HOW TO DOCUMENT AND REFINE YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY

Matthew Grocki @mgrocki #intelcontent

Left Image SlideB A S I C S L I D E

#intelcontent@mgrocki

• Cofounder + Strategist - First Chair Partners• Pr incipal + Owner - Grass Fed Content• 20 year content nerd• Avid digi ta l behavior ist

#intelcontent@mgrocki

Today content strategy is…

recognized by executives

widely known and understood

receiving more funding

disparate strategies

increasing complexity

vague metrics

…which comes at a price

questionable value

S. S. Blog

“George, get me THE content strategy!”

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“IT DEPENDS” IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER

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CONTENT IS NOT A PROJECT PROBLEM, IT’S AN ORGANIZATIONAL ASSET OR A GIANT PAIN IN THE BUTT

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TODAY

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websiteContent Strategy fer ya…

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intranetContent Strategy fer ya…

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productContent Strategy fer ya…

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appContent Strategy fer ya…

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micrositeContent Strategy fer ya…

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toolContent Strategy fer ya…

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blogContent Strategy fer ya…

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ARE YOU ALONE?

DEFINING YOUR STRATEGY ARE THEY READY?

WHO’S ON BOARD?

WHAT’S THE ENDGAME?

ARE YOU ALONE?

DEFINING

DEFINING

ARE THEY READY?

WHO’S ON BOARD?

DEFINING

WHAT’S THE ENDGAME?

DEFINING

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the STATEMENT

the BRIEF

the REPORT

the PLAYBOOK

pic of a fantasy scene

The StatementDOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Attributes: • Short• Memorable• Evergreen• Consistent

Useful for: key decision makersc-suiteproject managerssaleswriterseditors

DOCUMENTING

Components of a value statementDOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

- Easily repeatable

- Matches content goals to business goals

- Highly shareable  

- Validated by research

- Provides context

DOCUMENTING

The Brief DOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Attributes: • Sales driven• Visual-based• Tells a story• Easily socialized

Useful for: key decision makersc-suiteproject managerssaleswriterseditors

DOCUMENTING

Components of a briefDOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

- Summarizes:      Research      User journeys/personas      KPIs and metrics      Editorial direction      Supporting strategies - Can stand alone - Value statement in context - Maps content value to product/service/organization - Provides a roadmap to achieve content goals

DOCUMENTING

The ReportDOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Attributes: • Long form• Validated by research• Can include multiple

deliverables

Useful for: writerseditorsproject managersupper managementsales

DOCUMENTING

DOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Components of a reportContent ecosystem Current/future state

By LOB By Content type Ownership  Editorial process Analytics

Content recommendations

Content goals Metrics and KPIs Internal and external

Research Approach Findings  Opportunities

Competitive analysis  Audience needs Personas User journeys

DOCUMENTING

The PlaybookDOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Attributes: • Highly instructional• Visual-based• Uses design artifacts• Living document• Includes related deliverables

such as the core strategy statement

Useful for: writerseditorsproject managersupper managementsales

DOCUMENTING

DOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

Components of a playbookStyle Plain language  Terminology Audiences Needs Condensed personas Distilled user journeys

Writing guidelines Mobile considerations Static/dynamic content Personalized/Anticipatory guidelines Writing best practices

Reference materialsIntended audience  Value statement  Measurement Metrics and KPIs

Supporting strategies Editorial    Messaging Voice

Personality Tone Emotional states

Strategic themesAccessibility 

Marketing objectives Goals Calendar

Content models View templates

Objectives Audience Content guidelines Page attributes Required CTAs Suggested text Content hierarchy 

DOCUMENTING

SCALE DELIVERABLES

DOCUMENTING YOUR STRATEGY

FIDELITY MATTERS

SOCIALIZE

C.O.P.E

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YOUR AUDIENCE YOUR ORGANIZATION

FRONT OF THE HOUSE BACK OF THE HOUSE

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ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACHES TO CONTENT

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TACTICAL

This

EVOLVING

NOT THEIR BUSINESS

IMPERFECT

“By putting people at the heart of corporate strategy we must acknowledge the very humanness of this resource." - Dr. Lynda Gratton

Living Strategy: Putting People at the Heart of Corporate Purpose

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Statement

Brief

Report

Playbook

WRITERS+

EDITORS

SALES

MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVES

DISTRIBUTING YOUR STRATEGY

SOC

IALI

ZED

IMPL

IMEN

TED

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“the books got thicker, the printing got more sophisticated, the covers got harder and the drawing got better”

- Jack Welch on the evolution of business strategy

CONSOLIDATE

REFINING YOUR STRATEGY MEASURE

FOCUS ON CRAFT

REDESIGN

CONSOLIDATE

REFINING

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MEASURE

1. Are you producing more or less content?

2. How engaged are your content teams?

3. How dialed-in is upper management?

4. Does it align with new projects?

5. Has content funding increased or decreased?

REFINING

FOCUS ON CRAFT

REFINING

REFINING

REDESIGN

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GROWING AND SUSTAINING YOUR STRATEGY

ASK CONSOLIDATEMATCHITERATE

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THANK YOU

Matthew Grocki@mgrocki#intelcontent