content strategy spectrum - cait vlastakis smith - centerline digital
TRANSCRIPT
Cait Vlastakis SmithExecutive Strategy Director,Centerline Digital
TheCONTENTSTRATEGYSpectrum
@caitvsmith
Imagine this for a minute:
@caitvsmith
“We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director
“We need a content strategy.”
– Web Strategy Director
“We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director
“We need a content strategy.”
– Web Strategy Director
@caitvsmith
These two individuals are looking
for solutions to different challenges,
yet they’re using the exact same
words.
Fun, right?
Let’s unpack this.
“We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director
“We need a content strategy.”
– Web Strategy Director
@caitvsmith
Translation:“The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.”
Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
“We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director
“We need a content strategy.”
– Web Strategy Director
@caitvsmith
Translation:“The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.”
Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
THESE PROBLEMS ARE OFTEN INTERRELATED
What’s involved in content strategy?
Story & narrative development
Content governance
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Content cadence/calendars
Channel activation
@caitvsmith
Content auditing/analyses
Information architecture
CMS & publishing workflows
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content design
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
SEO
Story & narrative development
Content governance
Content types/variations
Editorial guidelines
Content cadence/calendars
Channel activation
@caitvsmith
Content auditing/analyses
Information architecture
CMS & publishing workflows
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content design
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
SEO
Stolen/Adopted from the fields of:
LinguisticsStorytelling
Knowledge management
Business strategy
User experience
Technical writing
What’s involved in content strategy?
Personalization
Story & narrative development
Content governance
Information architecture
CMS & publishing workflows
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content design
Content modeling
Content types/variations
Editorial guidelines
Metadata schemas
Content cadence/calendars
Channel activation
@caitvsmith
SEOContent auditing/analyses
Audience understanding
At the core of content strategy:
Clarity of information
User experience
What’s involved in content strategy?
Personalization
Story & narrative development
Content governance
Information architecture
CMS & publishing workflows
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content design
Content modeling
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Metadata schemas
Content cadence/calendars
Channel activation
@caitvsmith
SEOContent auditing/analyses
At the core of content strategy:
“Front-End” Activities “Back-End” Activities
Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/
Audience understanding
Clarity of information
User experience
What’s involved in content strategy?
Story & narrative development
Content governance
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Content cadence/calendars
Channel activation
@caitvsmith
Content auditing/analyses
Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/
What’s involved in content strategy?
Often described as activities related to: CONTENT MARKETING
The results of these activities are
typically seen directly by users
through the quality and relevance
of the content.
“Front-End” Activities
Information architecture
CMS & publishing workflows
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content design
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
@caitvsmith
SEO
Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/
What’s involved in content strategy?
Often described as activities related to: TECHNICAL WRITING &
USER EXPERIENCE
The results of these activities often
aren’t seen, but are felt through
one’s experience finding and
consuming the content.
“Back-End” Activities
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
Let’s look at these front-end and
back-end activities within a
spectrum rather than a dichotomy.
Here’s how we break down the spectrum.
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
At the center of everything: audience understanding.
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
Structure and relevance of content
creates clarity for consumption.
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience UnderstandingStructure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
Creating delightful experience is only
possible with findable, relevant content
that’s easy to consume.
Structure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
User ExperienceCognitive Ease + Findability
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences consume?
Structure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
User ExperienceCognitive Ease + Findability
Content strategy activities and outputs
answer one of three questions.
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences consume?
Structure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
User ExperienceCognitive Ease + Findability
The WhereWhat platforms/channels should we consider?
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences consume?
Structure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
User ExperienceCognitive Ease + Findability
The WhereWhat platforms/channels should we consider?
The HowHow do we execute?
The Content Strategy Spectrum
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences consume?
Structure + Relevance
Clarity of Information
Customers/Users & Publishers/Creators
Audience Understanding
User ExperienceCognitive Ease + Findability
The WhereWhat platforms/channels should we consider?
The HowHow do we execute?
Now, let’s look at front-end and
back-end content strategy activities
within this spectrum.
Information architecture
Scalability planning
Taxonomy
Modular content
Content modeling
CMS structure
@caitvsmith
SEO integration
“Back-End” Activities
Source: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2016/02/types-content-strategist/
Refresher:
Metadata schemas
Content governance
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Content cadence/calendars
Social/Community activation
Content auditing/analyses
“Front-End” Activities
Narrative/Storyline development
Message targeting
CMS & publishing workflows
Audience
Clarity of
information
User Experience
s
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
The HowHow do we execute?
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Content cadence/calendars
Social/Community activation
Narrative/Storyline development
Information architectureCMS & publishing workflows
Taxonomy
Modular content
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
SEO integration
CMS structure The Where
Message targeting
Scalability planning
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
Mapped Activities
The How
Content auditing/analyses
Content governance
Audience
Clarity of
information
User Experience
s
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
The HowHow do we execute?
Content types/variations
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Social/Community activation
Narrative/Storyline development
Information architectureCMS & publishing workflows
Taxonomy
Modular content
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
SEO integration
CMS structure The Where
Message targeting
Scalability planning
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
Mapped Activities Content auditing/analyses
Content governance
Clarity of
information
User Experience
Content cadence/calendars
Audience
@caitvsmith
Translation:“The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.”
Remember these?
Translation: “Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
“We need a content strategy.” – Marketing Director
“We need a content strategy.”
– Web Strategy Director
s
@caitvsmith
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Social/Community activation
Message targeting
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
Content auditing/analyses
User Experience
“The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.”
MARKETING CHALLENGE:
At first blush, it appears we only need front-end content strategy…
Content cadence/calendars
Audience
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
The Where
The HowHow do we execute?
Clarity of
information
s
@caitvsmith
Personalization
Editorial guidelines
Social/Community activation
Message targeting
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
Content auditing/analyses
Clarity of
information
User Experience
“The content we’re creating isn’t resonating with people, nor is it targeted to them at the right time.”
MARKETING CHALLENGE:
…until we dig into the technical needs and requirements to execute.
Content cadence/calendars
AudienceMetadata schemas
SEO integration
CMS structure
Taxonomy
Modular content
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
The Where
The HowHow do we execute?
s
@caitvsmith
Personalization
Information architecture
Taxonomy
Modular content
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
CMS structure
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
User Experience
Audience
“Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
IT CHALLENGE:
It appears we need mostly back-end content strategy…
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
The Where
The HowHow do we execute?
Clarity of
informationScalability planning
s
@caitvsmith
The WhatWhat will audiences
consume?
What platforms/channels should we consider?
Personalization
Information architecture
Taxonomy
Modular content
Content modeling
Metadata schemas
CMS structure The Where
“Front-End” Activities
“Back-End” Activities
KEY:
User Experience
Audience
“Our content is a mess. It’s not scalable, structured for personalization and is completely outdated.”
IT CHALLENGE:
…until we dig into the different content needs per audience and the publishing models necessary to support them.
Editorial guidelines
Content auditing/analyses
Content governance
CMS & publishing workflows
Content types/variations
Message targeting
The HowHow do we execute?
Clarity of
information
Conclusion
@caitvsmith
Front-end and back-end content
strategy are highly dependent upon
one another to succeed, very much
like marketing and IT. Tapping into both skill sets
reshapes how you solve the
problem and improves the viability of the solution.
s
Caitlin Vlastakis SmithExecutive Strategy Director
Twitter: @caitvsmithLinkedin: /in/caitlinvsmith
centerline.net
Twitter: @centerline
Centerline Digital