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?

Thank you!

David Dylan Thomas@movie_pundit

travelindave2001@gmail.com