In this session we’ll consider what we might be neglecting in our rush to be exciting and trendy. We’ll explore the content essentials, and look at how an organization can manage and plan for them.

1. Valuable Content Transformed
• Document Digi,za,on
• XML and HTML Conversion
• eBook Produc,on
• Hosted Solu,ons
• Big Data Automa,on
• Conversion Management
• Editorial Services
• Harmonizer

2. Experience the DCL Difference
DCL blends years of conversion experience with cuGng-­‐edge technology and the
infrastructure to make the process easy and efficient.
• World-­‐Class Services
• Leading-­‐Edge Technology
• Unparalleled Infrastructure
• US-­‐Based Management
• Complex-­‐Content Exper,se
• 24/7 Online Project Tracking
• Automated Quality Control
• Global Capabili,es

3. We Serve a Very Broad Client Base . . .

4. . . . Spanning All Industries
• Aerospace
• Associa,ons
• Defense
• Distribu,on
• Educa,on
• Financial
• Government
• Libraries
• Life Sciences
• Manufacturing
• Medical
• Museums
• Periodicals
• Professional
• Publishing
• Reference
• Research
• Socie,es
• SoXware
• STM
• Technology
• Telecommunica,ons
• Universi,es
• U,li,es

5. Back to Basics
Getting the Content Essentials Right
Kerry-Anne Gilowey
Independent Content Strategy Consultant
@kerry_anne

6. Why has content
strategy suddenly
become so
important in the
last few years?

7. Mostly because of this

8. Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/seantubridy/

9. Organisations
are feeling
the pain.
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/seantubridy/

10. Organisations
are feeling
the pain.
“Why hasn’t
SEO fixed our
problems?”
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/seantubridy/

11. Organisations
are feeling
the pain.
“Why hasn’t
SEO fixed our
problems?”
“Why haven’t our users generated
all our content for us?”
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/seantubridy/

13. “We need
a blog!”

14. “We need
a blog!” “We need a
Facebook
page!”

15. “We need
a blog!” “We need a
Facebook
page!”
“We need to
write articles!”

16. “We need
a blog!” “We need a
Facebook
page!”
“We need an iPad app!”
“We need to
write articles!”

17. But what
are we
neglecting?

18. 1. Audience needs

20. Hi! I’m Elizabeth.
I use your product.
Uh... hi!
Can anyone hear me?
IS THIS THING
ON?

21. ? What
information
do they
need?

22. What’s their context?

23. How do you fit into their world?

24. Crouching
customer,
hidden
needs.

25. 2. Findability

26. Site search is broken

27. I searched for
macbook air ethernet adaptor.
On page 1:

28. I searched for
macbook air ethernet adaptor.
On page 5:

29. Navigation is broken

30. Navigation is broken

31. 3. Voice and tone

32. Discover your voice

33. What type
of language
does your
audience
relate to?

34. What type
of language
does your
audience
relate to?
I like a really comfy,
schnuggly-wuggly
blankie.

35. I have a preference
for deep pile
microfleece bedding
material.
What type
of language
does your
audience
relate to?

36. 4. Basic user experience

37. Confirmation screens
Oh please don’t make
me choose!

38. Error messages

39. Cross-channel consistency

40. File names

41. URL structure

42. Digital document design
Did they charge me twice?
I (actually really) can’t tell.

43. So what should we be
focusing on first?

44. Focus area #1
GETTING CLEAR ABOUT YOUR
CORE CONTENT STRATEGY

45. Sara Wachter-Boettcher
Content Strategy Consultant
Editor in Chief at A List Apart

46. How does this
feed into our
overall business
and content
strategy?
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/tambako

47. Messaging

48. Focus area #2
THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT AND
POSITION CONTENT

50. Content used to belong
exclusively to the Marketing
department.

51. (Copywriting, like movies, used to be even worse.)

53. CONTENT

55. Marketing copy Forms Interface
copy
Intranet
content
Terms
of
service
Call centre
scripts

56. But let’s move out a few paces.

57. This is not your grandfather’s website.

58. Point of sale
Outdoor club
Legal contract
Customer care
platform
Financial
management
portal
Advice column
Travel agency

59. Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/padday/

60. It’s no longer about the
structure of your organisation.
It’s about your customer’s
cross-channel journey.
Image credit: www.flickr.com/photos/padday/

61. The end product isn’t great
content; it’s a great THING.
Erika Hall
Co-founder of Mule Design
Author of “Just Enough Research”

62. Focus area #3
USER RESEARCH

64. I want a
faster horse,
please.

65. What words do they prefer?
blanket vs blankie
warm vs snug
mail vs post
shipping vs delivery

66. Make use of...
One-on-one interviews
Site search logs
Call centre logs
Web analytics
Content testing

67. Focus area #4
THE EFFICIENCY OF YOUR
CONTENT WORKFLOWS

68. The content creation process
Someone&has&a&
fabulous&crea0ve&
idea,&right&on&cue&
Magic&dust&is&
sprinkled&
Words&pop&out&and&
form&themselves&into&
orderly&sentences&
The&unicorns&dance&
in&a&circle&
CONTENT!!!&

71. Paging Trevor...

72. Why I didn’t study in 2011

73. ?

74. Workflow questions
What are your processes and tools?
What’s working, and what’s not?
What does your team look like?
What other teams and departments do you
work with?
Where are the bottlenecks?
What are your challenges?

75. Authorship
Where should the authors sit?
------
A central team?
Within departments?
Who oversees them?

76. Collaboration
How can changes best be
communicated across
departments?
------
How should information be
shared?

77. Focus area #5
MANAGING AND STRUCTURING
YOUR CONTENT ASSETS

78. Content management is the
systematic planning, development,
organisation, distribution, evaluation,
and preservation of all information
within an organisation.
Erik M. Hartman
@erikmhartman

79. “Nimble content can travel freely, retain context
and meaning, and create new products.”
– Rachel Lovinger

80. A new model
COPE
=
Create Once, Publish Everywhere

81. Structured content

82. Content models

83. From
guardiantruncationteam.tumblr.com

84. Focus area #6
PROPER CONTENT GOVERNANCE

85. Rick Allen
@epublishmedia

86. What’s it about?
Who?
Content
governance
What?
When? How?

87. Who...
...has authoring and editing rights?
...owns this piece of content?
...has to review this document?
...has final sign-off?
...is responsible?
...needs to be notified of changes?
...else needs to be involved?
...measures effectiveness?

88. What...
...content lives on the home page?
...types of content do we NOT publish?
...languages do we create content in?
...metadata needs to be captured?
...are our highest priorities?
...resources should authors consult?
...changes can be made without going
through the full review cycle?

89. When...
...should content be updated?
...should content be archived?
...should content be reviewed?
...should new content be created?

90. How...
...do content items get named?
...do we store our content?
...do we speak to various audiences?
...do we talk about ourselves and our
industry?
...should content additions or changes
be requested?

91. Politics
Who has the final say when a
disagreement or conflict of
interests arises?

92. Everyone
ready for
a recap?

93. Don’t neglect...

94. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy

95. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience

96. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience
Voice and tone

97. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience
Voice and tone
Proper content structure, both visible and invisible

98. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience
Voice and tone
Proper content structure, both visible and invisible
All the small things that make for a good user
experience

99. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience
Voice and tone
Proper content structure, both visible and invisible
All the small things that make for a good user
experience
Workflow and process

100. Don’t neglect...
Your core content strategy
The needs of your audience
Voice and tone
Proper content structure, both visible and invisible
All the small things that make for a good user
experience
Workflow and process
Governance

101. Thanks for listening!
Kerry-Anne Gilowey
Independent Content Strategy Consultant
kerryanne@augustsun.co.za
http://augustsun.co.za
http://about.me/kerryanne
@kerry_anne