content strategy basics
Post on 15-Sep-2014
17 views
DESCRIPTION
A very basic introduction to the ideas behind content strategy, aimed at marketers. I gave this talk at UCT's Nomadic Marketing course in 2010.TRANSCRIPT
Content strategy basics
Kerry-Anne GiloweyContent strategist: August Sun Projects
Or “How To Be Awesome At The Internet In EightQuite Challenging But Entirely Doable Steps”
Let’s build
a house,shall we?
How it’s always been done:
Why do people visit your site?
Or follow you on Twitter?
xkcd - getting it right since 2005
So we have a problem.
But can we
fix it?
YES,
WE
CAN!
But first, what is content?
Body copy and headings
Video
Sound
MenusHyperlink anchor text
Dynamic data
Aggregated content
Metadata
Other ideas?
Search results
Images
Twitter updates
Facebook posts
Internal documents
User-generated content
Pizza Royale 007
Planning, creating and maintaining good
content…
…is messy…is expensive
…is essential.
…is time-consuming
STOP!Content strategy time.
1. Identify your goals and messages.
Some find this harder than others.
2. Find out what your audience wants and needs.
3. Create a style guide.
Instead of… we use…
ensure make sure
endeavour try
wonderful killer
Coming up next:Forbidden Words and Phrases
SPECIAL BONUS FEATURE!
Forbidden Words And Phrases
solutions
customised
professional service
holistic approach
tailor-made just for yousynergy
we put customers first
our areas of specialisation are
touch-points
value-added
utilise
4. Use plain language.
"I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a 44 Magnum, the most powerful
handgun in the world, and would blow your head clear off, you've got to ask
yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?"
"I imagine that you are harboring significant uncertainty concerning the precise number of times that the hammer of this particular multishot firearm was cocked, its cylinder
was advanced, the hammer was then released at the rear of its travel, the round in the chamber was fired, and the cylinder was then advanced once again — and specifically whether the exact figure is six, or possibly only five. Indeed, given the ambient commotion, my preoccupation with the need to make multiple, simultaneous and consequential decisions with
alacrity, the surrounding high-decibel acoustic percussion, and the substantial ramifications of the firearm having already been discharged multiple times, I myself am
experiencing difficulty in quantifying the discharges with exactitude. But inasmuch as the instrument in question, having been manufactured by NASDAQ-listed Smith & Wesson
(stock symbol SWHC) with a horizontal barrel dimension of 8 3/8" to propel a projectile with a diameter of nearly 1/2" at a velocity of over 1,000 feet per second and an energy of
more than 1,400 joules, is arguably the most powerful firearm in the world (the uncertainty being a function of the
particular metric that one might choose, such as overall terminal ballistics, external ballistics, or some combination
of other factors), you should be advised that were the projectile from this instrument to strike you in the region between the apex of the cranium and the base of the lower mandible, it would completely sever this entire portion of your anatomy, and in addition transport it a considerable distance from its original location. As a result, it is
appropriate that you pursue a specific and directed line of inquiry and self-examination: viz., in view of all the facts and circumstances, and giving due weight to the relevant risk factors, is it your considered judgment that you are more
likely than not to be relatively fortunate?”
5. Don’t shovel.
6. Set up an editorial calendar.
“But, but… I’m not a publisher!” OH YES YOU ARE.
7. Make someone the gatekeeper.
Perhaps not this guy.
The curse of the CMS
“Yippee! Now we all have keys to the gate!”
8. Plan for user-generated content too.
Or you’ll end up like these guys.
Another bonus feature?!
Twitter tips for everyone!
• Be real and human
• Be engaging
• Be mature
• Don’t retweet compliments
• Don’t get defensive
• Don’t be gushing
• Lay off the exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!
US Embassy Pretoria: setting an excellent example
That’s the end.Now go out there and make the
world better, won’t you?
Kerry-Anne Gilowey | [email protected] | @kerry_anne