blend conference 2014: polishing your content publishing process
DESCRIPTION
Presented at Blend Conference, Charlotte, NC, September 13, 2014. You're starting to incorporate content strategy into your organization, building up (or elbowing your way into) a process that shepherds content from concept to implementation. And yet: there are bottlenecks and broken tools, slowdowns and workarounds. Despite the big ideas and deliverables, the process of producing and publishing content is still awfully messy. Luckily, you've got the skills to improve it. The content strategy work you're already doing can help identify and untangle the knots in your team and workflow, and lead to a more sustainable content production process.TRANSCRIPT
Polishing Your Content Publishing
Process
Blend Conference September 13, 2014
Lisa Maria Martin | @redsesame
Who likes coloring?
Process?
The Writing Process
h"p://phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1732
Famous Writers’ Sleep Habits & Literary Productivity
h"p://www.brainpickings.org/w
p-‐conten
t/up
loads/2013/11/sle
epprod
ucBvity
writers_1500_1.jp
g
The Daily Routines of Famous Creative People
h"ps://pod
io.com
/site
/creaB
ve-‐rou
Bnes
h"ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ_MEFVx5jM
Who *doesn’t* like coloring?
h"ps://twi"er.com/deathbearbrown/status/494649174928142336/photo/1
We want a
repeatable, sustainable
process
because we want
repeatable, sustainable
results.
h"ps://twi"er.com/lucidplot/Bmelines/491607028209811456
h"ps://twi"er.com/lucidplot/Bmelines/491607028209811456
h"ps://twi"er.com/lucidplot/Bmelines/491607028209811456
The Process™
If only publishing content were this easy.
Content strategy was supposed to make everything perfect.
Our workflow still has challenges.
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/magical-‐world
Slowdowns
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/leecraven/4667899925
Unexpected gaps
Workarounds
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/kryshen/3860353364
Broken tools
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/vivekjena/2992102316
Crayons, man.
Spend time on content, not firefighting.
h"ps://twi"er.com/lucidplot/Bmelines/491607028209811456
Use your skills.
You’re already thinking about:
Communication goals
Production
You’re already thinking about:
User needs Author
You’re already thinking about:
Inventories & audits Process
You’re already thinking about:
Tools & channels
Writing & editing
You’re already thinking about:
Sustainable pages
workflows
Strategist, strategize
thyself.
h"p://explodingdog.com/Btle/whywhatshouldibedoing.html
The Process™
Real talk o’clock
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/68397968@N07/14118666380
The (Actual) Process™
The (Actual) Process™
The (Actual) Process™
The (Actual) Process™
The (Actual) Process™
Map your
reality.
h"ps://m
edium.com
/i-‐love-‐charts/a-‐map-‐of-‐the
-‐introverts-‐heart-‐4db
2d8c9cf48
• Roles & responsibilities • People • Timing • Tools
Pay attention to:
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/calsidyrose/4925267732
• Write it. • Draw it. • Share it.
Make it visible:
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/7886707854
What do we learn?
Is there a disconnect?
Is your team out of order?
Are your resources scarce?
Are you using the wrong tools?
Blame the CMS!
Blame the CMS! Don’t
Now what?
h"ps://twi"er.com/lucidplot/Bmelines/491607028209811456
Mind the gaps.
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/bvi4092/14253264351
Advocate for a better process.
• Approach • People • Resources • Tools
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/48685334@N00/4564784920
Iterate and change.
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/8658017263
Be patient.
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/amagill/7798874692
Fix your process now.
Do better work later.
Enjoy coloring.
Thank you.
Lisa Maria Martin | @redsesame