The
Content Strategy Paradox
Rahel Anne Bailie © 2011 Intentional Design Inc.
www.intentionaldesign.ca @rahelab
Content Strategy
Business communications
Technical communication
IA/Usability Content/info management
Who am I?
STRATEGY
Def
init
ion
Alternatives chosen
to make happen a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem.
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/strategy.html
Typ
es o
f st
rate
gies
Internet strategy
Publishing strategy
Communication strategy
Digital strategy
Engagement strategy
CONTENT
Def
init
ion
Something contained,
in a receptacle
The stuff between the tags
Potential information
Human-usable, contextualized data
http://profile.typepad.com/jgollner
http://goo.gl/bmIhg
www.thefreedictionary.com/content
Rahel Anne Bailie at Lavacon 2010
Typ
es o
f st
rate
gies
Corporate
Marketing
User Assistance (docs, help, training, knowledge base)
Sales
User-generated
Co
mm
on
th
eme
CONTENT
STRATEGY
A sampling of recent workshops
A sampling of recent workshops
You’d think content strategy is …
• Lots of web, social, mobile
• Mostly marketing content
• Big part is editorial
• Focused on position and message
A sampling of recent workshops
A sampling of recent workshops
You’d think content strategy is …
• Multi-channel publishing
• Mostly user assistance
• Big part is technical
• Focus on asset amplification
Will the real content strategy please stand up?
Paradox: apparently contradictory statement
Social Web
Localization
Technical Engagement
Mobile Apps
Transactional
Will the real content strategy please stand up?
One Discipline, Many Specialties
Pediatrician Podiatrist
Psychiatrist
Gynecologist Plastic surgeon
Social Web
Localization
Technical Engagement
Mobile Apps
Transactional
It’s all content strategy
Wh
at is
co
nte
nt
stra
tegy
? Repeatable system
that governs the management of content throughout the entire lifecycle
Wh
at it
’s n
ot
Copywriting Editing Web design
Structured content Content management Project management
Social media Information architecture
Tweetable
Content strategy = Management consulting,
specializing in content
Satellite view: Content supply chain
That assumes:
• Content is a commodity
• It’s a single-use product
• Focus should be on optimization
• Content has clear start and end production points
• Production is linear, not iterative
• All content gets a single treatment
Strategy/ Analyze
Author/ Edit
Content Management
UX/Deploy
Localize
Measure
Strategy/ Analyze
Author/ Edit
Content Management
UX/Deploy
Localize
Measure
Street view: It’s more like this
• Modeling/typing
• Configure/components
• Structure /standards
• Repository
• Aggregate/Transform
• Publish/Syndicate
• Evaluate
• Iterate or sunset
• Author/Edit
• Acquire
• Version/Localize
• Metadata
• Requirement analysis
• User research
• Governance planning
• Budget
Analyze Collect
Manage Publish
The content lifecycle
Sample deliverables
User research
Flow diagrams
Personas, scenarios
Wire-frames
Delivery design
Standards guidelines
Writing Templates
Training aids
Content inventory
Message architec-
ture Editorial calendar
Content matrix
Content audit
Content plan
Business require-ments
summary Gap analysis
Process models
Govern-ance
model
Metadata strategy
Sunset/ iterate
Custom, personal
views Localiz-ation
strategy
Content migration
Content model
Link strategy
Versioning
Deliverables mapped to methodology
Get solid grasp of
current state
Understand goals for
future state
Do a gap analysis
Create a plan to fill the gap
Content inventory
Content audit
User research
Personas,
scenarios
Content matrix
Style guide
Accessibility
guidelines
Writing templates
Editorial calendar
Process models
Delivery design
Standards guidelines
Content migration
plan
Content review
Technology
review
Localization
review
Metadata review
Content brief
Competitive analysis
Requirements matrix
Governance
assessment
Wireframes
Personalization
requirements
Responds to customer lifecycle
Identify problem or need
Present and differentiate solutions
Demonstrate expertise / validate reputation
Post-purchase familiarization
Long-term support
Relationship renewal / upgrade
Tweetable
Consumers use all types of content to make buying decisions.
Controlling access to content is an illusion
• Users don’t respect arbitrary silos
• All content can be used to make buying decisions
• Marketing, social, user-generated, documentation, training, and user assistance content are multiple sides of the same dice
We all want the same thing
Brand
Credibility Efficiency
TRUST PROFIT
Tweetable
Content is a valuable business asset.
EXA
MP
LE
MARKETING CONTENT
To q
uo
te D
avid
Far
bey
Deliver the effective minimum dose of information
It’s all about me, me, me
May 25, 2011
2 days after
volcanic eruption
EXA
MP
LE
ENGINEERING CONTENT
To q
uo
te N
oz
Urb
ina
Less work, more flow
Stealth strategy for competitive advantage
EXA
MP
LE
PRODUCT CONTENT 1
Let Me … Confuse You
( = international roaming)
( = SIM card)
Let Me … Confuse You
EXA
MP
LE
PRODUCT CONTENT 2
Fo
rmer
ho
me
pag
e
© Intentional Design Inc.
Strategic question
But how do people buy an inverter?
An
swer
: Sea
rch
th
e sp
ecs
May 2005 © Intentional Design Inc.
The
pro
du
ct s
pec
s
© Intentional Design Inc.
New
ho
me
pag
e
Novice Intermediate Experienced
Co
mp
are
EXA
MP
LE
MAINTENANCE CONTENT
Ro
om
ba
Text option
Graphic option
User
feedback
Related
content
option http://www.irobot.com/uk/support/
EXA
MP
LE
INTEGRATED CONTENT
To q
uo
te S
cott
Ab
el
Getting users to click does not constitute strategy
Mai
nte
nan
ce c
on
ten
t
Tweetable
Under-the-hood aspects of content raise its value as an asset.
The Cynefin framework (cognitive-edge.com)
•Pattern management
•Complex adaptive systems
•Crisis management
•Stability-focused intervention
•Analytical/ reductionst
•Systems-based thinking
•Legitimate best practice
•Standard operating procedures
Cynefin framework from Kurtz, C.F. and Snowden, D.J. “The new dynamics of strategy”, IBM Systems Journal, September 2003.
Tweetable
Content strategy is a emergent practice (in a complex adaptive system)
Common aspects of content strategy
• Move the content “stuff” upstream in the process
• Produce good quality content
• Plan for all aspects of delivery
• Structure the content semantically
• Add meaningful attributes and metadata
Recognizing multiple channels
Under the hood
Source content
User experience
Content variation
Formatting variation
Interaction variation
Business requirements
Content planning
Publishing pipeline
Takeaways
• Content strategy is a many faceted discipline. Recognize it.
• Good quality content is only the beginning. Leverage it to its fullest potential.
• Delivering content is complex. Understand it well.
• All content is marketing content. Treat it well.
• Content strategy is evolving. Evolve with it.
Connecting @rahelab
http://www.google.com/profiles/rahel.bailie
T H A N K Y O U
Top Related