The document outlines the importance of creating a content strategy for nonprofit websites, emphasizing the need for alignment with organizational goals and understanding audience needs. It details various elements crucial to developing a strategy, including website purpose, key messages, and desired actions from visitors. Additionally, it highlights the importance of stakeholder consultation and provides a framework for executing an effective website content plan.

1. CREATING A CONTENT STRATEGY FOR
YOUR NONPROFIT WEBSITE
September 27, 2018

2. What would you do?

3. Which colour palette?

4. Navigation decision
“Volunteer”
– In the main navigation?
– In a drop down?
– In a header or footer?

5. Which sidebar elements?

6. Hard to say?

7. The context you’re missing is
the strategy

8. “Content strategy helps us find ways to
better understand all aspects of our content,
which means we can make smarter, more
informed decisions about how we’re going to
select and execute our tactics.”
~Kristina Halvorson & Melissa Rach
Content strategy for the web

9. Why you need a website content strategy:
Framework for making decisions
Alignment and consensus
Better, more effective website!

10. website planning =
communications planning

11. About me
Marlene Oliveira
Copywriter and communications consultant to
nonprofits
Founder, Nonprofit MarCommunity

12. “Your content is not simply a
replacement for placeholder text; it’s
the thing that gets designed.”
-Mike Mella, Be Like Water

13. Today’s plan
Why you need to start with content
strategy
Elements of a website content strategy
Ways to include internal stakeholders

14. WHY?

15. Exercise: write down your
answers to the following…

16. Question 1: What does your
website need to achieve?

17. Question 2: Who are your
priority audiences?

18. Question 3: What does your
website need to say?

19. Question 4: What actions do
you want visitors to take?

20. Exercise: how did you do?

21. ELEMENTS OF A WEBSITE
CONTENT STRATEGY

22. 1. Your website’s purpose

23. Your website’s purpose
What do you want your website to achieve?
Start with organizational strategic goals
Develop specific communications/website
objectives

24. Website purpose: examples
Expand the reach of client services
Provide access to training and tools
Explain the importance of diversity and
inclusion

25. 2. Your priority audiences

26. Identify and prioritize
your audiences

27. Priority audiences: examples
People working in government and
other policy makers
Healthcare professionals working in
rehabilitation
Executive directors of nonprofit
organizations

28. Create marketing personas

29. Balance their wants and
needs with yours

30. “Creating personas for your audiences puts you and your
developer on the same page as far as knowing how to
present your website’s content. Everyone has the same
clear examples of what your target audiences look like.
Visualizing this helps your developer to present
navigation or content in a way that’s appropriate for each
visitor’s journey through the site.”
-Mike Mella, Be Like Water

31. 3. Voice and tone

32. Voice and tone
Conversational
Active voice
Jargon-free
Reflects your brand personality

33. Brand personality examples
– Funny and accessible
– Confident, flexible, approachable
– Resourceful, gritty, supportive

34. How might voice and tone
affect your website’s design?

35. 4. Website key messages

36. Website key messages
1-2 for each audience
Answer >> If your website was a person
speaking to a member of your priority
audience, what would you want it to
say?

37. Key message examples:
“You can come to us for a connection to a
broader movement.”
“We can help you position your organization as
a leader in accessibility and inclusion in your
community.”
“We can open the door to new leadership
opportunities.”

38. 5. Desired actions/outcomes

39. Desired actions/outcomes
For each audience
– What actions do you want visitors to take?
– What actions do they want to take?
Prioritize: top three?

40. Key actions/outcomes: examples
Newsletter subscriptions
Downloads
Shares
Program/event registrations
Donations made
Training purchased

41. How might outcomes affect
layout, functionality, content?

42. 6. Content buckets/topic list

43. Priority topics
Content “buckets”
– Related to your cause/issue
– Related to your organization
Launch content + new/ongoing

44. Content buckets: examples
About Us
Programs
Learning and tools
Support Us
Research

45. Detailed topic list: example
About Us
• History
• Mission & Vision
• Our impact
• Staff
• Regional offices
• Board
• Partners and supporters

46. Recap: website content
strategy elements
Purpose
Audiences
Voice and tone
Key messages
Actions/outcomes
Content/topics

47. Ready to plan your new site?

51. HOW TO CREATE YOUR
WEBSITE CONTENT
STRATEGY

52. Remember: it’s a simple
document that captures your
best thinking, planning and
consultation

53. - Conduct a content audit
- Get familiar with your organization’s strategic plan
- Consult with internal stakeholders
- Review all available, relevant data
- Create marketing personas
CREATING YOUR WEBSITE CONTENT STRATEGY

54. Meaningful consultation with
internal stakeholders

55. Consulting with internal stakeholders
Ask for their help with understanding your
website’s visitors
Involve them in conducting your website
content audit
Get their help in understanding the questions
your site needs to answer

56. http://moflow.ca/wcs-interview-guide
Website content strategy:
A guide to conducting interviews
with internal stakeholders

57. After the strategy: create
your detailed content plan

58. Your content plan
Template available >> moflow.ca/website-content-plan-template-for-nonprofits/

59. Ready to do the work?
It’s worth it.

60. “The process is incredibly valuable and will
save you so much time in the long run.
You will have a much better understanding of
what you’re trying to do – and have a much
better sense of whether your website is
actually meeting your requirements.”
~Markus Stadelmann-Elder, Maytree

61. Take action: book six weeks in
your calendar for content
strategy development

62. http://moflow.ca/wcs-interview-guide
Website content strategy:
A guide to
conducting interviews
with internal
stakeholders

63. Thank you!
QUESTIONS?
Marlene Oliveira
moflow.ca
http://moflow.ca/wcs-interview-guide
Website content strategy:
A guide to conducting
interviews with internal
stakeholders