Managing the Politics of Content By: Hilary Marsh (USA), Content Strategist

Managing the Politics of Content

Hilary Marsh

JBoye Conference 2015

Marketing Product

Line

Everyone

ElseWeb

Team

What Politics Look Like

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/11/entertainment/10-things-you-should-know-about-your-job-interviewer/

http://www.georgiancollege.ca/academics/full-time-programs/electrical-engineering-technology-co-op-eety/

http://www.qwhn.asn.au/managementcommittee.htm

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/how-to-pack-your-backpack/

2004

2007

2010

http://www.technologist.eu/the-mindfulness-movement-connecting-body-and-mind/

What else?

http://www.technologist.eu/the-mindfulness-movement-connecting-body-and-mind/

How do you react?

http://www.technologist.eu/the-mindfulness-movement-connecting-body-and-mind/

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://www.scag.gov/

“We have a carousel on

our website because

politics.”

– Dave Olsen, www.dmolsen.com/

Confab Higher Ed 2014

Content is…

Event

Product

Class

Program

Research

Content strategy is…

Event Strategy

Product Strategy

Class Strategy

Program Strategy

Research Strategy

Content

is

political

Content is…

Event

Product

Class

Program

Research

Content is…

My Event

My Product

My Class

My Program

My Research

30

“Every pixel has an owner.”

– Paul Ford, former web editor

at Harper’s magazine

Confab 2013

“It is difficult to get a man

to understand something,

when his salary depends upon

his not understanding it.”

– Upton Sinclair, 1935

33

http://www.amazon.com/Have-Always-Done-That-Way/dp/184728857X/

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Old thinking

Organization: Programs, offerings

Audience

Messages

Audience Audience Audience

New thinking

36

Content strategy is

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

37

Digital is

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

What Doesn’t Work

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

Real-Life Solutions

“Be transparent, help people prep while they’re waiting for

their project to start.”

—Amanda Costello, University of Minnesota

“Be an evanglist for others’ work, and help people

realize that you are their champion and making way for them to do what they

do best.”

—Matthew Grocki, Grassfed Content

“Pre-sell your ideas. Pull someone aside and get

their input on a draft, so by the time you officially

reveal it, you’ve gotten their buy-in.”

—Sara Zailskas Walsh, Motorola.com

“Build strong relationships. Remember that everyone is trying to do a good job but don’t always have the

resources or skills they need.”

—Claire Helme and Mary Sabotoski, a university in Australia

“Employ “strategic nagging:”

patient but persistent repetition of a message.

—Carrie Hane Dennison, @carriehd, American

Society of Civil Engineers

What Has Worked for You?

What Has Worked for Me

49http://www.slideshare.net/est3ban/empathybased-personas-gaining-a-deeper-understanding-of-your-audience-presen

Shared focus on the

audience

Show,

don’t tell

• Useful

• Relevant

• Timely

• Org-focused

• Narrow interest

• Not actionable

53http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_twohttp://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two

Get your governance in order

54

http://teamnutztechnology.com/finding-the-

Do a pilot

project (or

several)

55

https://www.flickr.com/photos/telachhe/3342173731/

Keep

trying

Get buy-in

from the top

Your agenda

1. Show what’s broken and why

2. Show solutions and potential, and what it will take to get

there

3. Talk about the pilot efforts and the lessons learned

4. Anticipate roadblocks – raise “what if” scenarios, talk

them through in advance

5. Determine follow-up frequency

57

Respect the depth

59

http://bit.ly/1jntVcJ

Be patient

Show them how

http://ashram.yogasatsang.org/yoga-classes

Foster collaboration

• Form a cross-departmental editorial board

to review major requests together

• Most impactful stories require information

from multiple sources

• Facilitate, then gradually pass on

ownership

Motivate and recognize

I put the information

up online –now I also need to know how many people

have used it???

Redefine success

Educate and remind

64

Operationalize and socialize

65

Offer options for creativity

66http://oxendo.com/

67

Be there

for your

colleagues

68http://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Review-Gold-examines-Jewish-mother-stereotype-3291210.php

Look, if it were up to me, I would leave that

content on the site, but the decision is out of

my hands

Solid rationales and alternatives

69

70http://www.enterprisenews.com/article/20140614/SPORTS/140617308

Report on progress

71

Working together for

customer satisfaction

Thank you!

@hilarymarsh

www.slideshare.net/hilarymarsh