Content strategy is continuing to evolve as a discipline. Our evolution makes sense: we work with evolving technologies to enable communication in platforms and channels that didn't even exist when we first started using the term. But as our discipline evolves, so too do the strengths individual practitioners offer and our clients expect, all under the label "content strategy." Is that a problem, or an opportunity? Can we grapple with our terminology to broaden the profession without losing its relevance? We do so much research, monitor, and understand our users. Now, let's draw on similar data about ourselves. Together, let's explore how we grow and promote our capabilities and the many ways we can help our colleagues, collaborators, and clients. Presented at Content Strategy Forum, #csforum14, in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 2, 2014.

1. DEFINING OUR PROFESSION,
DEFINING OURSELVES
CS Forum 2014
#csforum14
July 2, 2014
Margot Bloomstein
@mbloomstein

2. Wiesloch Stadtapotheke Erste Tankstelle, cc Rudolf Stricker

3. Wiesloch Stadtapotheke Erste Tankstelle, cc Rudolf Stricker
1888, Wiesloch
City pharmacy

4. City pharmacy = filling station
Wiesloch Stadtapotheke Erste Tankstelle, cc Rudolf Stricker
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 4

5. 1909, Altoona
America’s oldest gas station
JohnnieandAngela.blogspot.com
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 5

6. 1913
Road maps & tire service
JohnnieandAngela.blogspot.com

7. Road maps & tire service
Full service
Attended pumps
Self service
Air pumps
Squeegees

8. cc flicker.com/photos/baggis
Is this a gas station?
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 8

11. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 11

12. “A retail business providing the public
a convenient location to quickly purchase
a wide array of food, gasoline, and
services”
NACS, the National Association of Convenience & Fuel Retailing
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 12

13. “2400 square feet
of packaged consumer items.
Today, there are different types of stores:
mini stores under canopies, expanded
food service, in-store seating.”
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 13

14. Industries thrive through differentiation:
both buyers and sellers benefit.
What’s right for me?
What’s right for right now?
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 14

15. Prospect:
Financial services
messaging, workflow,
editorial training
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 15

16. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 16
Prospect:
Financial services
messaging, workflow,
editorial training

17. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 17
Prospect:
Financial services
messaging, workflow,
editorial training
for social media

18. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 18
Prospect:
Midmarket institutional investment
messaging, workflow,
editorial training
for social media

19. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 19
Prospect:
Midmarket institutional investment
messaging, workflow,
editorial training
for social media

20. © Barbara Kruger
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 20

21. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 21
I help brands clarify their communication
goals to develop, instill, and maintain
appropriate content and editorial voice.

22. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 22
Content strategy plans for the creation,
delivery, and governance of useful,
usable and brand-appropriate content.
This is how I define content strategy.

23. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 23
Content strategy plans for the creation,
delivery, and governance of useful,
usable and brand-appropriate content.
This is how I define content strategy.

24. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 24
Content strategy plans for the creation,
publication, and governance of useful,
usable content.
Kristina Halvorson, A List Apart 2009

25. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 25
Content strategy is to copywriting as
information architecture is to design.
Rachel Lovinger,
Content Strategy: The Philosophy of Data

26. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 26
I work on how content is organized and
structured. […] I translate designs into
what needs to be built in the CMS to
make the content for the site work the
way it's supposed to.
Rachel Lovinger (@rlovinger), Razorfish

27. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 27
I'm a content strategist, which is a fancy
way of saying ‘a writer who also has
design and marketing skills.’
Tiffani Jones-Brown (@ticjones), Pinterest

28. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 28
I'm a content strategist. This means I help
clients and companies figure out how,
when, and why to talk to their audiences.
Keri Maijala (@clamhead)

29. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 29
We are management consultants for
external messaging and editorial
workflow challenges.
Ahava Liebtag (@ahaval), Aha Media Group

30. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 30
I am often a ‘fulcrum’ between disciplines.
I spend at least half my time focusing on
business and cultural change, before
thinking about content.
Elizabeth McGuane, @emcguane

31. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 31
A content strategist is like a business
analyst for your content. We look at how
content is currently helping (or hindering)
your business and develop a strategy to
make it work better.
Sally Bagshaw, @snappysentences

32. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 32
The analysis and planning to develop a
repeatable system that governs the
management of content throughout the
entire content lifecycle.
Rahel Anne Bailie, @rahelab,
The Language of Content Strategy

33. Industries thrive through differentiation:
both practitioners and clients benefit
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 33

34. Industries thrive through differentiation:
both practitioners and clients benefit
but only when we precisely, narrowly
define both what we do and need
and encourage diverse specificity
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 34

35. • Drive the development and organization of content that is useful, compelling and
meaningful on our site, all social media platforms, and distributed content
• Create user flows, information hierarchies, wireframes, and content strategy
• Maintain fluency in industry terminology and develop our “voice” within it
• Determine content requirements, inventory existing content, identify gaps,
evaluate possible sources for additional material, and manage the process of
getting that content into production
• Maintain current content audit
• Creatively look for opportunities to improve content, consumer experience, and
SEO performance
• Manage editorial calendar to proactively keep content useful and up to date
• Train internal and freelance copywriters; develop any necessary training programs
• Develop analytics, conduct consumer and usability testing to help improve the UX
• Lead projects with the PR and marcomm team to support campaigns and launches
• Work with brand architecture and terminology to guide product organization and
internal customer service content and training
• Drive the architecture of and improvements to the internal product CMS
• Occasionally write or edit content, particularly metadata, titles, alt text and edit
general content to optimize for natural search

36. • Drive the development and organization of content that is useful, compelling and
meaningful on our site, all social media platforms, and distributed content
• Create user flows, information hierarchies, wireframes, and content strategy
• Maintain fluency in industry terminology and develop our “voice” within it
• Determine content requirements, inventory existing content, identify gaps,
evaluate possible sources for additional material, and manage the process of
getting that content into production
• Maintain current content audit
• Creatively look for opportunities to improve content, consumer experience, and
SEO performance
• Manage editorial calendar to proactively keep content useful and up to date
• Train internal and freelance copywriters; develop any necessary training programs
• Develop analytics, conduct consumer and usability testing to help improve the UX
• Lead projects with the PR and marcomm team to support campaigns and launches
• Work with brand architecture and terminology to guide product organization and
internal customer service content and training
• Drive the architecture of and improvements to the internal product CMS
• Occasionally write or edit content, particularly metadata, titles, alt text and edit
general content to optimize for natural search

37. Without clear differentiation,
hiring (and selling) is frustrating,
training and rework is expensive, and
“content strategy” gets a bad name.
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 37

38. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 38
But will we dilute the meaning?

39. But will we dilute the meaning?

40. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 40
But will we dilute the meaning?
We’ll free the meaning
to communicate what we do or need
with greater precision.

41. “ ”I’m a designer

42. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 42
But what about the generalists?

43. @mbloomstein | #csforum14 43
But what about the generalists?
Follow your passion—
and work to better define the work.

44. Content strategists,
1. Be precise: own your definition.
2. Get specific: narrow what you want.
3. Be honest—and encouraging.
“No… and”
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 44

45. Clients,
1. Be precise: own your definition.
2. Get specific: narrow what you want.
3. Be honest—and encouraging.
“No… and”
@mbloomstein | #csforum14 45

46. This is an opportunity for growth and
specialization within our broad industry

47. because how we define our industry is
the sum of how we define ourselves.

48. Margot Bloomstein
@mbloomstein
margot@appropriateinc.com
slideshare.net/mbloomstein
amzn.to/CSatWork
© 2014 Appropriate, Inc.

49. http://appropriateinc.com/ideas/growing-t-shaped-content-strategist/
http://www.slideshare.net/jcolman/content-strategy-for-marketers-smx-advanced-2013
http://www.clevegibbon.com/2011/08/what-do-content-strategists-do/

50. © 2014 Appropriate, Inc.
Margot Bloomstein
@mbloomstein
margot@appropriateinc.com
slideshare.net/mbloomstein
amzn.to/CSatWork