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Presented at Confab 2012: Before embarking on a fresh content strategy, we often do a lot research looking outward. Who’s our audience? What do they want? Which content strategy deliverables are must-haves? But what we often neglect is to look inward, at ourselves. Who can make this happen? When do they get involved? How? Which skills and experience — and personalities! — do we need? This talk, presented by Shelly Bowen at Confab 2012, the premier content strategy conference, explores the part of content strategy that is unique to each company and effort, the part that changes every time and cannot be pinned down and explained in a numbered list. Find out how you can answer some of the most typical questions faced by companies embarking on a content strategy process.
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Presented by Shelly Bowen, Pybop, LLC
[email protected]@pybop @shelbow
#magiclayer
THE MAGIC LAYER:THE SECRET OF EVERY
SUCCESSFUL CONTENT STRATEGY
CONTENT STRATEGY QUESTIONS
• Do I have the right content strategist for the job?
• Where do we start?• Which deliverables do we need? Will we
actually use them? • Are we moving in the right direction?• How do we overcome debates on
direction?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
THE STORY
What is content strategy?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
Business Goals &
Objectives
AnalysisDiscovery Content
Audit
Planning
ExecutionMeasure &
Review
ProblemSolving
CONTENT STRATEGY OVERVIEW
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
THE STORY
But ... what does content strategy look like? Can you send
me samples?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
What Are You Trying to Achieve?
• Summary of company goals
What Do You Own?
• Content inventory or audit• Content assessment (quality and
quantity)
What’s Missing?
• Content gap analysis• Comparative content analysis• Competitive analysis
How Do You Present the Words?
• User personas• User scenarios (think believable
stories)• Editorial strategy• Core messaging strategy• Content templates• Sample content• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
strategy• Metadata strategy• Brand strategy• Style guide• Glossary
Where Does It Go?
• Copy deck• Content conversion/migration
strategy• Content flow schematic• Channel strategy• Community and social strategy• Visual presentation
recommendations• Wireframes
How Do We Make It Happen?
• Content approval workflow or governance model
• Communication plans• Community moderation policies• Content production workshops and
training• Content sourcing review and plans
(people, tools, budget, time)
How Do We Stay Organized?
• CMS requirements• Business rules• Taxonomies• URL strategy• Responsibilities• Schedules
What’s Coming Up?
• Editorial calendar
How Do We Know It’s Right?
• Benchmarks• Checks and balances• Summary of company goals• Success metrics• Usability tests
POTENTIAL DELIVERABLES© 2012 Pybop, LLC
WHAT IS THE
MAGIC LAYER?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
“THAT’S IT!”
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
... when the intersections between the user's needs and the organization's needs (and capabilities) become visible. --Erin Kissane, Incisive.nu
... the "That's it!" moment ... looking at what content you have, your user needs, trying different approaches, and seeing which best suits the situation. --Colleen Jones, Content Science
...when patterns become readily apparent for content solutions that support both user needs and organizational goals. --Kristina Mausser, Digital Word
...where the user interest, the business interest, and our practitioner interests ... intersect. --Jeffrey MacIntyre, Arc90
“The Magic Layer Is ...
THE CONSULTANT PERSPECTIVE
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
...when you find the right people willing to enter your cluttered and claustrophobic house of content, wave their wands, and leave it neat, ordered, and totally user-friendly. --Andrew Lewellen, HUGE, Inc.
...when you start sketching out ideas, workflows and outlines manically, trying to capture the creative flow of output. --Ahava Leibtag, Aha Media Group
... when stakeholders rally around shared communication goals that belie divergent communication channels. --Margot Bloomstein, Appropriate, Inc.
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
“The Magic Layer Is ...
THE CONSULTANT PERSPECTIVE
... when you form a clear model of communication between your client and their audience.” --James Mathewson, IBM
... when you meet your audience needs through the creation and curation of valuable content, in a voice that reflects your company.” --Melissa Eisler, Active.com
... when stakeholders sign off on a project brief with a primary message (or messaging hierarchy) and a target audience. --Brian Obermiller, Herbalife
THE IN-HOUSE PERSPECTIVE
...moving beyond diagnosing to actually discovering a solution.” --David Ian Miller, San Francisco Chronicle
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
“The Magic Layer Is ...
The Magic Layer Happens Here!
Company Needs
Audience Needs
Clear communication!
Discovery!Shared goals!
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
Business Goals &
Objectives
AnalysisDiscovery
Content Audit
Planning
ExecutionMeasure & Review
ProblemSolving
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
CONTENT STRATEGY OVERVIEW
THE MAGIC LAYER
--Jonah Lehrer, Imagine: How Creativity Works
“When the right people come together and when they collaborate in the right way, what happens often can feel like magic.”
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
Business Goals &
ObjectivesAnalysis
Content Audit
Planning
ExecutionMeasure & Review
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
CONTENT STRATEGY PROCESS
THE MAGIC LAYER
•New connections spark between diverse concepts•New opportunities are discovered•More meaningful experiences are revealed•New partnerships on the team are formed
This leads to a set of recommendations and processes that form a successful content strategy.
Benefits:
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
HOP THE OBSTACALS
Potential obstacles:
•Sheep think
•Focusing on details or how-tos too early
•Conflicting POVs
•Birdwalking from goals and falling in rabbit holes
•Everything is a priority
5 Ways to Prevent Obstacles
1. Work in small groups2. Name decision makers3. Reach out to outsiders4. Sketch ideas 5. Sleep on it 6. Establish core messaging priorities early
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
PRIORITIES: AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
SET PRIORITIES
Priority1 Potential Customers: Individuals who buy
strawberries
2 Potential Customers: Professionals (stores, restaurants) who buy strawberries
3 Repeat Customers4 Potential Vendors: People who sell
strawberries wholesale5 Potential employees
Audience
Priority1 LARGEST PROVIDER: 70,000+ strawberry
fields in California2 FRESHEST: Strawberries spend less than 1
day traveling3 AWARD-WINNING: 2008 CA Strawberry
Award4 BEST WORKPLACE: Honored by Berry
Berry magazine as one of the "Best Places to Work in the Fruit Picking Industry."
5 ORGANIC: No chemical pest repellants used during farming
6 WORLD LEADER: World leader in strawberry farming
Credibility
Priority1 ORGANIC
2 SWEET AND FRESH, last two weeks longer
3 LOWER PRICES
Features
Priority1 Healthy2 Stand up well in pies, ice creams, jams3 Freeze well4 Quick snack5 Support your community
Benefits
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
WILL YOU ACTUALLY USE THOSE
DELIVERABLES?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
The Magic Layer Happens Here!
Company Needs
Audience Needs
Clear communication
and shared goals
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
KNOW YOUR PEOPLE© 2012 Pybop, LLC
I like to make things.
We’re data geeks.
We like to take
action. (And we ❤ dogs.)
I ❤ drawing. Discovering talent.
And surfing.
LOVE to CHAT!
We’re information
junkies.
KNOW YOUR CONTENT STRATEGIST
Influential storytelling
Brand-driven, user-balanced
messagingUX, marcom, business
Editorial for
humans
Mad mix of approaches!
Big content, humanized Search
intelligence
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
THINK LIKE HUMAN
YOUR CONTENT STRATEGIST
•Read his/her blog, view Tweets, follow on FB•Ask about approach, background, and processes•Find someone who fills a hole on your team or bridges a gap•Be sure s/he’s available for the duration•Likability matters
Do you have the right content strategist for the job?
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
“THAT’S IT!”
© 2012 Pybop, LLC
1. Start with shared goals.2. Get the right people together at the right times.3. Empower the decision makers.4. Hop the obstacles.5. Get outside and cross-discipline perspectives.6. Establish your core messaging priorities early!7. Know that all content strategists have a unique
approach.8. Choose the deliverables that fit your objectives
and needs, and present them in a way your people will use.
9. Keep (reality) checking your priorities.10. Sleep on it!
HOW TO ACHIEVE THE MAGIC LAYER
THE MAGIC LAYER:
Presented by Shelly Bowen, Pybop, LLC
[email protected]@pybop @shelbow
#magiclayer
THE SECRET OF EVERYSUCCESSFUL
CONTENT STRATEGY
