This step-by-step approach to content strategy is designed for beginners and more advanced content strategist. It breaks down the steps needed to build out a content strategy -- all with a focus of putting people first.

1. People-focused content
Tips, tools and advice to make your content strategy work

2. PROMISE:
1. Challenge your thinking about content.
2. Show you that content is an asset worth investing in.
3. Explain how to think about content strategically.
4. Arm you with an approach to content strategy.

4. So far, a lot of this…

5. With not enough focus on this…

6. Content ≠ copy
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

7. Content ≠ format
2000 – 2012

8. Content ≠ messaging
2000 – 2012

9. So, what is content…really?
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

10. Content:
The essence and substance of
your brand’s conversations.
2000 – 2012

11. HUH?!

12. Think of it like this…
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

13. This is Brad…
…he wants a new car.
2000 – 2012

14. ?
2000 – 2012
Here Here

15. Brad’s Journey

16. Brad has questions…
? ? ?
?
?
? ?
2000 – 2012
? …we have answers.

17. This is
CONTENT

18. If ? = CONTENT
2000 – 2012

19. What is content strategy?
2000 – 2012

20. the SUBSTANCE the ESSENCE
content strategy
> What should we say? > Why are we doing this?
> Which format do we use? > What are the right channels?
> How should we sound? > Who are we talking to?
> How do we create it? > How will we measure it?
> How will we maintain it? > Why are we saying it?

21. Content Strategy:
Content strategy plans for the creation,
publication, and governance of useful,
usable content.
2000 – 2012
– Kristina Halvorson

22. THE PROCESS?

23. THE PROCESS?

24. But there are tools &
approaches…

25. Here’s ours…
People-focused
content strategy
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

26. 1 2 3
Define Strategize Plan
• Business objectives • Overlap in goals • Matrix
• Audience insights • Strategy statement • Requirements
• Content review • Identify formats • Tone and voice
• Align existing content • Editorial calendar
• Identify gaps

28. Define
Gathering everything we need for the strategy.

29. Why?
What are the objectives underpinning your strategy?

30. The tools:
Market analysis reports
Competitive
Reviews

31. Is this a good objective?
Get more visitors to our website.

32. Get more visitors to our website.
Increase the number of sale-
qualified leads.

33. Identifying True Objectives
BUSINESS MARKETING COMMUNICATION
• Reinforce the brand as • Create a unified web • A legitimate charitable
a legitimate charitable presence that allows organization
organization donors, information
seekers and grant • Show how easy giving
applicants to engage can be and how small
• Increase donations with the brand monthly contributions
from $140,000 to add up.
$200,000 in 2013 • Tell the story of the
brand online, building
a deeper relationship
with existing and
prospective donors,
increasing the
likelihood of donation
frequency and amount

34. The makings of a good objective:
 Measurable: Can be measured with a certain degree of
accuracy.
 Focused: Places emphasis on a single goal.
 Business impact: The objective is moving the business
forward in a meaningful way.

35. Who?
What audiences are we trying to connect with?

36. The tools:
Audience research
Customer journeys
Personas

37. Unpacking the brief
The Brief The Insights
Gender: Men and Women (note that
?
84% of Canadian men also report
making regular donations to charities,
compared with 86% of women)
Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and
older boomers)
Education: University educated
Avg. annual contribution: $725
Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians

38. Unpacking the brief
The Brief The Insights
Gender: Men and Women (note that Doing their homework online, but
84% of Canadian men also report interacting offline. Boomers are more
making regular donations to charities, likely to research a charity before
compared with 86% of women) making a donation – generally on the
organization’s website.
Age: 45-54 and 55-64 (younger and
older boomers)
A personal connection is often the
key to giving. Boomers respond more
Education: University educated
generously to personal requests to give
(i.e. charitable events). But the
Avg. annual contribution: $725
likelihood that the donor is somehow
personally connected to the cause
Size of the market: 570,000 Canadians
significantly increases the likelihood
they will give.

39. Unpacking the brief
The Insights The Goals
Doing their homework online, but > Make a donation online.
interacting offline. Boomers are more
likely to research a charity before > Read more about the charity.
making a donation – generally on the
organization’s website. > Learn more about the projects they
support.
A personal connection is often the
key to giving. Boomers respond more
generously to personal requests to give
(i.e. charitable events). But the
likelihood that the donor is somehow
personally connected to the cause
significantly increases the likelihood
they will give.

40. Getting to know our audiences:
Data Insights
Demographics Behaviours
Hypotheses Motivations
Assumptions Goals

41. What?
What content do we currently have?

42. The tools:
Content
Inventory
Scorecard

43. Audits Done Right
Establish criteria Look for sources
What you’ll inventory Where you’ll look
 Name > Websites
 Location > Collateral
 Format > Call Centre Scripts
 Creation date > Archives
 Brand > Social Media
 Focus > Design files
 Notes > Warehouses

44. STRATEGIZE
Pulling it all together

45. The tools:
Content Strategy
Deliverables

46. Mapping objectives
They want to… We want to…
> Make a donation online. > Tell the story of the brand online,
building a deeper relationship with
> Read more about the existing and prospective donors,
charity. increasing the likelihood of donation
frequency and amount.
> Learn more about the
projects they support.
>Increase donations from $140,000 to
$200,000 in 2013.
> Show how easy giving can be and how
small monthly contributions add up.
2000 – 2012

47. Mapping objectives
They want to… We want to…
> Make a donation online. > Tell the story of the brand online,
building a deeper relationship with
> Read more about the existing and prospective donors,
charity. increasing the likelihood of donation
frequency and amount.
> Learn more about the
projects they support.
>Increase donations from $140,000 to
$200,000 in 2013.
> Show how easy giving can be and how
small monthly contributions add up.
2000 – 2012

48. Finding Overlap
Business
User Goals Objectives
2000 – 2012
Where the strategy lies

49. Spell it out
A single destination to learn about, support and donate
to Save the Trees.

50. Strategy Statement
Everything in one place. Bring all the Just for them. Anyone who is looking to have an
information about the brand together in a single and impact on their local environment can join in by
convenient location. No searching, no hassle. Get it supporting, donating or applying for money.
and go.
A single destination to learn about, support and donate
to Save the Trees.
Broad reach, local impact. Save the Trees has an
enormous impact in the lives of Canadians, in their communities
and across the country. Lets brag a little.

51. Understanding the Model
The nature of the
Business Audience
conversation
What does the conversation
sound like? Is it educational?
supportive? Etc.

52. Identifying content types
User goal Type (Model) Format
Read more > Video
about the Inspirational > Project profiles
charity. > Tips
Make a
Instructional > Functional copy
donation.
> Project stories

53. Find Gaps
User goal Type (Model) Format Reuse
?
Read more > Video
about the Inspirational > Project profiles
charity. > Tips
Make a
donation.
Instructional > Functional copy
> Project stories ?
What does our
content audit say?

54. PLAN
Mapping out how to get it done

55. The tools:
Editorial calendar
Tone and voice Content
guidelines requirements

56. Setting up a matrix
All the content we
need to produce,
edit or migrate.

57. Content Requirements
The Purpose:
Where is the source content?
What are the copy points?
Where are the wireframes?
Who creates it?
When is it due?

58. Governance
How do we
maintain the content?

59. And… breathe ;)

60. Here’s what we learned:
 Content is powerful: It’s the substance of the
conversations you have with customers.
 Content is for people: Put your audience at the
heart of your strategy and it will excel.
 Content is hard work: But it’s worth it.

61. Ready for the next level?
Download the whitepaper.
contentmaturity.com
Blind faith in technology.