introduction to content strategy - netsquared remix
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Content Strategy
David Dylan Thomas
Senior Content Strategist,EPAM
@movie_pundit
Ask Early. Ask Often.
What We’ll Learn
• What content strategy is• The kinds of problems it solves• How it solves them
What Is Content Strategy?
significant objects dot com
Instead of a product description…
…they told a story
Original Price: $0.33
Final Price: $71.00
Original Price: $2.99
Final Price: $101.00
Original Price: $3.00
Final Price: $193.50
Content Strategy is the planned use of content to achieve a goal.
• With Significant Objects, the goal was to increase the value of ordinary items.
• The strategy was to replace bland descriptions with colorful stories (by good writers).
• The creators used content (stories) to achieve a goal (added value).
Casey Kasem
Turned Financial Reports into Entertainment
“In this hour at #32 in the countdown, a song that’s been a hit 4 different times in 19 years! And we’re
just one tune away from the singer with the $10,000 gold hubcaps on his car! Now, on with the
countdown!”
What Is Content Strategy?
• Example: Weird Al – Business Goal: Weird Al wanted his new album to
be successful– Challenge: He’s been out of the public eye for
decades– Content: Music– Content Strategy: #8days8videos
Result: #1 on iTunes
Nonprofit Goals
This Is Content
This Is Content Strategy
Content strategy is gaining ground on traditional marketing and SEO
Traditional marketing says, “You know what’s awesome?
Our shoes!”
Content strategy says, “You know what’s awesome?
Running!”
The oldest content strategy in the world
• Use content to make it clear you know a lot about something.
• When people need that something, they’ll think of you.
Content strategy’s job is to help an organization think like a newspaper.
Content strategy’s job is to help you make decisions about content.
All content strategies require two things:
• Goal• Audience
The more you know about both, the better the strategy will be
Most content strategies try to answer three questions:
• What are our goals?• What are our audience’s goals?• How can content help the two
intersect?
The Content Strategy Process
1. Investigate• Learn about your organization• Learn about your audience• Learn about your content
The Content Strategy Process
2. Come up with ideas• Collaborate/Workshop • Think for yourself
The Content Strategy Process
3. Create a Plan• What are we going to do?• How are we going to do it?• Who is going to do what? (Governance)• Assign Goals to Content
The Content Strategy Process
4. Execute the Plan5. Measure the Results6. Learn from the Results7. Wash, Rinse, Repeat
Build, Measure, Learn
What is the most important skill a content strategist should have?
The ability to listen.
Content Workshop
Governance
• Assignment: Read “Responsive Design Won’t Fix Your Content Problem” by Karen McGrane
• http://alistapart.com/column/responsive-design-wont-fix-your-content-problem
Case Study #1
• Legal Software Producer
Case Study #2
• A big sports retailer
Exercise: Establishing Your Organization’s Goals
• One person will represent their organization.• Good if one other person in group knows this org.• One person will interview.• One will take notes• Answer:
– Is your organization creating content?– If so, why?– Fill in the blank:
• My org creates content in order to __________.• My org’s audience should arrive feeling ________ and leave feeling
__________ .
• 10 minutes
Audience Interview Techniques
• What are you looking for?– Consumption habits• Devices• Media (video, blogs)• How are they finding content?
– Social component– Search component
• Triggers for content
– What do they value? – What do they want?
Exercise: Learn About the Audience
• One person will represent audience.• One person will interview.• One will take notes• Answer:
– Why do they come to your org? – What do they hope to get out of it? – What role did content play in them finding out about it? – What types of content do they consume? – How? – On what devices? – When?
• 10 minutes
Exercise: Build a Strategy
• Given what you now know about the organization, their content, and their audience, come up with a plan that uses content to align organization and user goals.
• 10 min
Presentation of Strategies
Questions?
