small cs: a shoestring approach to content strategy by corey vilhauer (now what? conference 2015)

SMALL CS

COREY VILHAUER@mrvilhauer

Now What? Conference 2015

A SHOESTRING APPROACH TO CONTENT STRATEGY

COREY VILHAUERUser Experience Strategist, Blend Interactive

HOORAY!

The Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco

Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord LIttlebrook

Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog

The Dream Team vs. The Rougeau Brothers

Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis

The Hart Foundation and Dangerous Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage

The Honky Tonk Man vs. Jake Roberts

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs. The Killer Bees

Hulk Hogan vs. Andrè the Giant

The Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco

Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord LIttlebrook

Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog

The Dream Team vs. The Rougeau Brothers

Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis

The Hart Foundation and Dangerous Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage

The Honky Tonk Man vs. Jake Roberts

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs. The Killer Bees

Hulk Hogan vs. Andrè the Giant

The Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco

Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord LIttlebrook

Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog

The Dream Team vs. The Rougeau Brothers

Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis

The Hart Foundation and Dangerous Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage

The Honky Tonk Man vs. Jake Roberts

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs. The Killer Bees

Hulk Hogan vs. Andrè the Giant

The Can-Am Connection vs. Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco

Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules

Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver vs. King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord LIttlebrook

Harley Race vs. Junkyard Dog

The Dream Team vs. The Rougeau Brothers

Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis

The Hart Foundation and Dangerous Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Butch Reed vs. Koko B. Ware

The Honky Tonk Man vs. Jake Roberts

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff vs. The Killer Bees

Hulk Hogan vs. Andrè the Giant

Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage

BEING SMALL DOESN’T HAVE TO BE

A DISADVANTAGE

the moral:

CONTENT STRATEGYA Short History Of

BIG BUDGETSBig Names

BIG BUDGETSBig Names

BIG BUDGETSBig Names

BIG BUDGETSBig Names

BIG BUDGETSBig Names

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

A Content Strategy™

CONTENT STRATEGY IS NOT A THING.

IT IS A PROCESS.

So what’s stopping us?

THE BUDGET

So. How much…MONEY

…do we have budgeted?

TIME

So. How much…MONEY

…do we have budgeted?

TIME

So. How much…MONEY

…do we have budgeted?PRIORITY

WORKING WITHIN RESTRICTIONSWorking Small Means

PROJECT SCOPEHOW WE DETERMINE WHERE TO START

“ALL THE THINGS” SLIDEObligatory

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

UNIVERSITY

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

FARM EQUIPMENT

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

NON-PROFIT

FOREVERThe Timeframe is

ENDLESSThe Scope is

FOREVERThe Timeframe is

ENDLESSThe Scope is

“GOOD DESIGN TODAY IS BETTER THAN GREAT DESIGN TOMORROW.”

Cennydd Bowles and James Box Undercover User Experience Design

MINIMUM VIABLE STRATEGY?What is our

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

Gathering RequirementsInterviewing Site VisitorsQuantitative Content InventoryQualitative Content AuditCard SortingSite MapContent ModelingAnnotated WireframesMessage ArchitectureWeb Style GuideSite User TestingContent CreationEditorial Calendar

RESEARCHINTERVIEWS, RESEARCH, AND DISCOVERY

IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCEResearch

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Get Curious

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Get Curious

Find an Audience

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Get Curious

Find an Audience

Ask Quality Questions

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Get Curious

Find an Audience

Ask Quality Questions

Choose a Direction

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Given [A TASK], what is your first impression?

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Given [A TASK], what is your first impression?

Is this clear enough?

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Given [A TASK], what is your first impression?

Is this clear enough?

What do you think is the intended action

QUICK GUT CHECKS1.

Given [A TASK], what is your first impression?

Is this clear enough?

What do you think is the intended action

What would your next step be?

LEAD DIRECTIONGut Checks

EXISTING RESEARCH2.

GUESS WHAT?But…

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK3.

“Were you able to find everything easily on the site today?”

“Were you able to find everything easily on the site today?”

“No. I searched for a Keulavator twice and it never showed up. I finally found it listed as a hiller.”

“Were you able to find everything easily on the site today?”

“No. I searched for a Keulavator twice and it never showed up. I finally found it listed as a hiller.”“Why does adding an item to

the shopping cart take me to the shopping cart? I want to keep shopping!”

“Were you able to find everything easily on the site today?”

“No. I searched for a Keulavator twice and it never showed up. I finally found it listed as a hiller.”“Why does adding an item to

the shopping cart take me to the shopping cart? I want to keep shopping!”

“Yup! Everything is perfect! Carry on!”

“Were you able to find everything easily on the site today?”

“No. I searched for a Keulavator twice and it never showed up. I finally found it listed as a hiller.”“Why does adding an item to

the shopping cart take me to the shopping cart? I want to keep shopping!”

“Yup! Everything is perfect! Carry on!”“Yup! Everything is perfect! Carry on!”

LEARN WHEN TO STOP

“… LISTEN FOR THE SATISFYING CLICK. THAT’S THE SOUND OF THE PIECES

FALLING INTO PLACE …”

Erika Hall Just Enough Research

MAKING THINGSCREATING, EDITING, AND MAINTAINING CONTENT

WRITINGSUUUUUCKS

BREAK IT APART1.

Dictate UpdatesPRIORITIES

“We need to focus first and foremost on admissions content, because that’s where our money comes from.”

“We need to focus first and foremost on admissions content, because that’s where our money comes from.”

“We have a big fundraising campaign, and key source of our donors depend on our annual report.”

“With this big sale coming up, we need to make sure the checkout process is clearly labelled.”

“We need to focus first and foremost on admissions content, because that’s where our money comes from.”

“We have a big fundraising campaign, and key source of our donors depend on our annual report.”

“THERE’S NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH

TAKING A LITTLE DETOUR ON YOUR WAY TO THE END

GOAL.”Karen McGrane

Content Strategy for Mobile

KEEP A WISH LIST2.

FIND SOMEONE ELSE3.

FIND AN INTERN

FIND AN INTERN

FIND SITE USERS

FIND SITE USERS

FIND OTHER DEPARTMENTS

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE REQUIRES A DEMOCRACY,

NOT A DICTATORSHIP

THE ROLLING AUDIT4.

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THE PEP TALKEMBRACE RESTRAINTS. IGNORE YOUR WEIGHT CLASS.

CHAMPIONSBECAME

SMALLER

WEIGHT CLASSIgnore Your

FOR BETTER RESULTSMake Smart Bets

YOU CAN DO THISI AM VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS HEADLINE. YOU CAN.

THANK YOU@mrvilhauer

www.eatingelephant.com/nowwhat15

ME? I’M STILL COREY VILHAUER