This document outlines a methodology for content strategy consisting of four phases: 1. Audit - Discovery and diagnostics through a content audit and inventory to scope the strategy. 2. Plan - Developing the content strategy through a migration plan, metadata schema, and other elements. 3. Build - Implementing the details through a content specification, copy deck, and other technical development. 4. Grow - Ongoing content delivery and management through an editorial calendar, style guide, and content production. The methodology is intended to provide consistency while allowing for flexibility, and focuses on both launching and sustaining high-quality web content over time.

2. Audit,
Plan, A METHODOLOGY
FOR CONTENT
Build, STRATEGY
Grow
Jeffrey MacIntyre Web Content Conference 2010
Predicate, LLC Chicago

3. Introductions
I’m an independent content strategist in
NYC. My background: editorial
and management consulting.
‣ Jeff MacIntyre, Principal
@jeffmacintyre

4. (Publishing is Pivotal)
‣ Everything I know
about content
strategy I learned
from being a web
editor.

5. (We’re All
Management
Consultants Now)
Will you still respect us?
Credit: Kunstverein, ffffound!

6. Predicate ...
‣ Works independently and directs
project teams with clients;
‣ Partners with agencies; and
‣ Advises organizations on growing CS
capabilities internally.

7. My Year of Content Strategy, 2008

8. Content Strategy Today

9. Napkin Knol Notes on Content
From body of knowledge to methodology.

10. “Kill the ‘content
phase’ and help
the web grow up.”
--Margot Bloomstein,
Appropriate Inc.

11. Why a
Methodology?

12. Less “Why,” More “How.”
It’s all about
cementing credibility
in our practice and
consistency in our
approach.

13. Cracking Open the
Playbook
‣ What I’ve learned from
where I’ve been.
‣ Doing the work we
want to do well.

14. Methodologies
in Content
Strategy
Courtesy
Shelly Bowen, Pybop

15. Methodologies in Content Strategy
Courtesy Karen McGrane,
Bond Art + Science

16. Methodologies
in Content
Strategy
Courtesy Erin
Scime, HUGE

17. Re: Methodology
Now for the caveats:
‣ this is a work in progress
‣ no one “definitive” methodology of CS *
* And that is a good thing. Our stock in trade is our
adaptability and our cross-disciplinary influences.

18. Scoping
A
CONTENT STRATEGY

19. Start Simply:
Cover the Bases
‣ Product
‣ Platform
‣ People

20. A Simple Content
Strategy Philosophy
‣ Product (content)
‣ Platform (publishing)
‣ People (organization)

21. Our Methodology
1. Audit 2. Plan 3. Build 4. Grow
content content editorial
content audit
strategy specification calendar
content
migration plan copy deck style guide
inventory
metadata content
gap analysis
schema development

22. The Tool Kit of
a Content Strategy

23. 10 TOP TIPS
for
Content
Strategery
Success !!! Credit: Family Guy, Fox Studios

24. Our Methodology
1. Audit
content audit Discovery and diagnostics
content to effectively scope
inventory for a content strategy.
gap analysis

25. Content Audit
‣ What: Qualitative analysis of existing offering.
‣ Why: Sets early direction.
‣ How: Like a creative brief, it begins to indicate
your position on the offering--its constraints
and potential.
‣ FYI: Your best scope tool. You can already be
prioritizing your recommendations here.

26. Content Inventory
‣ What: Detailed quantitative analysis of existing
offering, AKA the ultimate discovery and
budgeting tool.
‣ How: Be as exhaustive as resources allow.
‣ Why: Comprehensive understanding of offering’s
potential. Sift gems from trash. Let the data do the
talking. Pivot tables are great insurance for later.
‣ FYI: Don’t do manually. Use SiteOrbiter or DIY
crawlers to index.

27. Gap/Competitive Analysis
‣ What: Highly targeted competitive analysis of
specific digital properties or products/services.
‣ Why: It enables close study of brand/market
competitors. Good for scope.
‣ How: Like a spreadsheet version of an audit. Can be
very difficult to gather competitor data.
‣ FYI: Start studying verticals of interest. These are
rare today but will become commonplace as content
strategy benchmarking grows.

28. Our Methodology
2. Plan
content
strategy Strategy development:
migration plan the heart of a content strategy.
metadata
schema

29. Content Strategy
!
‣ What: The strategies and tactics to
realize a new content offering at launch
and beyond.
‣ How: Think “product strategy.” Develop
lifecycles for every content type.
From objectives to operations.
‣ Why: The indisputable
centerpiece of any content
strategy. Establishes terms of success.

30. Migration Plan
‣ What: A “plan for a plan.” A strategic
framework and guidelines for migration.
Rarely a workplan.
‣ Why: Scope! Schedule! Budget! Iceberg!
‣ How: Use your inventory and apply mix
of bulk and manual workflows.
‣ FYI: David Hobbs’ Migration Handbook
(http://migrationhandbook.com/).

31. Metadata Schema
‣ What: A technical plan for
supporting project objectives with
metadata.
‣ Why: Because technical resources
overlook nuances of the content
requirements. And you’re the expert.
‣ How: Specify key content attributes + relationships.
‣ FYI: Critical to any dynamic content experience.

32. Our Methodology
3. Build
content
specification Detailed implementation,
copy deck technical development
and integration.

33. Content Specification
‣ What: An index of all content
elements and their editorial and
technical function.
‣ How: Cousin document to the
Copy Deck. Map content reqs
from wireframes and sitemap.
‣ FYI: Also a production plan to
line-item associated at-launch
inventory of content required by
this doc.

34. Copy Deck
‣ What: Documents all
user-facing content
requirements.
‣ Why: Self explanatory
(messaging strategy).
‣ How: Smartly sequenced.
‣ FYI: The standard issue
web writing deliverable.

35. Our Methodology
4. Grow
editorial
calendar Editorial product development
style guide and postlaunch content delivery.
content
development

36. Editorial Calendar
‣ What: All content activities (e.g.,
production and curation)
documented and scheduled. !
‣ Potential: The CMS of CS! A dashboard tool for
planning, trafficking and measuring editorial flow.
Great for generating metrics.
‣ How: Think web databases, forms, spreadsheets.
‣ FYI: A “Basecamp for editorial calendars” is
inevitable. (dlvr.it: a social curation approach?)

37. Style Guide
‣ What: Editorial conventions
documented.
‣ Potential: Detailed production
guide for all content modules,
intended for owners/authors.
‣ Why: Because your metadata
strategy is nothing without
execution. Governance is real here.
‣ FYI: Entirely unmerited bad rap.
Not a “writers’ thing.” Think training!

38. Content Development Credit: Webbmedia Group
‣ What: Actual content
production, limited time or
ongoing.
‣ Why: If you do traditional
editorial or branded content,
you live here.
‣ FYI: Tread carefully. Content production is expensive,
but it’s an easy mistake. (UGC might be cheap, but glut is
glut.) ROI is tricky but key, requires an editorial strategy.

39. P.S. ... the
big *
about
CONTENT STRATEGY

40. There is No End to
Content Strategy
‣ Effective content practice is all about continuity.
‣ The Stockholm Syndrome of Content Strategy:
How can we distinguish the blurry line between
projects and operations?
What’s needed: the “CS in Residence.”