A step-by-step process for looking at your website, discovering the problems with the content, prioritizing these problems and then solving them. Takes an information architecture and content strategy approach.

1. Diagnosing and Solving
Content Problems
Intelligent Content Conference 2014
Kathy Wagner and Theresa Putkey

2. Before we get started
• Ask questions to clarify as we go
• Hold comments and discussion points until the end
• Presentation is on Slideshare
• Twitter: #SolveContent
Theresa Putkey
@tputkey
slideshare.net/tputkey
Kathy Wagner
@Kathy_CS_Inc
Slideshare.net/content_strategy_inc

3. Imagine…
You’re an independent consultant who’s been asked to advise on
how to improve the content on a bank’s business website.
The bank is a national financial institution with a strong global
presence.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

4. The project team
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5. Where you fit in
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6. Your process
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7. Diagnosing Content Problems

8. High level diagnostic process
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9. Review Documents & Research
Content Performance
Organization and
Structure
Customer Experience
Content Branding
Content Quality
Web analytics
Data & demographics
Wireframes
Messaging guidelines
Writing style guide
Business goals
User testing reports
Templates
Tone & voice guidelines
Content processes
Strategic direction
Personas & scenarios
Taxonomy
Content playbook
Content governance
User journeys
Content models
Content requirements
Site map
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

10. Document & Research Problem Areas
Content Performance
Customer Experience
Organization and Structure
Content Branding
Content Quality
Web analytics
Data & demographics
Wireframes
Messaging guidelines
Writing style guide
Business goals
User testing reports
Templates
Tone & voice guidelines
Content processes
Strategic direction
Personas & scenarios
Taxonomy
Content playbook
Content governance
User journeys
Content models
Content requirements
Site map
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

11. Stakeholder Interviews
Interview a breadth of stakeholders:
• Director-level, management, employees, key contractors
• Different departments and lines of business
Ask questions about:
• Project and business goals
• What works well
• What isn’t working
• Content processes and decision-making
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

12. Stakeholder Interviews
“We need to attract
business customers.”
“Content is confusing
and difficult to find.”
~ Marketing
~Digital Strategy
Web content isn’t
targeted to attract
new customers?
Content is poorly
organized and
designed?
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent
“Large corporations
don’t want website
content.”
~ Line of Business
Doesn’t understand
users needs and
motivations?

13. Summarize findings from document
review and stakeholder interviews
Focus on:
• Inconsistencies
• New considerations
• Patterns and associations
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

14. Inconsistencies
“Our small businesses are
the same as our personal
banking. Our big
businesses don’t need
website content.”
~ Line of Business stakeholder
User Research Report
• Small businesses have
unique reasons for
borrowing.
• Large enterprises want
financial news and
updates.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

15. New considerations
Strategic Direction
“We need to attract new
customers.”
~ Marketing stakeholder
?
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

16. Patterns and associations
Personas and
User Scenarios
“Content is confusing and
difficult to find.”
~ Digital strategy stakeholder
?
Site Map
is unnecessarily
corporate
focused
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17. Preliminary Findings
Key concerns
• Distinct customer needs are not being addressed.
• There is a lack of strategic direction.
• Users cannot easily find high-priority information.
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18. Content Diagnostic Process
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19. Audit & Assessment
Users can easily
understand, use,
and act on content
once they find it.
Structure matches user
expectations. Users can
find info through browse
or site search.
Users can quickly
access and identify
content that is
relevant.
The brand message and
corporate attitude that’s
communicated through
content.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

20. Audit & Assessment: Choose the right
method
Page-level content audit
and assessment
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

21. Audit & Assessment: Choose the right
method
Structure and site search
audit and assessment
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

22. Page-level content audit and assessment
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define relevant criteria
Establish ratings scale
Conduct audit
Analyze and communicate results
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

23. Page-level content audit and assessment
1. Define relevant criteria
Objective criteria
“What, where, when”
Subjective criteria
“Why, who, and how”
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

24. Page-level content audit and assessment
2. Establish ratings scale
Legend
1
A
Excellent
High quality, best practice, and delivers considerable benefits.
2
B
Good
Supports ease‐of‐use and a positive customer experience.
3
C
Average
Some aspects may cause problems for users.
4
D
Below average
Poor quality and likely to cause problems for users.
5
E
Poor
Very likely to cause significant problems for users.
n/a
n/a
Not applicable
Not applicable or unable to evaluate.
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25. Page-level content audit and assessment
3. Conduct Audit
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26. Page-level content audit and assessment
4. Analyse and communicate results
Content types
Product detail
Product comparison
22%
34%
12%
9%
Product overview
FAQs
14%
9%
57% of content pages are focused
on products.
9% of pages are FAQs.
Landing page
Other
Indicates lack of strategic goals beyond product promotion.
FAQs indicate lack of user-centered content design & organization.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

27. Page-level content audit and assessment
4. Analyse and communicate results
User Focus
Writing Mechanics
2%
Excellent
3%
Good
10%
16%
Average
71%
Below average
1% 10%
Good
26%
47%
Poor
Excellent
Average
Below average
Poor
Indicates good general writing skills but poor understanding
of user-focused web writing standards.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

28. Structure and Site Search Audit and
Assessment
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define relevant criteria
Evaluate site structure
Evaluate site search and search results
Analyze and communicate results
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

29. Structure Audit and Assessment
1) Define Relevant Criteria
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30. Structure Audit and Assessment
2) Evaluate Site Structure
Is structure too deep, too
shallow?
Metadata contributes to
findability and searchability
Analytics shows if people are able to find pages on
the site.
The Personas helps you see who the site is targeted for
– this can give you a good idea of which personas are
currently catered to (or if the site isn’t targeted at all!).
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

31. Site Search Audit and Assessment
3) Evaluate Site Search Results
• Use personas and their scenarios
• Use analytics to get most popular search terms
• Use your expert skills to evaluate the results.
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

32. Site Structure and Search Audit and
Assessment
4) Analyze and communicate results
Applied Metadata
20%
Accurate metadata
Pages with inaccurate
metadata
47%
33%
Indicates metadata and
taxonomy are not applied or
are inaccurately applied to the
majority of pages, reducing
findability and searchability.
Pages without metadata
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

33. Site Structure and Search Audit and
Assessment
4) analyze and communicate results
Indicates the site lacks
focus on any particular
business sector.
Personas and Pages
10%
20%
Commercial
Small
Government
65%
5%
None
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

34. Solving Content Problems

35. Content Diagnostic Process
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36. Your Priority Findings
Key problems to solve
1. Content findability and searchability problems
2. Poor content usability and audience focus
3. Tone and messaging problems
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

37. Content usability and audience problems
Content Usability Problems
Audience Targeting Problems
Difficult to scan and predict
Content for generic audiences
Difficult to read
Difficult to understand
Content can’t be reused or
customized
Difficult to act on
Corporate-focused writing
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

38. Content usability and audience problems
Content Usability Problems
Audience Targeting Problems
Difficult to scan and predict
Content for generic audiences
Difficult to read
Difficult to understand
Content can’t be reused or
customized
Difficult to act on
Corporate-focused writing
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

39. Difficult to act on.
Designed for a
generic audience

40. Targeted and easy to act on

41. Audience
targeting and
usability
toolkit
• Personas
• User journeys
• User scenarios
• Content flows
• User testing
• Style guide
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

42. Tone and messaging problems
Tone & Messaging Problems
No distinctive tone or messaging
Tone and messaging not aligned with desired brand
attributes
Inconsistent or contradictory tone or messaging
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

43. Tone and messaging problems
Tone & Messaging Problems
No distinctive tone or messaging
Tone and messaging not aligned with desired brand
attributes
Inconsistent or contradictory tone or messaging
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

44. What’s your brand voice?
Informal, modern, fun
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45. What’s your brand voice?
Formal, traditional, successful
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46. What are your key messages?

47. Messaging hierarchy framework
Company Brand Statement
Principles of <Brand Attribute>
Principle 1 + Global message
Principle 2 + Global message
Audience‐Targeted Messages
Key
Message 1
Audience 1
Key
Message 2
Key
Message 3
Audience 3
Key
Message 4
Audience 2

48. Tone and
messaging
toolkit
• Style guides
• Messaging hierarchy/guidelines
• Content playbook
• Writing tips
• Personas
• Training
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

49. Content findability problems
Content Findability Problems
Content can’t be found in current navigation structure
Metadata and taxonomy are missing or ineffective
Content takes too long to find
Navigation isn’t designed for the user
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

50. Content findability problems
Content Findability Problems
Content can’t be found in current navigation structure
Metadata and taxonomy are missing or ineffective
Content takes too long to find
Navigation isn’t designed for the user
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

51. Navigation isn’t
designed for
the user
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey @SolvingContent

52. Navigation can be audience based
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53. Navigation can be topic/task based
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54. Based on user needs and clearly defined
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55. Findability
toolkit
• Personas
• Scenarios
• Card Sorting
• Task Testing
• Site Search Analytics
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

56. Content searchability problems
Content Searchability Problems
Don’t know what people search for
Search yields no results or inappropriate results
Search results page design isn’t optimized
Content isn’t optimized for search
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

57. Content searchability problems
Content Findability Problems
Don’t know what people search for
Search yields no results or inappropriate results
Search results page design isn’t optimized
Content isn’t optimized for search
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

58. Search Results Not Designed
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59. Search
Results
Designed
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60. Seachability
toolkit
• Wireframes
• Personas
• Scenarios
• Site Search Analytics
• Taxonomy and Metadata
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent

61. Your process
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62. Questions?
Theresa Putkey
www.keypointe.ca
tputkey@keypointe.ca
@Kathy_CS_Inc @tputkey #SolveContent
Kathy Wagner
www.contentstrategyinc.com
Kathy@contentstrategyinc.com