Making the case for content

Making the case for content How to build a strategy & make your content stand out

Blind faith in technology.

Baron Manett SVP Strategy, Ariad @bstat

Chad Story UX and Content Strategist @chadstory

Howdy, nice to meet you

2000 – 2012


What’s the point of marketing?

Somehow we thought he had all the answers…

We started to listen these folks

And then this happened…

…and this…

… and then this.

Now this.

2000 – 2012


What’s the point of marketing?

So…

What’s the one constant?

2000 – 2012


People & the relationships they have with one another

2000 – 2012


Compromise & Communication

Makings of a good relationship

2000 – 2012


Compromise Conversation =

For marketers this means…

Communication

Empathy =

2000 – 2012


Conversation

EMPATHETIC LISTENING

MUTUAL BENEFIT THOUGHTFUL

RECIPROCAL

2000 – 2012


Where does content fit in?

It’s the stuff you talk about.

2000 – 2012


Content ≠ copy

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Content ≠ format

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Content ≠ messaging

2000 – 2012

Content: The essence and substance of your brand’s conversations.

HUH?!

2000 – 2012


Think of it like this…

2000 – 2012

This is Brad…

…he wants a new car.

Here 2000 – 2012

Here

?

Brad’s Journey

RESEARCH

VALIDATES

TESTSCONFIRMS

BUYS

RESEARCH

VALIDATES

TESTSCONFIRMS

BUYS

2000 – 2012

Brad has questions…

?

?

?

? ? ? ?

?

…we have answers.

CONTENT This is

2000 – 2012

Wells Fargo

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IKEA

2000 – 2012

KNORR

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? If = CONTENT

2000 – 2012

What is content strategy?

content strategy > What should we say? > Which format do we use? > How should we sound? > How do we create it? > How will we maintain it?

> Why are we doing this? > What are the right channels? > Who are we talking to? > How will we measure it? > Why are we saying it?

2000 – 2012

Content Strategy: Content strategy plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.

– Kristina Halvorson

THE PROCESS?

THE PROCESS?

But there are tools & approaches…

2000 – 2012 Blind faith in technology.

People-focused content strategy

Here’s ours…

WHAT TO EXPECT TODAY:

1. We’ll challenge your thinking about content.

2. Show you that content is an asset worth investing in.

3. Explain how to think about content strategically.

4. Arm you with an approach to content strategy.

Define

1

Strategize

2

Plan

3

•  Business objectives •  Audience insights •  Content review

•  Overlap in goals •  Strategy statement •  Identify formats •  Align existing content •  Identify gaps

•  Matrix •  Requirements •  Tone and voice •  Editorial calendar

Define Gathering everything we need for the strategy.

Why? What are the objectives underpinning your strategy?

You probably have to deal with this

Tools that can help

Market analysis reports

Competitive Reviews

Is this a good objective?

Get more visitors to our website.

Get more visitors to our website.

Increase the number of sale- qualified leads.

Identifying True Objectives

•  Create a unified web presence that allows donors, information seekers and grant applicants to engage with the brand •  Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount

•  Reinforce the brand as a legitimate charitable organization •  Increase donations from $140,000 to $200,000 in 2013

BUSINESS MARKETING •  A legitimate charitable organization

•  Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.

COMMUNICATION

ü

The makings of a good objective:

Measurable: Can be measured with a certain degree of accuracy.

ü Focused: Places emphasis on a single goal.

ü Business impact: The objective is moving the business forward in a meaningful way.

Your turn:

Let’s complete exercises one, two and three.

Here’s how: 1.  Craft your business story 2.  Map out your stakeholders 3.  Identify your business requirements

Who? What audiences are we trying to connect with?

Everyone!

Audience research

Personas

Customer journeys

Tools that can help

The Brief

Unpacking the brief

The Insights

?

Gender: Men and Women (note that 84% of Canadian men also report making regular donations to charities, compared with 86% of women) Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and older boomers) Education: University educated Avg. annual contribution: $725 Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians

The Brief

Unpacking the brief

Gender: Men and Women (note that 84% of Canadian men also report making regular donations to charities, compared with 86% of women) Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and older boomers) Education: University educated Avg. annual contribution: $725 Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians

The Insights Doing their homework online, but interacting offline. Boomers are more likely to research a charity before making a donation – generally on the organization’s website.

A personal connection is often the key to giving. Boomers respond more generously to personal requests to give (i.e. charitable events). But the likelihood that the donor is somehow personally connected to the cause significantly increases the likelihood they will give.

Unpacking the brief

The Insights Doing their homework online, but interacting offline. Boomers are more likely to research a charity before making a donation – generally on the organization’s website.

A personal connection is often the key to giving. Boomers respond more generously to personal requests to give (i.e. charitable events). But the likelihood that the donor is somehow personally connected to the cause significantly increases the likelihood they will give.

The Goals > Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support.

Getting to know our audiences:

Data Demographics Hypotheses Assumptions

Insights Behaviours Motivations Goals

Empathy Maps

Your turn:

Let’s complete exercises four.

Here’s how: 1.  Identify your audience and their needs.

What? What content do we currently have?

“I want a blog!”

Content Inventory

Scorecard

Tools that can help

Audits Done Right

Establish criteria

q  Name q  Location q  Format q  Creation date q  Brand q  Focus q  Notes

What you’ll inventory Look for sources Where you’ll look

> Websites > Collateral > Call Centre Scripts > Archives > Social Media > Design files > Warehouses

STRATEGIZE Pulling it all together

The tools:

Content Strategy Deliverables

2000 – 2012

They want to…

Mapping objectives

We want to…

> Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support. >Increase donations from $140,000 to

$200,000 in 2013.

> Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount.

> Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.

2000 – 2012

They want to…

Mapping objectives

We want to…

> Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support. >Increase donations from $140,000 to

$200,000 in 2013.

> Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount.

> Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.

2000 – 2012

Finding Overlap

Where the strategy lies

Audience Goals

Business Objectives

Spell it out

A single destination to learn about, support and donate to Save the Trees.

Strategy Statement

A single destination to learn about, support and donate to Save the Trees.

Everything in one place. Bring all the information about the brand together in a single and convenient location. No searching, no hassle. Get it and go.

Broad reach, local impact. Save the Trees has an enormous impact in the lives of Canadians, in their communities and across the country. Lets brag a little.

Just for them. Anyone who is looking to have an impact on their local environment can join in by supporting, donating or applying for money.

Finding Brand Themes

SAVE THE TREES

DIY Environmentalism People helping people

Community Power Work in action

Your turn:

Let’s complete exercises five, six and seven.

Here’s how: 1.  Find overlap between your goals and those of your

audience. 2.  Identify your brand themes. 3.  Craft your strategy statement.

PLAN Mapping out how to get it done

Identifying content types

Audience Goal Topics Format

Read more about the charity.

Make a donation.

•  The history of Save the Trees. •  The projects we support. •  Financial statements

> Video > Project profiles > Tips

> Step-by-step instructions > Project stories

•  How to donate. •  Where donations go. •  Privacy and security policy, •  Other ways to give.

Find Gaps

Reuse

?

?

What does our content audit say?

Audience Goal Topics Format

Read more about the charity.

Make a donation.

•  The history of Save the Trees. •  The projects we support. •  Financial statements

> Video > Project profiles > Tips > Step-by-step > Help text > Project stories

•  How to donate. •  Where donations go. •  Privacy and security policy, •  Other ways to give.

Your turn:

Let’s complete exercises eight.

Here’s how: 1.  Identify the content you’ll need and list out if you

know where it exists.

The tools:

Tone and voice guidelines

Content requirements

Editorial calendar

Setting up a matrix

All the content we need to produce, edit or migrate.

Content Requirements

Where is the source content? What are the copy points? Where are the wireframes? Who creates it? When is it due?

The Purpose:

Governance

How do we do to maintain content?

Your turn:

Let’s complete exercises nine.

Here’s how: 1.  Try your hand at completing content

requirements.

And… breathe ;)

ü  Content is powerful: It’s the substance of the conversations you have with customers. ü  Content is for people: Put your audience at the heart of your strategy and it will excel.

ü  Content is hard work: But it’s worth it.

Here’s what we learned: