Class Bio • Name,title, company, goal for today • How many years have you been working in content? • Who works at an agency? • Who reports to IT or Operations? • Who reports to Marketing? • How many of you work in an Agile environment? • How many work in waterfall? • What types of content do you work with?
  • 7.
    Business Issues Bio •What is the biggest content problem you have? • What is the biggest business problem your company is facing? • How is content positioned to support that problem?
  • 8.
    Overview Objectives Define Content DefineContent Strategy Purpose of Content Strategy
  • 9.
    What Is Content? Rahel Bailie: The stuff between the tags  Joe Pulizzi: Compelling information that informs, engages or amuses  Kevin Nichols: Any recorded information  Ann Rockley: Not limited to one purpose, technology or output. Intelligent content is structurally rich and semantically aware, and is therefore discoverable, reusable, reconfigurable and adaptable.
  • 10.
    Quiz  Besides textand photos, what kind of content formats do you deal with now?  What kind of content do you expect to create in the next five years?  Is your company’s current process set up to handle that content?
  • 11.
    Strategy Definition • Aplan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim • Options chosen to create a desired future, such as achieving a goal or finding a solution to a problem
  • 12.
    Content Strategy Definition •Fundamentally, it’s simply getting the right content to the right customer at the right time, in the right format. • A content strategy is a repeatable method for identifying all content requirements up front and to create consistently structured content designed for reuse, managed from a definitive source, to meet both customer and business needs. • A repeatable system that manages content throughout its lifecycle
  • 13.
    Two “Sides” toContent Strategy • “Front end”: Editorial • Content Development • Writing/Editorial Style Guides • Editorial Calendar • “Back end”: Content Architecture • Content Models • Content Types • Taxonomies • Metadata Source: Ann Rockley
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Where is theContent Strategy? • A set of guidelines that document the standards and requirements of the relevant content • Outlines the business process for creating consistent, unified and structured content • May include a content model to illustrate the enterprise’s content and their relationships
  • 16.
  • 17.
    Content Lifecycle Sources: Gartner,June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design • Acquire • Author • Localize • Metadata • Present • Transform • Aggregate • Revise • Requirements • Testing • Metrics • Models • Standards • Structure • Repository Manage Analyze CollectPublish Content Repository Workflow Integration
  • 18.
    Strategy Sources: Gartner, June2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design • Requirements • Testing • Metrics Manage Analyze CollectPublish
  • 19.
    Implementation Sources: Gartner, June2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design • Present • Transform • Aggregate • Revise • Acquire • Author • Localize • Metadata • Models • Standards • Structure • Repository Manage Analyze CollectPublish
  • 20.
    Governance Sources: Gartner, June2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design Content Repository Workflow Integration
  • 21.
    Quiz: Lifecycle • Cancontent exist in all quadrants? • Where is your content coming from? • What should happen to content before it moves through the lifecycle again? • Content management/governance allows content to? • How do you add value to content? Sources: Gartner, June 2000 and Rahel Bailie, Intentional Design
  • 22.
  • 23.
    Methodology Overview Discover: Current state •Content process • Content requirements • Business performance • Use cases • Tech/Tools Define: Future State • Content metrics • Business goals • User needs • Tech/Tools • Channels • Processes • Blue sky Gap Analysis • Identify needs • Determine level of effort • Low-hanging fruit • Provide options Define: Roadmap • Editorial plan • Process • Tech/Tools • Governance
  • 24.
    Deliverables by Phase Discover Assessing& Auditing • Content Brief • Content Assessment • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Editorial • Editorial Strategy & style guide Content Production / Migration • Content Matrix • Content Migration Plan • Content Production Plan • Localization Strategy • CMS Authoring Guide Define Design Implement Business Planning & Resources • Governance Model • Business Org Structure • Staffing Plan Content Model and Workflow • Content Types definition • Template recommendations • CMS Content Model • Content Matrix • Content Lifecycle definition Taxonomy & Meta-tagging • Taxonomy • Metadata and Tagging Strategy • Taxonomy Governance Plan Editorial • Editorial Calendar • Editorial Style Guide • Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols
  • 25.
    Quiz: The Purposeof Content Strategy • Why do we go through all this effort?
  • 26.
    CS as Strategist/Consultant •The content strategist is a management consultant in disguise (according to Rahel Bailie) • Content strategy is business transformation • CS solves business problems • CS uses a repeatable methodology, just like consulting • Consulting exists to help clients improve ROI
  • 27.
    Content Strategy ROI •Enhanced communication across teams and less rework, reduced duplication of content • Better, more consistent user experience • Consistent SEO to give your content more mileage • Repeatable methods for identifying requirements • Definitive sources of legally-approved content • Re-usability for a variety of content through multiple devices (modularity) • On-demand assembly processes to meet customer communication needs efficiently and consistently
  • 28.
    How to calculatecontent strategy ROI • There are hard and soft evaluations of content strategy return on investment • For example: Consistent voice and tone that improves the customer experience through increased engagement may be “soft” to measure but invaluable to the brand credibility and perception • Tie key performance indicators to content. • A/B test calls to action and measure the results • What other measures are there?
  • 29.
  • 30.
    Quiz: Align BusinessGoals to Content Strategy Common Business Goals Increase revenue Reduce risk Globalization Increase engagement Improve economies of scale Content Tactics High quality content Streamlined content production Automated review process Multi-channel publishing Personalized content
  • 31.
  • 32.
    Deliverables by Phase Discover Assessing& Auditing • Stakeholder Interviews • Content Brief • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Content Production / Migration • Content Matrix • Content Migration Plan • Content Production Plan • Localization Strategy • CMS Authoring Guide Define Design Implement Business Planning & Resources • Governance Model • Business Org Structure • Staffing Plan Content Model and Workflow • Content Types definition • Template recommendations • CMS Content Model • Content Matrix • Content Lifecycle definition Taxonomy & Meta-tagging • Taxonomy • Metadata and Tagging Strategy • Taxonomy Governance Plan Editorial • Editorial Calendar • Editorial Style Guide • Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols
  • 33.
  • 34.
    The Minimum Discover Assessing &Auditing • Stakeholder Interviews • Content Brief • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Content Production / Migration • Content Matrix • Content Migration Plan • Content Production Plan • Localization Strategy • CMS Authoring Guide Define Design Implement Business Planning & Resources • Governance Model • Business Org Structure • Staffing Plan Content Model and Workflow • Content Types definition • Template recommendations • CMS Content Model • Content Lifecycle definition Taxonomy & Meta-tagging • Taxonomy • Metadata and Tagging Strategy • Taxonomy Governance Plan Editorial • Editorial Calendar • Editorial Style Guide • Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
  • 35.
    The We Don’tWant Content Strategy Minimum Discover Assessing & Auditing • Stakeholder Interviews • Content Brief • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Define Source: Kevin Nichols Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
  • 36.
    The New CMSMinimum Discover Assessing & Auditing • Stakeholder Interviews • Content Brief • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Content Production / Migration • Content Matrix • Content Migration Plan • Content Production Plan • Localization Strategy • CMS Authoring Guide Define Design Implement Business Planning & Resources • Governance Model • Business Org Structure • Staffing Plan • Content Model and Workflow • Content Types definition • Template recommendations • CMS Content Model • Content Lifecycle definition Taxonomy & Meta-tagging • Taxonomy • Metadata and Tagging Strategy • Taxonomy Governance Plan Editorial • Editorial Calendar • Editorial Style Guide • Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
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    Deliverables to Share Discover Assessing& Auditing • Stakeholder Interviews • Content Brief • Content Inventory • Content Audit • Competitive Assessment Business Planning & Resources • Staffing Recommendation Requirements • Content Metrics • SEO Recommendations • Content Requirements Strategic Recommendations • Content Recommendations • Content Strategy framework • Conceptual Content Model Content Production / Migration • Content Matrix • Content Migration Plan • Content Production Plan • Localization Strategy • CMS Authoring Guide Define Design Implement Business Planning & Resources • Governance Model • Business Org Structure • Staffing Plan • Content Model and Workflow • Content Types definition • Template recommendations • CMS Content Model • Content Lifecycle definition Taxonomy & Meta-tagging • Taxonomy • Metadata and Tagging Strategy • Taxonomy Governance Plan Editorial • Editorial Calendar • Editorial Style Guide • Copy Deck Source: Kevin Nichols Minimum deliverables for a full CS project.
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    The Ideal Content •High Quality • Relevant • Accessible • Accurate • Engaging • CMS Agnostic • Findable • Timely 40 PLUS gives users what they want: • Task completion • Entertainment • Social engagement
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    Steps to CreateContent Plan Acquire assets Align to Model Migrate Build Author Process
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    Quality Content Checklist •Chunked and designed for reuse • Semantically tagged • Mapped to a content model • On brand –voice and tone correct • Consistent across all channels –analog and digital • Uses quality, unique keywords (Mathewson) • What else?
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    Content Audit • ReadContent Audits and Inventories: A Handbook by Paula Land • Use the inventory as your base • Identify high-value content • Popular • Required by law • Current • Meets top 5 business/customer goals • Other criteria? • Look for patterns and gaps
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    Content Brief • Maybe a stand-alone document • Often part of Experience Strategy, Creative Brief or other doc • Structure: • Background/Project purpose • Business problem • Content objectives • Special considerations, if any (third parties, APIs, etc.) • Recommendations • Roadmap (optional) • Process (may be separate by phase) • Budget (may be in another doc)
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    MGM GRAND & MGMRESORTS INTERNATIONAL Role: Content Director, led team of six content strategists Project Overview: This project required a flexible, scalable, cross-platform content strategy and uniquely structured content model to allow for consistent content to live anywhere across 12 separately branded MGM Resorts. Responsibilities: Team management, presented all client-facing work, collaboratewith internal work tracks, daily meetings with client stakeholders, presentations to executives, facilitated taxonomyworkshops, plus ran tagging and authoring training sessions. Tasks & Deliverables: • Stakeholder Interviews & Research • Content Audit Findings & Content Strategy Recommendations • Site Navigation Research and Recommendations to 4 levels • Content Model to accommodate multiple content sources • Scope Matrix & Content Requirements • Content Matrices and Migration Management • Content Governance Plan with Workflows • Content Authoring Training Manual (co-author, 500 pages) Results: Increased conversions, cross-sell ability and content management, allowed for more engaging story-telling.
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    Conceptual Information Architecture •Map the current and future state content to a conceptual site map • Card sort • Client workshop • Make sure you have all the content from everywhere • Map goals and objectives of the content • Use the customer’s/user’s mental model/terminology Goal Objective Task Content Content Objective Activity Content
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    Physical Information Architecture/SiteMap Courtesy Kate Cleveland.com
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    Taxonomy and Metadata •Taxonomy = controlled vocabulary + structure • Essential for findability • Drive navigation • Bridges the content model and metadata • Three kinds of me data: • Admin • Structural • Descriptive • Quiz: Define types of metadata
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    Taxonomy Example • Business:Cell phone provider • Create three levels of taxonomy • Include synonyms where possible Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Amenities Golf Green Sand Trap Tee Fairway Water Hazard Clubhouse Caddy Pool Architecture Cabana Daybed Lazy River Umbrella Lifestyle Wet Splash Sunbathing Swimsuit Shopping Type of Store Clothing Store Jewelry Store Gallery
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    Exercise: Create ataxonomy • Business: Cell phone provider • Create three levels of taxonomy • Include synonyms where possible
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    Content Model • White:Static content • Greens: CMS • Blue: Dynamic content 58
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    Content Type Example 59 AttractionAttraction Name User Entered Text Field Description User Entered Text Field Attraction Times User Entered Text Field Hours of Operation User Entered Text Field Additional Ticketing Options User Entered Text Field Ticket Prices User Entered Text Field Restrictions User Entered Text Field General Information User Entered Text Field Disclaimers User Entered Text Field Images User Entered Image Video User Entered Video Buy Tickets Guest Hyperlink Website User Entered Hyperlink Deals User Entered Background/History/Design of attraction User Entered Text Field Fan/Guest videos and images User Entered Image/Video Awards/Accolades User Entered Text Field # of visitors per year User Entered Text Field Cost to build User Entered Text Field Opened User Entered Text Field Stats User Entered Text Field Name Element` Content source Field type in CMS Required or optional Y Y Y Y N Y N N N Y N Y N N N N N N N N
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    Model to templateexample PAGE TEMPLATECONTENT TYPES Global Header Local Navigation Featured Content Link List Footer Article
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    66The Content Matrix:Deconstructed | CSA2014 WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CONTENT MATRIX? • It is what we make it ECM matrix used with permission from Wordimage.com
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    When Do YouUse A Content Matrix? • Any time you need to understand your content • Structure unstructured content • Whenever you need a: • Content inventory • Audit/assessment • Gap analysis • Migration plan • Content development tracking • Capture any data about content • Identify content goals/audiences/priorities
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    By Project Phase •Discovery: Inventory, audit, gap analysis • Design: Site map, content model • Develop: Page templates, tracking • Deploy: Migration plans • Govern: Metadata, taxonomy
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    A Migration andBuild Matrix Example Bank Bank Ban k B a n k Ban k B a n k B a n k B a n k Ban k
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    Where is yourcontent published? • Website • App • “Old social media”: Facebook, LinkedIn • “New social media”: Snapchat, Instagram • Content Design • Content Marketing
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    Common Business Goals •Increase • Online purchases • Lead generation • Promote • Ideas • Brands • Yours? Line up business goals and customer needs with the calendar
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    Editorial Calendar • Functionalcalendar: • Schedules when and where content is published • Leave room for emergencies and surprise campaigns • Include all content channels –what if owned by another team? • Integrated calendar: • Go beyond a schedule • Anticipate content needs • Identify content connections, upsells, duplication Campaign • Social media • Landing page • Email blast New Product • Landing page • Support/help content • Campaign Blog • New products • New ideas • Social media
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    The Future ofContent Strategy • What skill differentiates a content strategist from the AI copy writing and automated A/B testing and automated tagging software that is becoming standard for large companies?
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    76The Content Matrix:Deconstructed | CSA2014 THE FUTURE IS CHANGE You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the exiting model obsolete. - Richard Buckminster Fuller 76
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    RECOMMENDED READING • ContentStrategy: Connecting the dots between business, brand, and benefits by Rahel Anne Bailie and Noz Urbina • “Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide” by Kevin Nichols • Managing Enterprise Content by Ann Rockley and Charles Cooper • Content Strategy for Mobile by Karen McGrane • Content Everywhere by Sara Wachter-Boettcher • Mobile First by Luke Wroblewski • Content Typing & Flows, Rahel Anne Bailie • Modeling Information Experiences: A Recipe for Consistent Architecture, Andrea Ames • Content Strategy Alliance templates 77
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    CONTENT IS PRECIOUS “Youcan’t afford to create a piece of content for any one platform. Instead of crafting a website, you have to put more effort into crafting the different bits of an asset, so they can be reused more effectively, so they can deliver more value.” - Nic Newman, BBC (via Karen McGrane)
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