digital content governance: what it is, why you need it, how to do it
TRANSCRIPT
h"p://echa.europa.eu/addressing-‐chemicals-‐of-‐concern/substances-‐of-‐poten8al-‐concern/svhc-‐roadmap-‐to-‐2020-‐implementa8on
Digital content governanceHilary Marsh
Guest lecture, University of Washington course “Content Strategy: Crafting the User Experience”
What is governance, and why do we need it?
Content strategy challenges• Findability• Voice• Ownership• Policies• Practices
Worst practices• Language/jargon• Lack of prioritized promotion• Content hoarding• Bad editorial processes• New content missing• Different content on different channels
© Don Graham, 1998, Flickr
• Who, what, when, where, why, and how of publishing content online
• A strategic statement tying content to business goals
• The people, processes, and power to execute that statement
Policies and guidelines +
Audience understanding +
Business knowledge =
12
What is “content”?
Content is…EventProductClass ProgramResearch
Format is less significantWeb pagesBlog postsInfographicsImagesPDFsVideoAudio
Content is…EventProductClass ProgramResearch
Content strategy is…Event strategy Product strategy Class strategy Program strategy Research strategy
Content is
political
Content is…Event ProductClass ProgramResearch
Content is…My Event My ProductMy Class My ProgramMy Research
21
“Every pixel has an owner.”
– Paul Ford, former web editor at Harper’s magazine
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”
– Upton Sinclair, 1935
24
h"p://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
27
28
Content strategy is
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
29
Digital is
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
True goal• NO - We want to tell people how great our
services are.
• YES - We want people to choose our services.
True goal• NO - We want to get lots of views of our page
• YES - We want people to do something: Sign up for the event, download the white paper, subscribe to the publication
h"ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8
Roles
Roles on a digital team• Content strategist• Project manager• Visual designer• User experience architect• Social media manager• Director
35 h"p://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two
Where most orgs start
36
What often seems most logical
37
What some orgs are trying
38
Where most orgs land
39
Offering online content
Pla[orm (project mgmt/priori8za8on, reliability)
Presenta8on (self, light,
medium, deluxe)
Editorial Ques8ons/ feedback
Promo8on
Workflow
http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1996/anniversary/how.things.work/index2.html
What Doesn’t Work
h"p://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 Me
55 h"p://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
59 h"p://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two
Get your governance in order
60
Do a pilot project (or several)
61
h"ps://www.flickr.com/photos/telachhe/3342173731/
Keeptrying
Get buy-in from the top
Your agenda1. Show what’s broken and why2. Show solutions and potential, and what it will take to get
there3. Talk about the pilot efforts and the lessons learned4. Anticipate roadblocks – raise “what if” scenarios, talk
them through in advance5. Determine follow-up frequency
63
Respect the depth
65
h"p://bit.ly/1jntVcJ Be patient
Show them how
h"p://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
70
Operationalize and socialize
71
Offer options for creativity
72
h"p://oxendo.com/
73
Be there for your colleagues
74 h"p://www.sfgate.com/performance/ar8cle/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
75
76 h"p://www.enterprisenews.com/ar8cle/20140614/SPORTS/140617308
Report on progress
77
Working together for customer satisfaction
Thank you!
@hilarymarshwww.slideshare.net/hilarymarsh
www.contentcompany.biz