This document discusses the importance of content in the digital age. It notes that the amount of information created every two days now exceeds what was created from the dawn of civilization until 2003. Good content is essential for attracting searchers and meeting their needs online. The document then provides guidance on developing a content strategy including deciding what to write about, how many words to use, and where to place content on a page. It also offers tips for editing client-provided content and reasons why hiring a professional copywriter is valuable.

1. IS
CONTENT
KING?

2. JANETTE LONSDALE
www.JanetteLonsdale.com
Twitter: JanLons
JanetteL@YourLocalMessenger.com
CONTENT PLANNING,
CREATION & MANAGEMENT

3. 1,722,071,000,000
Pages on the internet in 2011

4. “Every two days
we create as much
information as we
did from the dawn
of civilization up
until 2003.”
Google CEO Erick Schmidt
Techonomy Conference, California, 2010

5. “Searchers are the most motivated
people who hit a website.”
Brian Clarke, Copyblogger & Scribe

6. TASK FOCUSED
How do I
make
pancakes
I want to tell
you…
How far is
the sun?
Guess what I
found out….. Where is
Dublin?

7. MOMENTS THAT MATTER

9. WHAT IS CONTENT?
Technology
Design
Navigation
Marketing
C O N T E N T
• Text
• Graphics
• Photos
• Forms
• Infographics
• Social Media
• Videos
• Podcasts

11. Content
Strategy
Audit
Plan
Develop
Publish
CONTENT STRATEGY
PROCESS

12. HOW DO YOU DECIDE
WHAT TO WRITE?
Creative brief
• What is the problem?
• Why hasn’t the problem been solved?
• What is possible?
• What is different now?
• What should you do now?

13. HOW MANY WORDS?
300 words per page
• 80% of time above fold
• 69% of time on left
• Read less than 20% of the words
• 1.5 minutes / 78 seconds
Credit: Nielsen Norman Group; Poynter

14. WHERE DO THE
WORDS GO?
Credit: Nielsen Norman Group

15. What Happened
& Other Details
Background
& Rationale
Main Point
& Conclusion
Traditional
Narrative
History
& Background
Supporting Info
Main Point
Inverted
Pyramid
Some Read
Most Read
Reader
Behavior
Few Read
to the
END
WHAT IS THE POINT?

16. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH
CLIENT WRITTEN CONTENT?
Break it out and simplify
• Break down big paragraphs
• Add headlines
• Rewrite complex sentences (these often have lots of
commas)
• Cut redundant words e.g. free gifts, foreign imports 4 p.m.
in the afternoon

17. GUTS & ENTRAILS
“As part of the electronic delivery strategy the vision to
enable customers to transact low face value commoditized
financial market instruments electronically and seamlessly.”
“Customers can transfer money electronically for a
reasonable price.”
Credit: Death Sentences Don Watson

18. “Content is where I
expect much of the real
money will be made on
the Internet, just as it was
in broadcasting. …
Those who succeed will
propel the Internet
forward as a marketplace
of
ideas, experiences, and
products—a marketplace
of content.”
1996, Bill Gates

19. REASONS TO HIRE A
PRO COPYWRITER
1. Opportunity cost - your time is valuable
2. Web is a competitive environment
3. Pros are trained
4. Good copy increases engagement and traffic
5. Reader advocate/perspective
6. External view
7. Accuracy and consistency increases credibility
8. Can use keywords seamlessly

20. JANETTE LONSDALE
www.JanetteLonsdale.com
Twitter: JanLons
JanetteL@YourLocalMessenger.com
QUESTIONS?