Content Strategy
Content Strategy is the practice of planning for content
creation, delivery, and governance.*
Content Strategy defines*:
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key themes and messages
recommended topics,
content purpose (i.e., how content will bridge the space
between audience needs and business requirements),
content gap analysis
metadata frameworks and related content attributes,
search engine optimization (SEO),
implications of strategic recommendations on content creation,
publication, and governance.
* Kristina Halvorson, alistapart.com
Content Strategy Process and Deliverables:
 Research & Discovery
Content Audits, Gap Analysis, Competitive Assessments, User
Interviews, Stakeholder Interviews, Identify User Expectations,
Personas, Mental Models, Market Research, Analytics
 Strategy
Why and How, Launch Plan (determine taxonomy,
nomenclature, meta data, content types, messaging needs,
voice & tone, structure, SEO keywords), Post-Launch Plan
(measures, frequency of updates, archiving, optimization)
 Solutions
CMS Workflows, Content Matrix, Editorial Calendar
 Governance & Guidance
Style Guides, Content Roles, Decision-Making Processes,
Measures
 Editorial Services
Copywriting, Copyediting, Editing, Copy templates
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Content Strategists achieve business goals by
maximizing the commercial impact of content.*
*Dan Zambonini,
http://contentini.com/content-strategists-what-do-they-do/
What is ‘content’? For the content strategist, it is frequently web/digital
information: web pages, blog posts, multimedia, social media
conversations, email newsletters and RSS feeds. Often the scope can
include physical/off-line content too. Content is a tricky concept to pin
down because it continues to evolve, but generally anything that
communicates on behalf of the organization – no matter how small –
can be classified as content.
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The skill, of course, comes in ‘maximizing impact’. To get the maximum
business value out of content, the strategist must consider its purpose,
management, production, delivery, measurement and re-use, taking
into consideration the long-term capabilities and priorities of the
organisation.
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Pre-Production
o Research
 User Analysis / User Needs: Personas, Scenarios,
Surveys
 Content Inventory / Audit
 Content Gap Analysis
 Competitor Analysis
 Search Engine Optimization Research
 Content Aggregation / Data Sourcing
o Editorial Strategy
 Voice / Style / Brand Guidelines
 Idea / Concept Development
 Development of Themes / Messages / Topics
 Establish Workflow: People, Ownership, Roles,
Processes
 Content Plan: What, When, How (Short/Long Term)
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Management
 Information Architecture
 Establish Metadata Frameworks
 Implement Taxonomies and Classification
Schemes
 Develop Site Structures
 Content Management Tools and Practices
 Content Migration
 Content Conversion
 Analytics Configuration
 Establish Content Backup / Versioning / Archival
Practices
Production
o Content Creation
 Copywriting
 Asset Production
 Tagging / Classifying
o Content Optimization
 Search Engine Optimization
 Accessibility Optimization
 Proofreading / Editing / Fact Checking
o Content Delivery
 Encoding / Converting for Web
 Distribution Processes and Tools
Post-Production
o Promotion
 Monitoring / Reacting (e.g. Social Media,
Comments, Moderation)
 Social Media Submission / PR / Marketing /
Syndication
o Evaluation
 Analytics Analysis
 Success Evaluation and Learning
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Content Strategy: Meaning and Motivation
1. DISCOVER
During this stage, gather factual information and opinions about current
website or plans for new website. Forego interpretation as much as
possible. During the next phase, review all of the information and note
consistent patterns for further evaluation.
• Explore
• Listen
• Gather
• Learn
• Withhold interpretation
Gather
• Stakeholder interviews
• Brand research
• Consumer behavior research
• SEO metrics
• User testing
• User paths
• Ethnographic research
• User-generated folksonomy
• Anecdotal reports
• Trends – merchandising, technology, content, etc.
• Cross-channel content  messaging and results
Deliverables
 Content Audit
 Competitive Assessment
 Stakeholder Interviews
2. IDENTIFY
Next, review the information gathered during the discovery phase and
look for emerging patterns without assigning refined meaning. Find out
what is happening on the website now. Find out what the client would
like to influence. Look at what’s happening across channels  social
media, tv, print, events, mobile, emerging platforms.
Deliverables
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Strategy Outlines (Note emerging
patterns and potential gaps)
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Taxonomy and Nomenclature Exploration
(Note items, categories, and topics)
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SEO Exploration (Note keyword phrases to
research)
3. INTERPRET
Explore the reasons why certain patterns have emerged. Analyze
patterns in relation to personas to define motivations. Also look for
gaps  which user motivations are not being realized by current
content? Or, if it is a new website, which user motivations may have
been overlooked during the discovery and identify stages?
 Map patterns to motivations
 Identify gaps
 Explore topics, products, and services in relation to
motivations
 Map to business and marketing strategies
 Consider systems and tools that can effectively connect
relevant information with specific motivations
Deliverables
 Personas
 Mental Models
 Maps (Content to motivations,
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behaviors, analytics, architecture,
technology, channels)
Gap Analysis
Refine Content Strategy
Refine Taxonomy and Nomenclature
SEO Research
Information Architecture Outline (IA)
4. CONNECT
How can more meaningful connections be made between content and
user needs?
• Connect meaning to motivation
• Connect motivation to online behavior
• Connect topics, products, and services in relation to
motivations
• Connect content to business and marketing strategies
• Identify content that will fill identified gaps
• Define what, when, where, how , and why will content
appear throughout the experience
• Research systems and tools for delivery
• Identify measures and metrics related to content
• Consider IT and CMS structure as needed.
Deliverables
 Final Content Strategy
 Voice and Tone | Style Guide
 Editorial Calendar and Workflows
 Final Taxonomy and Nomenclature
 Card Sorting Exercises
 Metadata
 SEO Keywords
 Wireframes (IA)
5. INTEGRATE
Tell the story.
• Establish voice and tone.
• Build on connections to fully integrate and create an overall
seamless experience.
• Consider content channels - website, social media, mobile,
events, brick and mortar stores, tv – any touch points where
consumer interacts with the brand.
• Refine measures of success.
Deliverables
 Content Matrix
 Content Migration Plan
 Content Archival Practice
 Wireframe Refinements (IA)
 CMS Workflow (Content)
 Copy (Content)
 Design (Design)
 Front-End Development (Development)
 Measures and Metrics Plan (Marketing)
6. IDEATE / REFINE / ELABORATE
Consider ongoing refinements to implement for future projects. Explore
future possibilities.
• Ideas for improving processes and deliverables
• Ideas for new content types
• Research and possibility thinking with respect to new and
emerging technologies (e.g. GoogleTV)
Deliverables
 “Napkin notes”
 Updated process documents and
templates
 Refined templates
 Fleshed-out concepts, as ideas take
5
shape
Semantic Web
RDF (Resource Description Framework) (W3C)
URI (Uniform Resource Identifiers)
http://www.slideshare.net/HatemMahmoud/web-30-the-semantic-web
http://www.slideshare.net/narain/semantic-web-a-primer
http://www.slideshare.net/freekbijl/web-30-explained-with-a-stamppt-ii
Semantic Tools
Sentiment Analysis Tools
http://www.rockyfu.com/blog/sentiment-analysis/