content strategy for library websites
DESCRIPTION
Content strategy workshop for LACONI, an association of 150 Chicago-area libraries, given September 20, 2013. Comprehensive look at content strategy goals, opportunities, challenges, definitions, processes, elements for libraries today and in the future.TRANSCRIPT
THE FUTURE IS CONTENT
CONTENT STRATEGY FOR LIBRARY WEBSITES
Hilary Marsh, Content Company LACONI workshop, September 20, 2013
INTRODUCTIONS NAME LIBRARY
DEPARTMENT
CONTENT STRATEGY CHALLENGES
• No one can find anything on our website, and they’re complaining to the CEO
• PracHcally everyone in our organizaHon publishes content online, and you’d almost never know it was from the same organizaHon
• No one is in charge of the home page – or everyone is in charge of it
• We can’t add comments because we don’t know how to handle them
• Our site isn’t accessible from mobile devices
• Some of our best material is presented as PDFs, with Htles like “4002.pdf”
• Our website is organized based on our org structure rather than on how our audience thinks about us or our content
• “We should be on Instagram”
They’re about • process • ownership • collaboraHon • mutual understanding (or lack thereof)
BUSINESS CHALLENGES
• Audience confusion
• Lack of customer engagement
• Higher customer service costs
• Missed cross-‐selling opportuni:es
• No awareness of the breadth and depth of what you offer – and that they need!
BUSINESS CONSEQUENCES
WHAT IS CONTENT STRATEGY?
WHAT IS CONTENT STRATEGY?
HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
WHO WHAT WHEN OF PUBLISHING WHERE CONTENT WHY HOW
HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
A STRATEGIC STATEMENT TYING CONTENT (AND COMMUNICATION) TO BUSINESS
HOW I DEFINE CONTENT STRATEGY
AND THE PEOPLE, PROCESSES, AND POWER TO EXECUTE THAT STATEMENT
LITERALLY, A STATEMENT
We will publish content that is • Useful • Aware of our audience and context • Supports our mission, objecHves and brand • Helps us deliver effecHve service to our
users
–Jefferson County Public Library
http://www.richardingram.co.uk
CONTENT
STRATEGIST AS
ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR
WHAT IS “CONTENT”? • BOOK REVIEWS • EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS • PROGRAM INFORMATION • BIOS • INSTRUCTIONS • MAP
EXERCISE
Source: http://xkcd.com/773
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
• JARGON Has anyone ever said, “I want to search your resource database”?
• AWARENESS
Does everyone in the community know what your library offers? What YOU offer?
• PRIORITIZATION Are you highlighHng and promoHng the things your current and prospecHve visitors want?
CREATING AUDIENCE-FOCUSED CONTENT
PROCESS
USAGE AWARENESS VISITS
1. KNOW THE BUSINESS GOALS
FINDABLE USABLE USEFUL
2. KNOW THE CONTENT GOALS
PRIORITIZE CREATE
PERSONAS LIST
3. UNDERSTAND THE AUDIENCE
PRIORITIZE THESE:
CONSUMERS COMMUNITY OTHER
Adults Media Job-‐seekers
Teens OrganizaHons Library staff
Kids Volunteers Vendors
Parents Teachers
Senior ciHzens Small businesses
Underserved Book clubs
Students
PERSONAS
PERSONAS
USAGE ALIGNMENT
WITH VISION
4. ASSESS YOUR CONTENT BASED ON….
AGE
DELETE
ARCHIVE REWRITE
KEEP
CONTENT DECISIONS
Content audit
IA number Page Title URL
Keep, update, rewrite, archive, or delete? Content type Topic
Content owner
Date created
Last updated Audience
Access level?
# of visits in the last year Notes
Template available at http://www.hilarymarsh.com/content-audit-spreadsheet/
For help with an automated content inventory, visit http://www.content-insight.com/
CONTENT AUDIT
CONTENT AUDIT
WHO CAN PUBLISH
DIRECTLY?
WHO CAN SAY “NO”?
WHO WRITES WHAT?
WHO CAN POST ON
SOCIAL MEDIA? WORKFLOWS
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
5. GOVERNANCE
WORKFLOWS
http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/anniversary/how.things.work/index2.html
WORKFLOWS
VOICE AND TONE
TRAINING
EXAMPLES ONGOING
EDUCATION
EDITORIAL STYLE
6. ESTABLISH STANDARDS
WRITING
WRITING
• Online, people skim and don’t read
• Shorter is beder
• Write for the ear – conversaHonal
• AcHve voice
• Avoid jargon
• State the main points first (“inverted pyramid” style)
• Break up long text with subheads and bullets
• Readers’ quesHons are your subheads
• Content goals are calls to acHon on the page
WRITING
KEY PAGES
NEWSLETTERS
FACEBOOK TWITTER
HOME PAGE
7. EDITORIAL CALENDAR
ETC.
LIFECYCLE
Review every page at least once a year (set by type or secHon)
Create
Review
Publish
Promote
Revisit
8. MEASURE & REVISE
ETC.
SOME METRICS ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, JULY 14 – AUGUST 13, 2013
Visits by device
Desktop
Tablet
Mobile
SOME METRICS PALATINE, JULY 27 – AUGUST 26, 2013
Most popular pages (unique visits)
Home page
Employment
Kids
Books, movies, music
Research
Events
LocaHons and hours
Summer reading
About us Digital media
TODAY
WHO’S DOING IT WELL?
http://www.nypl.org
http://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/
http://www.carnegielibrary.org/
http://www.ahml.info/
http://www.bensenville.lib.il.us/
WHO’S NOT?
http://www.dixie.lib.ms.us/
http://sheppardlibrary.org/home
http://www.co.davidson.nc.us/library/
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
“NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOUR ORG CHART” —LOU ROSENFELD
FIND A BOOK, EBOOK,
MUSIC OR VIDEO
CHECK OUT
UPCOMING EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES
DO SOME RESEARCH
OR HOMEWORK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
LIBRARY, OR CONTACT
LIBRARY STAFF
MANAGE MY ACCOUNT
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
SOURCE: http://1000libraries.net/
TOMORROW
PEOPLE STORIES
http://www.skokiestories.org
PEOPLE STORIES
http://libraryyou.escondido.org/
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya7qVSWz01c
THANK YOU. Link to this presentation and lots of related resources: http://www.hilarymarsh.com/content-strategy-libraries/ [email protected] http://www.hilarymarsh.com @hilarymarsh 312-806-7854