Photo by Brickspace 10 THINGS I LEARNED IN 10 YEARS AS A CONTENT STRATEGIST Rachel Lovinger @rlovinger CS Forum, 5 October, 2016
Photo by Brickspace
10 THINGS I LEARNED IN 10 YEARS AS A CONTENT STRATEGISTRachel Lovinger @rlovingerCS Forum, 5 October, 2016
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©2016 All rights reserved.
• Experience Director, Content Strategy; Razorfish New York
• Became a content strategist: 24 April, 2006
• Twitter: @rlovinger
• (Doing work related to content strategy since 2000)
ABOUT ME: RACHEL LOVINGER
Less is MoreLearning 0
4BE CONCISE
From “11 Mistakes You Make At Work Every. Single. Day.” Huffington Post
8 THINGS I LEARNED IN 16 YEARS OF DOING CONTENT STRATEGYRachel Lovinger @rlovingerCS Forum, 5 October, 2016
Photo by Brickspace
Everything is ContentLearning 1
7CS: THE PHILOSOPHY OF DATA (2007)
8EW.COM – A WEBSITE ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT
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DEFINING CONTENT
Documents
Discussion
Copy Video
Data
Metadata
Images
Content isn’t just copy
Audio
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Medium Paper Ink Staples
Content Words Images
NEWSPAPER
Photo by Newspaper Club
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Medium (“Non-content”) Bits
Content Bits
DIGITAL CONTENT
Photo by Newspaper Club
The Medium is the Message- Marshall McLuhan
P.S. Now the Medium and the Message are both made up of bits.
13CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Manages content
Could also manage:• Metadata• Layouts• Styles• Design Elements• All the code
Great! But… That’s a lot of responsibility
for one person.
Photo by Jeff Eaton
[Content] strategy, the intuitive entry point for changing hearts and minds, is a “big, big world” that…currently covers perhaps too many sins for its own good. It’s time
for a conversation about what sits under the “everything” umbrella.
- Jessica Collier, Our Narratives, Ourselves (2016)
16CONTENT IS THE ELEPHANT IN EVERY ROOM
No one person can do all of these things, but if everyone only focuses on their own bit, no one thinks about the big picture.
Illustration from “The Discipline of Content Strategy,” by Kristina Halvorson (2008).
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Illustration from “Tinker, Tailor Content Strategist,” by me (2012).
For a content strategy to succeed, someone has to:
• Be aware of how all the aspects of content are intertwined
• Bring them together into a cohesive plan
• Advocate for the content plan at all stages of a project, across all members of the project team
TAMING THE BIG (CONTENT) PICTURE
Content is CommunicationLearning 2
19TRADITIONAL MEDIA: BROADCAST MODEL
Photo by Jay Reed
20DIGITAL MEDIA: MULTIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION
Phot
o by
Mor
itz
21IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET MORE COMPLICATED
Photo by Markus Lütkemeyer
Content Strategy is concerned with content Systems, not just content.
Learning 3
23CS: THE PHILOSOPHY OF DATA (2007)
Content Strategy is to Copywriting as Information Architecture is to Design
CS : Writing ::
IA : Design
25HOWARD BEATTY, NEWSPAPER EDITOR (1930s)
Photo by Ann Althouse
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Photo by The Rookie Reporter
WORKS WITH CONTENT EVERY DAY
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Photo by Alyson Hurt
SHAPES IT, PREPS IT & DEPLOYS IT
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Photo by Global Editors Network
MAKES PLANS FOR NEW CONTENT
29CONTENT STRATEGISTS BUILD A FRAMEWORK
Photo by Danielle York
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The tools, processes & resources we need to successfully create and distribute content:
• Easy-to-use publishing tools
• A repeatable content workflow
• Clearly defined goals and constraints
• Governance for escalating decisions
• An intuitive and flexible process
A CONTENT FRAMEWORK
Photo by Jeff Eaton
Author Experience is critical to Content Strategy
Learning 4
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Brilliant!
JUST IMAGINE, YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY IS…
Delightful! On brand! Engaging!
Photo by clement127
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• Crappy CMS
• Confusing decision points
• Designs that don’t accommodate the content
• Different interpretations of the guidelines
THEN REALITY SETS IN
Photo by Kristina Alexanderson
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Not following design & content guidelines:
1. Promos were were meant to highlight marketing content, but this one just points to products
2. Missing a small promo, which leaves a hole in the grid
3. A second large promo is used, but that style was only meant to be used in the lead spot
THE CONTENT & EXPERIENCE BECOME DEGRADED
The team needs to know what to do and needs tools to help them do it
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• How the design system works, what it’s intended to do
• How to make decisions at points where there are options
• They need to be empowered to make decisions when they encounter content not anticipated by the designs
KNOWING WHAT TO DO
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• Publishing tool that are intuitive to use• Specs for things that aren’t intuitive (and inline help)• Photoshop templates for image sizes, safe zones, etc.• Ability to preview content in as many relevant contexts as possible
(for example, breakpoints)• Tools that provide machine assisted
support for tedious & repetitive but predictable tasks
TOOLS THAT HELP THEM DO IT
38PEOPLE TAKE SHORTCUTS WHEN OVERBURDENED
Replace or remove
Photo by clement127
39POOR METADATA
Copyright © 2010 Reurers
Intelligent Content needs to be Well-Structured
Learning 5
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• Content is stored separately from any display information
• Distinct content types are identified, with unique attributes
• Content is stored in discrete, meaningful chunks
• Content is combined with a layout and design elements right before being delivered to a webpage, app, skill*, etc.
• Content is delivered in the appropriate format for the device
“WELL-STRUCTURED CONTENT” MEANS
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CONTENT MODELLING
Translate designs into flexible content chunks
Chart Song
Album Page
Artist Profile
Content Attributes
Content Types
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Which types of content are different enough that they might warrant a unique structure?
IDENTIFY UNIQUE CONTENT TYPES
© A List Apart, Jeff Baker and Alex Graham, Washington Post, Food Network, and Barnes & Noble
Article Quiz
Slide show
Recipe
Event
©2016 All rights reserved.
DEVELOP A FLEXIBLE CONTENT MODEL
TitleAuthor
Show EpisodeTags
ImageCaptio
n
Time
LevelYield
Ingredient 1
Ingredient 2
Ingredient 3
Etc…
Directions
Guide / Menu
Recipe © Food Network
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For each element on the page:• What is the purpose of this
element?• What is its content?• What is the source of the content?• How much content can it hold?• What happens to “spillover?”• How often does the content
change?• In what way does the content vary?• Does the content expire?• Etc..
CONTENT MODELLING FOSTERS DISCUSSION
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Involve designers and developers. Ideally, content producers as well.
CONTENT MODELLING PROCESS
These activities enables us to:• Verify that the design makes
sense for real content• Advise on best setup of the
CMS to support the design• Advise on best setup of the
CMS to support good authoring experience and content production processes
Photo by Stephen Ritchie
Intelligent Content needs to be Well-Described
Learning 6
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The content contains (often hidden) information that:
• Explains precisely what the content is about
• Indicates how it can be used
• Provides cues on how to best display or “run” it
• Indicates how it’s related to other content and services
• Is captured in a machine-readable form
“WELL-DESCRIBED CONTENT” MEANS
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Title: Ta-dah!Description: That’s a serious jello mold!Tags: jello, layers, delicious Appears in: Dinner (set) Created by: Dan DeLucaTaken on: February 14, 2010Taken with: Fujifilm FinePix F70EXRUsage Rights: CC-BY Some rights reservedSource URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandeluca/4360567363
CONTENT STRUCTURE
Photo by Dan DeLuca `
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Title: Ta-dah!Description: That’s a serious jello mold!Tags: jello, layers, delicious Appears in: Dinner (set) Created by: Dan DeLucaTaken on: February 14, 2010Taken with: Fujifilm FinePix F70EXRUsage Rights: CC-BY Some rights reservedSource URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dandeluca/4360567363
METADATA
• Gives the content context and meaning and helps platforms and systems understand how to use it
• Some is authored, some is machine generatedPhoto by Dan DeLuca `
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• Subjects, people, places, events, and products
• Answer to questions such as:• Where did the content come from?
• Are there restrictions on how it can be used?
• Is the content time-sensitive or evergreen?
• Is the content part of a larger story or set of content, without which it doesn’t make as much sense?
• What information is included when people share the content via social media?
WELL DESCRIBED CAN INCLUDE
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• Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace• Episode 1• Episode I• Phantom Menace• Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace• Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace• Star Wars prequel• Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace• Star Wars: Episode i -- the Phantom Menace• Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace• Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace• Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menance• Star Wars: Episode One -- The Phantom Menace• Star Wars: The Phantom Menace• Star Wars: The Phantom Menace -- Episode I• The Phantom Menace• The Phanton Menace
STANDARDIZING KEYWORDS
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• More Precise Search
• More Usable Browse
• Contextual Linking
• Automated Content Aggregation
• Syndication
• Access Permissions
• Personalized Content
• Other Advanced Functionality
HOW METADATA IS USED
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Increasingly important as content ecosystems incorporate more machine intelligence, and content moves through autonomously.
METADATA STRATEGY
Photo by Cade Roster
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• Nimble: A Razorfirsh Report on Publishing in the Digital Age
• Content Modelling: A Master Skill
• Metadata is a Love Note to the Future
• Metadata Workshop
• My other presentations on Slideshare
MORE INFO ON CONTENT STRUCTURE & METADATA
Content Strategy is concerned with content Systems, not just content.
Learning 3, revisited (briefly)
57FRONT END AND BACK END
Source “Why You Need Two Types of Content Strategist”, by Ann Rockley (2016)
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Front EndSupports the design and creation of the content itself. Content Design Editorial Strategy Content & Channel
Planning Content Creation
Back EndSupports the design and creation of the systems that manage and deploy content. Content Model Metadata Content Delivery
TWO DISTINCT FOCUSES
Photos by Ewald Straßmann: outside and inside
Content decisions are tied to bigger strategic initiatives and
measurable goals.
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Articulates the following:
• Summary of insights from audit, interviews, and other research
• Primary content opportunities
• Content Vision Statement
• Content Principles
• Activities that will get you to the future state
CONTENT VISION BRIEF
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• Vision Statement:
“Become a media company. Become the most useful brand in the word”
• Content Principles:
EXAMPLE: A CLOTHING COMPANY
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• Vision Statement:
Unleash the power of digital to help engineers design solutions for the world’s toughest challenges.
Content is the basic unit of digital power. Our digital offerings will only be as strong as the
content that drives them.
• Content Principles:
EXAMPLE: B2B ELECTRONICS PARTS COMPANY
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• Vision Statement:
The industry-leading digital platform serving information, insights, and tools that transform the power of healthcare partnerships to
bring lasting value to customer relationships across the globe.
• Content Principles:
EXAMPLE: GLOBAL MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANY
Based on these, develop a picture of what the future will look like and
THEN decide what activities will get you there.
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• Watch video: https://vimeo.com/38458933• View slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ekissane/little-big-systems-interlink-edition/
ERIN KISSANE: “LITTLE BIG SYSTEMS”
Content Strategy isn’t a practice, it’s a Methodology
Learning 7
67NO ONE WOULD JUST SAY “I’M A SCIENTIST”
Photo by clement127
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• A body of techniques for investigating phenomena
• Employs systematic, empirical observation and measurement
• Verified through repeated experiments
• Based on the formulation, testing, and modification of hypothesesBiology: Anatomy, Astrobiology, Biochemistry, Biogeography, Biological engineering, Biophysics, Behavioral neuroscience, Biotechnology, Botany, Cell biology, Conservation biology, Cryobiology, Developmental biology, Ecology, Ethnobiology, Ethology, Evolutionary biology, Genetics, Gerontology, Immunology, Limnology, Marine biology, Microbiology, Molecular biology, Neuroscience, Paleontology, Parasitology, Physiology, Radiobiology, Soil biology, Sociobiology, Systematics, Toxicology, Zoology
Chemistry: Acid-base, Analytical, Environmental, Inorganic, Nuclear, Organic, Physical, Solid-state, Supramolecular, Sustainable, Theoretical, Astrochemistry, Biochemistry, Crystallography, Food chemistry, Geochemistry, Materials science, Molecular physics, Photochemistry, Radiochemistry, Stereochemistry, Surface science
Earth sciences: Climatology, Ecology, Edaphology, Environmental science, Geodesy, Geography, Geology, Geomorphology, Geophysics, Glaciology, Hydrology, Limnology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology, Palynology, Pedology, Volcanology
Healthcare: Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry, Midwifery, Epidemiology, Pharmacy, Nursing
Physics: Classical, Modern, Applied, Experimental, Mechanics, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle, Plasma, Quantum mechanics, General relativity, Thermodynamics
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
69PRACTITIONERS OF CONTENT STRATEGY
Taxonomist UX WriterSearch Content
StrategistContent Designer
Tech Writer
Editorial Strategist
Social Media
Strategist
Content Marketer
Product Content
StrategistContent Engineer
Information Scientist
Content Planner
Strategist Information Architect
Data Scientist
CMS Developer Copywriter Designer
Phot
o so
urce
: Bri
kim
edia
.com
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• Ex-editors focus on editorial strategy and messaging.
• Ex-designers focus on content and product design.
• Ex-librarians focus on info architecture and metadata.
• Ex-developers focus on content structure and publishing.
• Ex-marketers focus on content marketing and social.
OUR BACKGROUNDS INFLUENCE OUR FOCUS
Illustration by Richard Ingram
71THAT’S OK!
Photo by Aimee Ray
We need lots of content specialists, not lots of content unicorns.
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• A body of techniques for working with content
• Content decisions are tied to strategic initiatives and measurable goals
• Content decisions are made using user-centered design principles
• Content strategy is interdisciplinary
PROPOSAL: THE CONTENT STRATEGY METHOD
Photo by Jeff Eaton
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We tend to call all of these people “Content Strategist”
ISSUE 1: IDENTITY CRISIS
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Content Strategist
Phot
o so
urce
: Bri
kim
edia
.com
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There should still be a ringleader, someone who articulates the goals and ensures that all content work is heading in the right direction.
ISSUE 2: WHO TAMES THE BEAST?
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It’s not helpful when we see what others are doing and say “That’s not content strategy, what I do is content strategy.”
ISSUE 3: WE NEED TO LET GO OF JUDGEMENT
Photo by julochka
Content Strategy is in its Adolescence
Learning 8
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• Mean girls
WE CAN BE PETTY & TERRITORIAL
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For example: Endless blog posts on “what is content strategy?”
WE’RE PAINFULLY REFLECTIVE
79WE’RE SORTING OUT OUR IDENTITY
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We’re different from Editors, Information Architects, Copywriters, Content Marketers, etc.
WE’RE DESPERATELY TRYING TO INDIVIDUATE
81IT’S AN AWKWARD TIME, BUT THERE’S GREAT POTENTIAL
The need for people who can help make
sense of it all is only going to grow.
Everything is content and the digital
landscape is still largely uncharted
territory.
82SO, LET’S GO DO SOME CONTENT STRATEGY!
Source: Getty Images, via The Telegraph
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0. Less is More
1. Everything is Content
2. Content is Communication
3. Content Strategy is concerned with content Systems, not just content.
4. Author Experience is critical to Content Strategy
5. Intelligent Content needs to be Well-Structured
6. Intelligent Content needs to be Well-Described
7. Content Strategy isn’t a practice, it’s a Methodology
8. Content Strategy is in its Adolescence
SUMMARY OF LEARNINGS
Photo by Jeff Eaton
Thanks!Rachel Lovinger
@rlovinger
Photo by Jimmie