people focused content strategy: tips and tools to get your strategy off the ground
DESCRIPTION
This step-by-step approach to content strategy is designed for beginners and more advanced content strategist. It breaks down the steps needed to build out a content strategy -- all with a focus of putting people first.TRANSCRIPT
People-focused content Tips, tools and advice to make your content strategy work
PROMISE:
1. Challenge your thinking about content.
2. Show you that content is an asset worth investing in.
3. Explain how to think about content strategically.
4. Arm you with an approach to content strategy.
So far, a lot of this…
With not enough focus on this…
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.
Content ≠ copy
2000 – 2012
Content ≠ format
2000 – 2012
Content ≠ messaging
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.
So, what is content…really?
2000 – 2012
Content: The essence and substance of your brand’s conversations.
HUH?!
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.
Think of it like this…
2000 – 2012
This is Brad…
…he wants a new car.
Here 2000 – 2012
Here
?
Brad’s Journey
2000 – 2012
Brad has questions…
?
?
?
? ? ? ?
?
…we have answers.
CONTENT This is
2000 – 2012
? If = CONTENT
2000 – 2012
What is content strategy?
content strategy
> What should we say? > Which format do we use? > How should we sound? > How do we create it? > How will we maintain it?
> Why are we doing this? > What are the right channels? > Who are we talking to? > How will we measure it? > Why are we saying it?
the SUBSTANCE the ESSENCE
2000 – 2012
Content Strategy: Content strategy plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.
– Kristina Halvorson
THE PROCESS?
THE PROCESS?
But there are tools & approaches…
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.
People-focused content strategy
Here’s ours…
Define
1
Strategize
2
Plan
3
• Business objectives • Audience insights • Content review
• Overlap in goals • Strategy statement • Identify formats • Align existing content • Identify gaps
• Matrix • Requirements • Tone and voice • Editorial calendar
Define Gathering everything we need for the strategy.
Why? What are the objectives underpinning your strategy?
The tools:
Market analysis reports
Competitive Reviews
Is this a good objective?
Get more visitors to our website.
Get more visitors to our website.
Increase the number of sale- qualified leads.
Identifying True Objectives
• Create a unified web presence that allows donors, information seekers and grant applicants to engage with the brand • Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount
• Reinforce the brand as a legitimate charitable organization • Increase donations from $140,000 to $200,000 in 2013
BUSINESS MARKETING • A legitimate charitable organization
• Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.
COMMUNICATION
The makings of a good objective:
Measurable: Can be measured with a certain degree of accuracy.
Focused: Places emphasis on a single goal.
Business impact: The objective is moving the business forward in a meaningful way.
Who? What audiences are we trying to connect with?
The tools: Audience research
Personas
Customer journeys
The Brief
Unpacking the brief
The Insights
?
Gender: Men and Women (note that 84% of Canadian men also report making regular donations to charities, compared with 86% of women) Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and older boomers) Education: University educated Avg. annual contribution: $725 Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians
The Brief
Unpacking the brief
Gender: Men and Women (note that 84% of Canadian men also report making regular donations to charities, compared with 86% of women) Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and older boomers) Education: University educated Avg. annual contribution: $725 Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians
The Insights
Doing their homework online, but interacting offline. Boomers are more likely to research a charity before making a donation – generally on the organization’s website.
A personal connection is often the key to giving. Boomers respond more generously to personal requests to give (i.e. charitable events). But the likelihood that the donor is somehow personally connected to the cause significantly increases the likelihood they will give.
Unpacking the brief
The Insights
Doing their homework online, but interacting offline. Boomers are more likely to research a charity before making a donation – generally on the organization’s website.
A personal connection is often the key to giving. Boomers respond more generously to personal requests to give (i.e. charitable events). But the likelihood that the donor is somehow personally connected to the cause significantly increases the likelihood they will give.
The Goals
> Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support.
Getting to know our audiences:
Data Demographics Hypotheses Assumptions
Insights Behaviours Motivations Goals
What? What content do we currently have?
The tools:
Content Inventory
Scorecard
Audits Done Right
Establish criteria
Name Location Format Creation date Brand Focus Notes
What you’ll inventory Look for sources Where you’ll look
> Websites > Collateral > Call Centre Scripts > Archives > Social Media > Design files > Warehouses
STRATEGIZE Pulling it all together
The tools:
Content Strategy Deliverables
2000 – 2012
They want to…
Mapping objectives
We want to…
> Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support. >Increase donations from $140,000 to
$200,000 in 2013.
> Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount.
> Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.
2000 – 2012
They want to…
Mapping objectives
We want to…
> Make a donation online. > Read more about the charity. > Learn more about the projects they support. >Increase donations from $140,000 to
$200,000 in 2013.
> Tell the story of the brand online, building a deeper relationship with existing and prospective donors, increasing the likelihood of donation frequency and amount.
> Show how easy giving can be and how small monthly contributions add up.
2000 – 2012
Finding Overlap
Where the strategy lies
User Goals Business Objectives
Spell it out
A single destination to learn about, support and donate to Save the Trees.
Strategy Statement
A single destination to learn about, support and donate to Save the Trees.
Everything in one place. Bring all the information about the brand together in a single and convenient location. No searching, no hassle. Get it and go.
Broad reach, local impact. Save the Trees has an enormous impact in the lives of Canadians, in their communities and across the country. Lets brag a little.
Just for them. Anyone who is looking to have an impact on their local environment can join in by supporting, donating or applying for money.
Understanding the Model
The nature of the conversation
Business Audience
What does the conversation sound like? Is it educational? supportive? Etc.
Identifying content types
User goal Type (Model) Format
Read more about the charity.
Make a donation.
Inspirational > Video > Project profiles > Tips
Instructional > Functional copy > Project stories
Find Gaps
User goal Format
Read more about the charity.
Make a donation.
Inspirational > Video > Project profiles > Tips
Instructional > Functional copy > Project stories
Reuse
?
?
What does our content audit say?
Type (Model)
PLAN Mapping out how to get it done
The tools:
Tone and voice guidelines
Content requirements
Editorial calendar
Setting up a matrix
All the content we need to produce, edit or migrate.
Content Requirements
Where is the source content? What are the copy points? Where are the wireframes? Who creates it? When is it due?
The Purpose:
Governance
How do we maintain the content?
And… breathe ;)
Content is powerful: It’s the substance of the conversations you have with customers. Content is for people: Put your audience at the heart of your strategy and it will excel.
Content is hard work: But it’s worth it.
Here’s what we learned:
Blind faith in technology.
Ready for the next level? Download the whitepaper. contentmaturity.com