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Content Strategy Spectrum - Cait Vlastakis Smith - Centerline Digital
Cait Vlastakis Smith discusses the necessity of a comprehensive content strategy as both marketing and web strategy directors often express the need for it despite facing different challenges. A successful content strategy involves front-end and back-end activities, including audience understanding, content governance, and structure, to create engaging and relevant content. Ultimately, integrating these elements enhances user experience and addresses both content creation and technical requirements.
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Content Strategy Spectrum - Cait Vlastakis Smith - Centerline Digital
- 1. Cait Vlastakis Smith ExecutiveStrategy Director, Centerline Digital The CONTENT STRATEGY Spectrum @caitvsmith
- 2. Imagine this fora minute: @caitvsmith “We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director “We need a content strategy.” – Web Strategy Director
- 3. “We need acontent strategy.” – Marketing Director “We need a content strategy.” – Web Strategy Director @caitvsmith These two individuals are looking for solutions to different challenges, yet they’re using the exact same words. Fun, right? Let’s unpack this.
- 4. “We need acontent strategy.” – Marketing Director “We need a content strategy.” – Web Strategy Director @caitvsmith Translation: “The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.” Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
- 5. “We need acontent strategy.” – Marketing Director “We need a content strategy.” – Web Strategy Director @caitvsmith Translation: “The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.” Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.” THESE PROBLEMS ARE OFTEN INTERRELATED
- 6. What’s involved incontent strategy? Story & narrative development Content governance Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Content cadence/calendars Channel activation @caitvsmith Content auditing/analyses Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Scalability planning Taxonomy Modular content design Content modeling Metadata schemas SEO
- 7. Story & narrativedevelopment Content governance Content types/variations Editorial guidelines Content cadence/calendars Channel activation @caitvsmith Content auditing/analyses Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Scalability planning Taxonomy Modular content design Content modeling Metadata schemas SEO Stolen/Adopted from the fields of: Linguistics Storytelling Knowledge management Business strategy User experience Technical writing What’s involved in content strategy? Personalization
- 8. Story & narrativedevelopment Content governance Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Scalability planning Taxonomy Modular content design Content modeling Content types/variations Editorial guidelines Metadata schemas Content cadence/calendars Channel activation @caitvsmith SEOContent auditing/analyses Audience understanding At the core of content strategy: Clarity of information User experience What’s involved in content strategy? Personalization
- 9. Story & narrativedevelopment Content governance Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Scalability planning Taxonomy Modular content design Content modeling Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Metadata schemas Content cadence/calendars Channel activation @caitvsmith SEOContent auditing/analyses At the core of content strategy: “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/ Audience understanding Clarity of information User experience What’s involved in content strategy?
- 10. Story & narrativedevelopment Content governance Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Content cadence/calendars Channel activation @caitvsmith Content auditing/analyses Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/ What’s involved in content strategy? Often described as activities related to: CONTENT MARKETING The results of these activities are typically seen directly by users through the quality and relevance of the content. “Front-End” Activities
- 11. Information architecture CMS &publishing workflows Scalability planning Taxonomy Modular content design Content modeling Metadata schemas @caitvsmith SEO Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/ What’s involved in content strategy? Often described as activities related to: TECHNICAL WRITING & USER EXPERIENCE The results of these activities often aren’t seen, but are felt through one’s experience finding and consuming the content. “Back-End” Activities
- 12. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith Let’s look at these front-end and back-end activities within a spectrum rather than a dichotomy. Here’s how we break down the spectrum.
- 13. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding At the center of everything: audience understanding.
- 14. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith Structure and relevance of content creates clarity for consumption. Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information
- 15. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith Creating delightful experience is only possible with findable, relevant content that’s easy to consume. Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding User Experience Cognitive Ease + Findability
- 16. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith The What What will audiences consume? Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding User Experience Cognitive Ease + Findability Content strategy activities and outputs answer one of three questions.
- 17. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith The What What will audiences consume? Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding User Experience Cognitive Ease + Findability The Where What platforms/channels should we consider?
- 18. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith The What What will audiences consume? Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding User Experience Cognitive Ease + Findability The Where What platforms/channels should we consider? The How How do we execute?
- 19. The Content StrategySpectrum @caitvsmith The What What will audiences consume? Structure + Relevance Clarity of Information Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators Audience Understanding User Experience Cognitive Ease + Findability The Where What platforms/channels should we consider? The How How do we execute? Now, let’s look at front-end and back-end content strategy activities within this spectrum.
- 20. Information architecture Scalability planning Taxonomy Modularcontent Content modeling CMS structure @caitvsmith SEO integration “Back-End” Activities Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/ Refresher: Metadata schemas Content governance Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Content cadence/calendars Social/Community activation Content auditing/analyses “Front-End” Activities Narrative/Storyline development Message targeting CMS & publishing workflows Audience Clarity of information User Experience
- 21. s @caitvsmith The What What willaudiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? The How How do we execute? Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Content cadence/calendars Social/Community activation Narrative/Storyline development Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Taxonomy Modular content Content modeling Metadata schemas SEO integration CMS structure The Where Message targeting Scalability planning “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: Mapped Activities The How Content auditing/analyses Content governance Audience Clarity of information User Experience
- 22. s @caitvsmith The What What willaudiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? The How How do we execute? Content types/variations Personalization Editorial guidelines Social/Community activation Narrative/Storyline development Information architecture CMS & publishing workflows Taxonomy Modular content Content modeling Metadata schemas SEO integration CMS structure The Where Message targeting Scalability planning “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: Mapped Activities Content auditing/analyses Content governance Clarity of information User Experience Content cadence/calendars Audience
- 23. @caitvsmith Translation: “The content we’recreating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.” Remember these? Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.” “We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director “We need a content strategy.” – Web Strategy Director
- 24. s @caitvsmith Personalization Editorial guidelines Social/Community activation Messagetargeting “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: Content auditing/analyses User Experience “The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.” MARKETING CHALLENGE: At first blush, it appears we only need front-end content strategy… Content cadence/calendars Audience The What What will audiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? The Where The How How do we execute? Clarity of information
- 25. s @caitvsmith Personalization Editorial guidelines Social/Community activation Messagetargeting “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: Content auditing/analyses Clarity of information User Experience “The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.” MARKETING CHALLENGE: …until we dig into the technical needs and requirements to execute. Content cadence/calendars AudienceMetadata schemas SEO integration CMS structure Taxonomy Modular content The What What will audiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? The Where The How How do we execute?
- 26. s @caitvsmith Personalization Information architecture Taxonomy Modular content Contentmodeling Metadata schemas CMS structure “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: User Experience Audience “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.” IT CHALLENGE: It appears we need mostly back-end content strategy… The What What will audiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? The Where The How How do we execute? Clarity of information Scalability planning
- 27. s @caitvsmith The What What willaudiences consume? What platforms/channels should we consider? Personalization Information architecture Taxonomy Modular content Content modeling Metadata schemas CMS structure The Where “Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities KEY: User Experience Audience “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.” IT CHALLENGE: …until we dig into the different content needs per audience and the publishing models necessary to support them. Editorial guidelines Content auditing/analyses Content governance CMS & publishing workflows Content types/variations Message targeting The How How do we execute? Clarity of information
- 28. Conclusion @caitvsmith Front-end and back-endcontent strategy are highly dependent upon one another to succeed, very much like marketing and IT. Tapping into both skill sets reshapes how you solve the problem and improves the viability of the solution.
- 29. s Caitlin Vlastakis Smith ExecutiveStrategy Director Twitter: @caitvsmith Linkedin: /in/caitlinvsmith centerline.net Twitter: @centerline Centerline Digital