feed the content monster: how to write for multiple audiences in multiple channels leslie o ’...

Feed the Content Monster: How to Write for Multiple Audiences in Multiple Channels

Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE@LeslieONAGC Communications School – MemphisJune 3, 2015

•1•© E-WRITE 2015

Who has a case of content anxiety? Let’s talk…

•© E-WRITE 2015 •2

As communicators, we’re feeding the content monster

•© E-WRITE 2015 •3

Content monster wannabe

•4•© E-WRITE 2015

Content monster wannabe

•5•© E-WRITE 2015

Content monster

•6•© E-WRITE 2015

Topics for today’s workshop1. What is content repurposing?

2. Reuse web content and publications as source material for social media messages

3. Use your web content to produce evergreen social media messages

4. Write H1 headings so you can use them in social media

5. Know which types of web content do not make good social media messages

•7•© E-WRITE 2015

What is content repurposing?

•© E-WRITE 2015 •8

What is the definition of repurposing?

Changing the format, length, or publishing channel for your content while retaining its main message.

•© E-WRITE 2015 •9

From the beginning, plan to repurpose

•© E-WRITE 2015 •10

Repurposing is a way of thinking about your effort and your readers’ tastes for content

“I advocate for the ‘rule of four’ – the idea that every piece of information that an organization presents should be available in multiple formats, four to be specific. The four I recommend are video, audio, text, and graphic. These four formats cover the full range of different ways that people like to get/share information and provide more flexibility in terms of which devices and channels someone can use to easily access content.. When planned correctly, information can be presented in these four formats efficiently and cost-effectively — providing organizations with a range of options for reaching, engaging, and mobilizing their key audiences.”-- Brian Reich

•© E-WRITE 2015 •11

Case study: Rule of 4?

•© E-WRITE 2015 •12

•© E-WRITE 2015 •13

•© E-WRITE 2015 •14

•© E-WRITE 2015 •15

Sometimes, we don’t repurpose the same message for different

audiences

•© E-WRITE 2015 •16

•© E-WRITE 2015 •17

Sometimes, repurposing consumes a great deal of creative

effort

•© E-WRITE 2015 •18

Case study in repurposing

•© E-WRITE 2015 •19

Case study in repurposing

•© E-WRITE 2015 •20

Sometimes, we prepare our content so our readers and

viewers can repurpose it easily

•© E-WRITE 2015 •21

Govt of Canada updates news release format to make repurposing easy

•© E-WRITE 2015 •22

•© E-WRITE 2015 •23

•© E-WRITE 2015 •24

How will GC’s updated news release format help them feed the content monster?

• “For communicators, the changes mean they can use their creativity to:– Develop catchy headlines and sub-headlines– Write concise and clear opening paragraphs that

contain the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why)– Select key facts that capture the reader’s attention– Draft quotes that are meaningful and succinct– Repurpose the quick facts and quotes for Facebook

and Twitter posts, and– Offer associated links that provide additional context

to help the reader better understand the issue.”•© E-WRITE 2015 •25

Reuse web content as the source material for social

media messages

•26•© E-WRITE 2015

Reuse web content and publications for social media messages: The Old Familiars

• Press release• Article• Publication• Event• Report

•27•© E-WRITE 2015

The Old Familiars: Press Release

•28•© E-WRITE 2015

The Old Familiars: Article

•29•© E-WRITE 2015

The Old Familiars: Publication

•30•© E-WRITE 2015

The Old Familiars: Event

•31•© E-WRITE 2015

The Old Familiars: Report

•32•© E-WRITE 2015

Use your web content to produce evergreen social media messages

•33•© E-WRITE 2015

Nose-to-Tail: The Whole [Content] Movement

•34•© E-WRITE 2015

Search your web content for evergreen social media messages: Four New Candidates

1. “We’ve said it before, but today it’s in the New York Times”

2. “Hey kids, want to see the Parent Handbook?”

3. “Good stuff, good stuff. You might want to take a look at this”

4. “We know it’s old content, but it’s still interesting”

•35•© E-WRITE 2015

1. “We’ve said it before, but today it’s in the New York Times”

•36•© E-WRITE 2015

2. “Hey kids, want to see the Parent Handbook?”

•37•© E-WRITE 2015

3. “Good stuff, good stuff. You might want to take a look at this”

•38•© E-WRITE 2015

4. “We know it’s old content, but it’s still interesting”

•39•© E-WRITE 2015

4. “We know it’s old content, but it’s still interesting”

•40•© E-WRITE 2015

Write H1 headings so you can use them in social media

•41•© E-WRITE 2015

A good heading or title (usually) equals good social media message

•42•© E-WRITE 2015

Reuse made easy: A good heading for web content often equals a good social media mesage

•43•© E-WRITE 2015

Revise this heading so it can be reused for Facebook or Twitter

•44•© E-WRITE 2015

Know which types of web content do not make good social

media messages

•45•© E-WRITE 2015

These types of web content do not make good social media messages

• Organization-focused content• Obligatory content• Tiresome content• Mechanically archived content

•46•© E-WRITE 2015

Organization-focused content doesn’t make good social media messages

•47•© E-WRITE 2015

Obligatory content doesn’t make good social media messages

•48•© E-WRITE 2015

Tiresome content doesn’t make good social media messages (duh)

•49•© E-WRITE 2015

Mechanically archived content doesn’t make good social media messages

•50•© E-WRITE 2015

Questions? Comments?Contact info:

Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITELeslie@ewriteonline.com301-989-9583www.ewriteonline.com@LeslieO

•51•© E-WRITE 2015