IWMW and the birth of a Content Strategist

IWMW2013

@richprowse Richard Prowse#iwmw13 #p11

Universities

1. Do you remember the last time you visited a university website and thought wow, this website is awesome?2. Dude look at that amazing content!3. In my experience universities are full of content which has the potential to engage and inspire individuals.

Home of world leading research

1. We are all the home of world leading teaching2. And research.

First years rites of passage

1. Rights of passage2. But where’s that content?

But, websites feel like ‘brochureware’

1. There are some great examples out there of great content2. edgehill.ac.uk [news content is experienced as a narrative adding context and depth as you explore the background, galleries and videos]3. harvard.edu [combining well written copy and amazing photography, to inspire the reader, encouraging them to learn more about the amazing people, who live and work at Harvard]4. However, university websites feel like ‘brochureware’ and less like the truly amazing places they are5. This makes me sad6. As a result it is difficult to get a sense of what it’s really like at particular university7. This is particularly important, as competition grows between universities in the UK8. And the need for institutions to differentiate themselves from each other9. This is particularly important for international students, who cannot visit the campus10. Leisa Reichelt commented ‘every academic institution seemingly having the same old tired IA’11. I think the same is true of university website content.

Frustrating isn’t it?

1. Frustrating isn’t it?2. And that frustration led to a conversation in an Edinburgh pub (The Southern)3. Amongst delegates of IWMW20124. About the amazing things we could do if content was at the heart of everything.

Advocate for content

1. The problem is content is seen as something that happens at the very end of the process2. The developer builds empty boxes to be filled by the Editor3. The Editor then says this is not going work4. That night we agreed we all needed to become advocates for content 5. Learning from each other by sharing our experiences6. And creating opportunities to learn from one another7. If we are truly to engage audiences, encourage them to discover, learn and pay attention, then we need to change the way people see content.

Against evil developers

1. Especially the evil developers.

Only kidding!

1. Only kidding!

Solving the mystery of content

1. And that’s the job of a Content Strategist 2. To put content first3. To quote Kristina Halvorson Content Strategy is ‘the practice of planning the content creation, delivery, and governance’.4. Or to put it another way ‘Content strategy creates space for a meaningful dialogue between communication, design and development’5. There are many ‘flavours’ of Content Strategy.6. Brand/messaging through to technical implementation.

Engage audiences in a meaningful way

1. If we don’t solve the problem of content2. It will become increasingly challenging to

1. Create content great content 2. Target audiences effectively3. Engage them in meaningful4. Sustain delivery with reasonable levels of resource

So we can Create Once Publish Everywhere

1. Why?2. Because the number of devices and the way people consume content is only going to grow3. One of the people I really love is Karen McGrane4. She argues we are seeing the birth of the mobile only user5. This struck a cord with me6. She states that 36% of low income Britons have no internet access at home 7. And 22% of British people only or mostly use the internet on mobile 8. Responsive web design is only part of the answer9. Armed with that data I would suggest we need a different approach for encouraging children from local socio-economic groups to study at university level10. What about content which isn’t seen in the context of your universities website11. For example people who use Readability/Kindle?12. Or the challenge of the print and digital prospectus13. What’s amazing is that when I talk to people, they know they’ve got a problem, but they aren’t sure how to articulate it, let alone solve it.

Fixing content is HARD

1. I am not going to lie2. Fixing content is HARD3. ‘[it’s] like trying to perform a heart transplant while the patient is running a marathon.’ Kristina Halvorson Confab, London 2013

.. however, If we all work together

1. But what’s awesome is we know that when Content Strategy is used we can fix the problem2. It gives us the tools and techniques to put content first3. However, we’ll all need to work together first.

...we can create something amazing

1. And you know what’s amazing...2. When we do, we can create something amazing!3. Just imagine a university where Content Strategy is used 4. When we fix content this will not only help designers, developers, but also learning technologist, marketers and communicators5. We’ll also delight our visitors and engage them in the right way on the right device(s)6. Margot Bloomstein at Confab about the idea slowing experiences and that quick isn’t always good7. She talk about an editorial style, content types and design that created space and slowed down the experience8. This got me thinking to how we could apply this to research content9. Perhaps we need to slow down the experience of telling the story of research?

We are all rockstars

1. Ultimately that night in Edinburgh led to an amazing realisation 2. That we were all rockstars!3. After all just because you haven't heard of a rockstars music doesn't mean that they aren't just as great as those you’ve heard of4. And that we were all Content Strategists, with a unique perspective on content5. If it wasn’t for Edinburgh then I wouldn’t have setup BathCSMeetup6. Or had the opportunity to meet and talk to amazing people like Rahel Baillie, Margot Bloomstien7. And you never know maybe one day Kristina Halvorson...

Thank you

Richard ProwseRichard is a Content Strategist and Co-Founder of Bath's first content strategy meetup - Passionate about brand, content, information architecture and user experience.

A graduate of the University of Leicester, in 2011 he joined the University of Bath as Web Content Manager, responsible for bath.ac.uk and is currently Acting Head of Digital.

With a proven track record in project management, Richard believes in inspiring individuals to achieve their potential by creating a positive working environment.Richard also regularly speaks at Higher Education conferences.

Twitterhttp://www.twitter.com/richprowse

LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/richprowse

BathCSMeetuphttp://www.bathcsmeetup.org.uk

Google+http://goo.gl/kXcgU

Emailr.w.prowse@bath.ac.uk

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