A plain English overview of what content and content strategy are all about. The first in an occasional series of informal, visual posts for Meet Content.

1. The “What The...”
Files:
Content
(and Content Strategy)

2. Welcome to the first edition
of the “What The…” Files!

3. Welcome to the first edition
of the “What The…” Files!
(Also known as WTF)

4. We know that content strategy can
sometimes seem complicated.

5. (Okay, a lot of the time.)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27956723@N04/3134099114/

6. But content is
important!

7. So we want to demystify

8. So we want to demystify
and dejargonize

9. So we want to demystify
and dejargonize
some of the things we talk
about here from time to time

10. ...so they’re easier
to understand.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramus/3249196137/

11. Let’s start with the obvious:

12. Let’s start with the obvious:
CONTENT.

13. Let’s start with the obvious:
CONTENT.
(Kind of a clinical word, no?)
(Kind of a clinical word, no?)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/5664927198/

14. Even if you break it down into

15. Even if you break it down into
webpages

16. Even if you break it down into
webpages
blog posts

17. Even if you break it down into
webpages
blog posts
tweets

18. Even if you break it down into
webpages
blog posts
tweets
videos

19. ...that’s just talking
Even if you break it down into the vessel.
about
Webpages
Blog posts
Tweets
Videos
Etc. etc. etc.
That’s just talking about the vessel.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/miamism/3691003171/

20. Even if we start talking about

21. Even if we start talking about
brand

22. Even if we start talking about
brand
message
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/3545127104/

23. Even if we start talking about
brand
message
tone
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21025851@N00/2169196138/

24. Even if we start talking about
brand
message
tone
style
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marvinkuo/3692938632/

25. ...those are just more
Even if we start talking about
vocab words, right?
Brand
Message
Tone
Style
Etc. etc. etc.
Those are just more vocab words, right?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shortfatkid/2616688237/

26. So, what’s
content?

27. So, what’s
content?
(Really)

28. Content
is your ambassador.

29. Content
represents
who you are.

30. Content
goes out and
does your job for you

31. Content
goes out and
does your job for you
every

32. Content
goes out and
does your job for you
every single

33. Content
goes out and
does your job for you
every single day.

34. We can’t be everywhere at once

35. We can’t be everywhere at once
Answering questions

36. We can’t be everywhere at once
Answering questions
Communicating information

37. We can’t be everywhere at once
Answering questions
Communicating information
Driving action.

38. But our
We can’t be everywhere at once
content can.
Answering questions
Communicating information
Driving action.
But our content is.
http://www.fmtaccess.com/movies/is-znyders-superman-inspired-by-secret-origin/

39. It assumes many forms.
Webpages
Blog posts
Tweets
Videos
http://screenrant.com/jennifer-lawrence-mystique-x-men-first-class-2-robf-84669/

40. And, yes, it is a complicated creature.
Brand
Message
Tone
Style
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA

41. But content is a
big fucking deal!

42. Let’s give it a hand.

43. Let’s give it a hand.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirudhkoul/3734360895/

44. No, I mean, let’s give it a hand.

45. http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardnorth/7030695503/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/docsearls/5500720398/

46. How do we do that?
Content strategy, of course.

47. How do we do that?
Content strategy, of course.
WTF IS
CONTENT
STRATEGY?

48. There are a lot of definitions of
content strategy out there.

49. Content strategy plans
for the creation,
publication, and
governance of useful,
usable content.
Kristina Halvorson, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/thedisciplineofcontentstrategy/

50. The main goal of content
strategy is to use words
and data to create
unambiguous content that
supports meaningful,
interactive experiences
Rachel Lovinger, http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/content-strategy-the

51. [Content strategy is] a
repeatable process or
methodology that manages
content within the entire
content lifecycle.
Rahel Bailie, via http://knol.google.com/k/content-strategy

52. OMG
That sounds like a lot of work.

53. OMG
That sounds like a lot of work.
(Well, it is.)

54. It also sounds
a little scary.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digallagher/2858735729/

55. It also sounds
a little scary.
But wait!
It doesn’t
have to be.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjlewis/46117308/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/digallagher/2858735729/

56. Content strategy
is more than
a bunch of
deliverables.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/

57. Content strategy
is more than just
communicating.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/

58. Content strategy is
understanding
how, what, when
where and why
you publish in order
to communicate.

59. You show you care by giving
attention, structure and support.

60. You show you care by giving
attention, structure and support.
Right?

61. You show you care by giving
Attention
Structure
Support
Right?
Our content needs the same.
Our content needs the same.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eelssej_/394781835/

62. What we call content
strategy is just
caring about and
committing to
your content.

63. Whether it’s a marketing campaign
or an internal knowledgebase
or an informational website
or a news publication
or an online community.

64. Whether it’s a marketing campaign
or an internal knowledgebase
or an informational website
or a news publication
or an online community.
That’s all it is.

65. We all care about
our content, right?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/

66. We all care about
our content, right?
What we try to talk
about are just the
most effective
ways of doing so
for the long haul.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/

67. Sounds like
marriage, huh?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/makelessnoise/361306540/

68. Just like
marriage,
it’s not
always
going to
be easy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dno1967b/6977722971/

69. But if you work at it,
it can be AWESOME.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamshots/3096111340/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/3295404471/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/3321307022/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allanhenderson/3321307022/

70. meetcontent.com
@meetcontent