Learn the basics of content strategy.

2. David Dylan Thomas
Principal, Content Strategy
Think Company
@movie_pundit

3. Ask Early. Ask Often.

4. What We’ll Learn
• What content ctrategy is
• Why it’s important
• The kinds of problems a content strategist
solves
• How a content strategist solves those
problems

5. Why should you learn about
content strategy?

6. Because LinkedIn

7. Right now Facebook has over
140 content strategists
And they’re hiring more

8. Freelance > Full Time

9. Because Meetup

10. Demand Is High,
Supply Is Low

11. Content strategy is gaining ground
on traditional marketing and SEO

12. Traditional marketing says, “You know
what’s awesome? Our shoes!”
Content strategy says, “You know
what’s awesome? Running!”

13. Good content strategy = Good SEO

14. Also, it’s fun!

15. Most content strategists don’t
know they’re content strategists
(Many are ex-journalists)

16. A content strategist’s job is to help a
company think like a newspaper.
A content strategist’s job is to help
you make decisions about content.

17. What Is Content Strategy?

18. significant objects dot

19. Instead of a product description…
…they told a story

20. Original Price: $0.33
Final Price: $71.00

21. Original Price: $2.99
Final Price: $101.00

22. Original Price: $3.00
Final Price: $193.50

23. Content Strategy is the planned
use of content to achieve a goal.

24. • With Significant Objects, the goal was to
increase the value of ordinary items.
• The strategy was to replace bland
descriptions with colorful stories (by
good writers).
• The creators used content (stories) to
achieve a goal (added value).

25. Casey Kasem
Turned Financial Reports into
Entertainment

26. “In this hour at #32 in the countdown, a song that’s
been a hit 4 different times in 19 years! And we’re just
one tune away from the singer with the $10,000 gold
hubcaps on his car! Now, on with the countdown!”

27. What Is Content Strategy?
• Example: Weird Al
– Business Goal: Weird Al wanted his new album to
be successful
– Challenge: He’s been out of the public eye for
decades
– Content: Music
– Content Strategy: #8days8videos

28. Result: #1 on iTunes

29. Nonprofit Goals

31. This Is Content

32. This Is Content Strategy

33. Exercise: Examples of Content Strategy
• In your group, based on the definition, come
up with three examples of content strategy.
• Two should show content strategy done well.
• One should show content strategy done
poorly.
• 5 minutes

34. Discussion

35. All content strategies require
two things:
•Goal
•Audience
The more you know about both,
the better the strategy will be

36. What is the most important skill
a content strategist should have?
The ability to listen.

37. The Content Strategy Process
1. Investigate
• Learn about the organization
• Learn about the audience
• Learn about the content

38. Content Audit

39. The Content Strategy Process
2. Come up with ideas
• Collaborate/Workshop
• Think for yourself

40. The Content Strategy Process
3. Create a Plan
• What are we going to do?
• How are we going to do it? (Content Model)
• Who is going to do what? (Governance)
• Assign Goals to Content

41. The Content Strategy Process
4. Execute the Plan
5. Measure the Results
6. Learn from the Results
7. Wash, Rinse, Repeat

42. Build, Measure, Learn

44. The Two Most Common Content Strategy
Problems
• Help, I’ve got too much content!
• Help, Amazon is killing me!

45. Case Study #1
Legal Software Producer

46. The Challenge
• Lots of content
• No strategy

47. Contextual Inquiry

48. LAWYERS HAVE NO TIME!
What we learned:

49. Why are you showing them all of this?

50. Content Workshop

51. The Solution
• Deliver the right
content at the right
time
• Simplify and make
content more findable

52. Old vs New
• More sales from
fewer visitors
• 200% increase in
orders for this
product
• 100% increase in
related product
• 160% increase in
sales across the
entire site

53. Case Study #2
A luxury resort

55. Why aren’t these sites performing
the way that they should?

56. Survey
• Potential Customers
• Existing Customers
Cluster analysis
• Personas
In-Depth Interviews
• Representative sample
Case Studies: AMResorts
Research

57. • Wrong people, wrong imagery
• No easy way to choose
• How do I book?
Case Studies: AMResorts
Insights

58. Case Studies: AMResorts

59. Case Studies: AMResorts

60. Online Bookings
+22% in First 6 Months
Case Studies: AMResorts

61. Case Study #3
A savings firm

62. before
Writing for the Web
Ascensus

63. What would this interaction
feel like in the real world?
If I walked into a store and
five people approached me,
how would I feel?
Writing for the Web
The “Real World Equivalent” Problem

64. Writing for the Web
Ascensus

65. ● How many steps does it take to get
to the sale?
● Is the sale simply a phone number or
chat or does it require an entire flow?
● What’s the least I can explain to get
you to call?
Writing for the Web
The “Step Number” Problem

66. before
Writing for the Web
Ascensus

67. after
Writing for the Web
Ascensus

68. Writing for the Web
Ascensus

69. Case Study #4
A big sports retailer

70. “We have a great experience in-
store but that’s not translating to
online.”

71. The oldest content strategy in the
world
• Use content to make it clear you know a lot
about something.
• When people need that something, they’ll
think of you.

72. You’re there to help your
customer achieve a goal.
Selling them shoes is just
one part of that.

74. “Content change is process change.
Process change is culture change.”
- Erin Abler,
Former Lead Content Designer,
City of Philadelphia

75. Questions?

76. Thank you!
David Dylan Thomas
@movie_pundit
dave@daviddylanthomas.com