Content strategy workshop for LACONI, an association of 150 Chicago-area libraries, given September 20, 2013. Comprehensive look at content strategy goals, opportunities, challenges, definitions, processes, elements for libraries today and in the future.

1. THE FUTURE
IS CONTENT
CONTENT STRATEGY FOR LIBRARY WEBSITES
Hilary
Marsh,
Content
Company
LACONI
workshop,
September
20,
2013

2. INTRODUCTIONS
NAME
LIBRARY
DEPARTMENT

3. CONTENT STRATEGY CHALLENGES
• No
one
can
find
anything
on
our
website,
and
they’re
complaining
to
the
CEO
• PracHcally
everyone
in
our
organizaHon
publishes
content
online,
and
you’d
almost
never
know
it
was
from
the
same
organizaHon
• No
one
is
in
charge
of
the
home
page
–
or
everyone
is
in
charge
of
it
• We
can’t
add
comments
because
we
don’t
know
how
to
handle
them
• Our
site
isn’t
accessible
from
mobile
devices
• Some
of
our
best
material
is
presented
as
PDFs,
with
Htles
like
“4002.pdf”
• Our
website
is
organized
based
on
our
org
structure
rather
than
on
how
our
audience
thinks
about
us
or
our
content
• “We
should
be
on
Instagram”

4. They’re
about
• process
• ownership
• collaboraHon
• mutual
understanding
(or
lack
thereof)
BUSINESS CHALLENGES

5. • Audience
confusion
• Lack
of
customer
engagement
• Higher
customer
service
costs
• Missed
cross-­‐selling
opportuni:es
• No
awareness
of
the
breadth
and
depth
of
what
you
offer
–
and
that
they
need!
BUSINESS CONSEQUENCES

6. WHAT IS
CONTENT
STRATEGY?

7. WHAT IS
CONTENT
STRATEGY?

8. HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
WHO
WHAT
WHEN OF PUBLISHING
WHERE CONTENT
WHY
HOW

9. HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
A STRATEGIC STATEMENT
TYING CONTENT
(AND COMMUNICATION)
TO BUSINESS

10. HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
AND THE PEOPLE,
PROCESSES, AND POWER
TO EXECUTE THAT
STATEMENT

11. LITERALLY, A STATEMENT
We
will
publish
content
that
is
• Useful
• Aware
of
our
audience
and
context
• Supports
our
mission,
objecHves
and
brand
• Helps
us
deliver
effecHve
service
to
our
users
–Jefferson
County
Public
Library

12. http://www.richardingram.co.uk

14. CONTENT
STRATEGIST AS
ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR

16. WHAT IS “CONTENT”?
• BOOK REVIEWS
• EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
• PROGRAM INFORMATION
• BIOS
• INSTRUCTIONS
• MAP

17. EXERCISE

19. Source: http://xkcd.com/773
YOU ARE NOT ALONE

20. YOU ARE NOT ALONE
• JARGON
Has
anyone
ever
said,
“I
want
to
search
your
resource
database”?
• AWARENESS
Does
everyone
in
the
community
know
what
your
library
offers?
What
YOU
offer?
• PRIORITIZATION
Are
you
highlighHng
and
promoHng
the
things
your
current
and
prospecHve
visitors
want?

21. CREATING AUDIENCE-
FOCUSED CONTENT

22. PROCESS

23. USAGEAWARENESS VISITS
1. KNOW THE
BUSINESS GOALS

24. FINDABLEUSABLE USEFUL
2. KNOW THE
CONTENT GOALS

25. PRIORITIZE
CREATE
PERSONAS
LIST
3. UNDERSTAND THE
AUDIENCE

26. PRIORITIZE THESE:
CONSUMERS COMMUNITY OTHER
Adults
Media
Job-­‐seekers
Teens
OrganizaHons
Library
staff
Kids
Volunteers
Vendors
Parents
Teachers
Senior
ciHzens
Small
businesses
Underserved
Book
clubs
Students

27. PERSONAS

28. PERSONAS

29. USAGE
ALIGNMENT
WITH
VISION
4. ASSESS YOUR CONTENT
BASED ON….
AGE

30. DELETE
ARCHIVE REWRITE
KEEP
CONTENT DECISIONS

31. Content
audit
IA
number
Page
Title
URL
Keep,
update,
rewrite,
archive,
or
delete?
Content
type
Topic
Content
owner
Date
created
Last
updated
Audience
Access
level?
#
of
visits
in
the
last
year
Notes
Template available at http://www.hilarymarsh.com/content-audit-spreadsheet/
For help with an automated content inventory, visit http://www.content-insight.com/
CONTENT AUDIT

32. CONTENT AUDIT

33. WHO CAN
PUBLISH
DIRECTLY?
WHO CAN
SAY “NO”?
WHO
WRITES
WHAT?
WHO CAN
POST ON
SOCIAL MEDIA?
WORKFLOWS
ROLES &
RESPONSIBILITIES
5. GOVERNANCE

34. WORKFLOWS
http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/anniversary/how.things.work/index2.html

35. WORKFLOWS

36. VOICE
AND
TONE
TRAINING
EXAMPLES
ONGOING
EDUCATION
EDITORIAL
STYLE
6. ESTABLISH STANDARDS

37. WRITING

38. WRITING

39. • Online,
people
skim
and
don’t
read
• Shorter
is
beder
• Write
for
the
ear
–
conversaHonal
• AcHve
voice
• Avoid
jargon
• State
the
main
points
first
(“inverted
pyramid”
style)
• Break
up
long
text
with
subheads
and
bullets
• Readers’
quesHons
are
your
subheads
• Content
goals
are
calls
to
acHon
on
the
page
WRITING

40. KEY
PAGES
NEWSLETTERS
FACEBOOK TWITTER
HOME
PAGE
7. EDITORIAL CALENDAR
ETC.

41. LIFECYCLE
Review
every
page
at
least
once
a
year
(set
by
type
or
secHon)
Create
Review
Publish
Promote
Revisit

42. 8. MEASURE & REVISE
ETC.

43. SOME METRICS
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, JULY 14 – AUGUST 13, 2013
Visits
by
device
Desktop
Tablet
Mobile

44. SOME METRICS
PALATINE, JULY 27 – AUGUST 26, 2013
Most
popular
pages
(unique
visits)
Home
page
Employment
Kids
Books,
movies,
music
Research
Events
LocaHons
and
hours
Summer
reading
About
us
Digital
media

45. TODAY

46. WHO’S DOING IT
WELL?

47. http://www.nypl.org

48. http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/

49. http://www.carnegielibrary.org/

50. http://www.ahml.info/

51. http://www.bensenville.lib.il.us/

52. WHO’S NOT?

53. http://www.dixie.lib.ms.us/

54. http://sheppardlibrary.org/home

55. http://www.co.davidson.nc.us/library/

56. INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE
“NO ONE CARES ABOUT
YOUR ORG CHART” —LOU
ROSENFELD

57. FIND A
BOOK,
EBOOK,
MUSIC OR
VIDEO
CHECK
OUT
UPCOMING
EVENTS OR
ACTIVITIES
DO SOME
RESEARCH
OR
HOMEWORK
LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE
LIBRARY,
OR CONTACT
LIBRARY STAFF
MANAGE
MY ACCOUNT
INFORMATION
ARCHITECTURE
SOURCE: http://1000libraries.net/

58. TOMORROW

59. PEOPLE STORIES
http://www.skokiestories.org

60. PEOPLE STORIES
http://libraryyou.escondido.org/

61. VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya7qVSWz01c

62. THANK YOU.
Link to this presentation and lots of related resources:
http://www.hilarymarsh.com/content-strategy-libraries/
hilary@hilarymarsh.com
http://www.hilarymarsh.com
@hilarymarsh
312-806-7854