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CONTENT STRATEGY MAKES THE CASE
Digital Content Connect
June 12, 2014
Margot Bloomstein
@mbloomstein
This is not a happy accident.
Racing on the Charles River, April 1927
(cc) flickr.com/photos/thehappyrower
Ship tossed on rough seas;
this could be you. Client, or
content strategist, at the
mercy of the waves!
The Gust, or A Ship in High Seas Caught by a Squall
Willem van de Velde, 1707
At the mercy
of the waves
A French Ship and Barbary Pirates,
Aert Anthonisz, 1615
Under constant
attack
A French Ship and Barbary Pirates,
Aert Anthonisz, 1615
This isn’t sustainable
for anyone:
we abandon campaigns,
shift priorities,
blow out the timeline, and
cannibalize our budgets.
You need a better way.
Content strategy:
Planning for the creation,
aggregation, governance, and
expiration of content
that is useful, usable, and
appropriate to an experience
Strategy is just using limited resources
to accomplish a goal.
John Eckman (@jeckman)
The redesign is an opportunity to use
content strategy to overhaul content—
but also how we think: about content,
about ownership, about meeting
users’ needs.
Amy Lavoie
Communication goals
If we don’t know what we need to
communicate, how will we know if
we succeed?
How will we know where to do or
spend more?
And whose job is this, anyhow?
© Skillset.org
Titles < Roles < Skills
© The Creative Group
What can you start doing differently
to align your content—& workflow—
with your communication goals?
Ship tossed on rough seas;
this could be you. Client, or
content strategist, at the
mercy of the waves!
Furman University
The challenge
• Content creation wasn’t a “regular” activity across departments; the web was a project
• There were no common themes or content priorities for internal and external audiences
• Lines blurred between SMEs, content creators, editors, and publishers
• Content was recreated across 20+ platforms—application proliferation!
Their goals
• Grow the applicant pool and selectivity
• Redefine “premium” around longitudinal quality and
involvement (not SATs)
• Heighten brand perception and awareness,
especially beyond SC, for applicants and donors
• Improve diversity
• Improve efficiency in internal communication
The way forward:
communication
centralization
governance
standards
Their rudder? A message architecture.
Rigorous educational experience
• Innovative to attract applicants and deliver a high-quality experience
• Premium, leading edge
Gracious and discerning
• Selective but accessible
• Approachable, welcoming, hospitable
• Community minded and community building in an inspiring environment
Holistic but practical liberal arts education
• Value-oriented
• Fun
<image from cardsorting>
Editorial standards & style guidelines
• Acronyms
• Bulleted lists
• Calls to action and form language
• Capitalization in titles and links
• Directional language
• Punctuation
• Usage and terminology
• Voice and perspective
Ship tossed on rough seas;
this could be you. Client, or
content strategist, at the
mercy of the waves!
The Jackson Laboratory
Passionate about strategic discovery
• Creative, spirited, inspired
• Visionary, innovative thought leader and industry leader
• Flexible
Tactical and hands-on
• In the trenches, in touch
• Detail-oriented and methodical
Pioneering
• Groundbreaking, trend-setting
• Modern and savvy
People-focused and market-driven
• Trusted by medical professionals, researchers, and media
• Industry news source
Message architecture
Passionate? Creative? Hands-on? Pioneering and modern? Trusted?
Content audit
What do we need?
Content audit
What do we have?
Content audit
Is it current? relevant?
Content audit
Is it appropriate for our goals?
Not all content, channels, or
content types fit every goal
Serious, scholarly
• Annual reports
• Articles on your site
• Articles on other sites
• Blogs
• Books
• Branded tools
• Case studies
• Digital magazines
• eBooks
• Email newsletters
• Facebook posts
• Games
• In-person events
• Infographics
• Licensed/syndicated
content
• LinkedIn posts
• Microsites
• Mobile apps
• Online presentations
• Podcasts
• Print magazines
• Print newsletters
• Research reports
• Videos
• Virtual conferences
• Webinars/webcasts
• Whitepapers
Per Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs 2013 Content Marketing Survey
Fun and accessible
• Annual reports
• Articles on your site
• Articles on other sites
• Blogs
• Books
• Branded tools
• Case studies
• Digital magazines
• eBooks
• Email newsletters
• Facebook posts
• Games
• In-person events
• Infographics
• Licensed/syndicated
content
• LinkedIn posts
• Microsites
• Mobile apps
• Online presentations
• Podcasts
• Print magazines
• Print newsletters
• Research reports
• Videos
• Virtual conferences
• Webinars/webcasts
• Whitepapers
Per Content Marketing Institute & MarketingProfs 2013 Content Marketing Survey
Clarify communication goals
Audit your content
Prioritize channels and
content types that fit your
communication goals
Put in your rudder and
steer into the wind!
Why is this important?
Content is time travel:
Moves audience from one place,
belief, habit to another
Persuasion of professional
communicators
CONTENT IS TIME TRAVEL
© 2014 Appropriate, Inc.
THANK YOU
Margot Bloomstein
@mbloomstein
slideshare.net/mbloomstein
amzn.to/CSatWork
