HOW TO DO
CONTENT STRATEGY
Kristina @Halvorson
Coauthor, Content Strategy for the Web
CEO, Brain Traffic and Founder, Confab Events

What is content
strategy?

2009

Content strategy is
the practice of planning
for the creation,
delivery, and
governance of useful,
usable content.

Not just...
• What

But …
• What
• Why
• How
• When
• For whom
• By whom
• With what
• Where
• How often
• What next

2012

Content strategy
guides planning for the
creation, delivery, and
governance of content…
…plus a whoooole lot
of caveats.

Brief aside:
Content strategy vs.
content marketing

@halvorson
Content marketing is the approach of
creating and distributing valuable and
consistent content to a targeted audience,
with the objective of driving some profitable
action…
– “The Evolution of Content Marketing
Will Include Intelligent Content”
Joe Pulizzi, 1/12/2015
“

@halvorson

But …
• What
• Why
• How
• When
• For whom
• By whom
• With what
• Where
• How often
• What next

How I talk about
content strategy

Core strategy:
States where you will
focus your efforts to
improve content
substance, structure,
workflow, and/or
governance.

Substance:
Story, topic, brand elements,
voice and tone
Structure:
Organization, categorization,
component elements
CONTENT

Substance…
…fulfills business objectives by
meeting audience needs.
Structure…
…makes content findable and
usable for users, and
manageable for technology.
CONTENT

Workflow:
Roles, processes, tools
Governance:
Policies, standards,
guidelines
PEOPLE

Workflow...
...creates efficiencies
across content properties.
Governance…
...empowers, facilitates,
and aligns.
PEOPLE

What kinds of content
strategy are there?

@halvorson
Content Strategy for UX
Guides planning for the
creation, management, and
oversight of useful, usable
content.
Infographic published by IBM Customer-Facing Solutions.

@halvorson
http://blog.braintraffic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/structured-content.png
Adaptive Content Strategy

@halvorson
Enterprise Content Strategy
• Governance policies and standards
• Content management ecosystem design
• Organizational structure and content roles

What does a content
strategist do?

Point of View: Content Strategy
by Kevin Nichols

Point of View: Content Strategy
by Kevin Nichols

Point of View: Content Strategy
by Kevin Nichols

How do I do
content strategy?

@halvorson
Content Strategy Process
1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Architecture and Design
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance

Set the Stage

@halvorson
Set the Stage
PROJECT GOAL:
What are the concrete outcomes?
What are success metrics?
PROJECT TEAM:
Who lives where on your DACI chart?
TIMELINE:
When will activities, deliverables, and sign-offs
happen?

@halvorson
Project Goals: Example
Our goals for this project are to:
•Align stakeholders on a content strategy for our website
content that’s based on defined institutional goals and known
user needs.
•Determine the appropriate messaging and content organization
frameworks to support the strategy.
•Assess current content and identify content gaps to develop a
roadmap for creating or revising content.
•Develop content standards for creating and maintaining
content.

@halvorson
Project DACI team: Example
WORKSTREAM DRIVER APPROVER CONTRIBUTOR INFORMED
ANALYSIS AND
STRATEGY
EDITORIAL
PLANNING AND
WRITING
IA AND MODELS
CONTENT ENTRY
AND LAUNCH

1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance

@halvorson
Business objectives Current technology
Project objectives Functional requirements
User research Cross-platform initiatives
Stakeholder interviews Industry trends
Usability testing Competitors
Design research Content inventory
Typical Discovery Checklist

Content Inventory

@halvorson
Content Inventory: Uses
• Find content ROT (redundant, outdated, trivial)
• Identify orphan pages
• Get a ground-level look at your site’s structure
• Clean up or add metadata
• Assign content ownership
• Scope a project
• Build a business case (“here’s how much of a mess
things REALLY are”)

@halvorson
Content Inventory: sample output

@halvorson
Content Inventory: sample output

@halvorson
Content Inventory
Easy to automate. Here are a few tools to get
started.
• Content Analysis Tool [Kristina’s favorite]
• Blaze
• Clarity Grader
• …check with your friendly CMS administrator

User Research
(non-negotiable)

@halvorson
User Research: Why We Need It
• We create content that’s for ourselves, not for our users.
• We organize content the way we’re set up internally, not the way
people think about what they need from us.
• We want to tell everyone everything, just in case.
• We can’t prioritize content because we haven’t prioritized our
audiences, so people are fighting for real estate on the home
page.
• We make decisions based on our own assumptions.

@halvorson
User Research: It’s not that hard.
• Do an online poll.
• Create an online survey and invite people via email, social media,
website banners.
• Try a Top Tasks workshop.
• Do some online user testing.
• Interview your customer support people.
• Interview your sales people.

Stakeholder Interviews

@halvorson
Content ROT √ Stakeholder agenda
Current style guide Content owners
Content readability Workflow and timelines
Search analytics Metadata integrity
Legal requirements Translation requirements
Channel requirements Accessibility requirements
Stakeholders (Hopefully) Know This Stuff

@halvorson
Finding Your Stakeholders
WORKSTREAM DRIVER APPROVER CONTRIBUTOR INFORMED
ANALYSIS AND
STRATEGY
EDITORIAL
PLANNING AND
WRITING
IA AND MODELS
CONTENT ENTRY
AND LAUNCH

@halvorson
Some Good Content Questions
• Substance: Who are you trying to reach? Why? What do they want to
know? Is your current content accurate, relevant, up-to-date?
• Structure: Where is your content? How is it organized? What does your
metadata look like? How do people find your content? Are you
delivering content on multiple channels and platforms?
• Workflow: How does content happen (from creation to deletion)? Who
is involved?
• Governance: What are your policies, guidelines, and standards? Who
owns that?

@halvorson
Stakeholder Interviews: How To Listen
• Don’t complete their sentences.
• Don’t try to solve the problem right there.
• If you feel yourself getting defensive, take a breath. This time is
not about you or your needs.
• Don’t try to earn trust by talking about your experience.
• Learn how to take notes while mostly maintaining eye contact.
• Get full clarification. (“Let me just repeat that back to you so I’m
sure I understand correctly.”)
• Get comfortable with silence.

Pulling It All Together

After the Assessment: Your Analysis Report

After the Assessment: Your Analysis Report

EXAMPLE ONLY
EXAMPLE ONLY

1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance

@halvorson
What is a content strategy?
• A strategy is the path you’ll take towards meeting your goals
and fulfilling your vision. It may be one of a few parallel paths
towards the same goals.
• A strategy helps define what you WILL do and what you WON’T
do.
• All tactical initiatives must map back to your strategy.
• Your strategy should force you to prioritize and to say “no.”

OBJECTIVE
STRATEGY
TACTIC

Case Study:
junglebox.com

@halvorson
“We will become the industry leader in the pet frog supplies
arena by providing everyone with informative content, real-
time opinions, multiple touchpoint engagement opportunities,
and our ever-increasing commitment to defining the pet frog
lifestyle.”

• Rewrite “About Us” copy
• Curate articles about dart frogs
• Create interactive company history
timeline
• Restructure home page around top
tasks vs. top interests
• Do Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
• Start a daily blog

Content Strategy Statement

65
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Content strategy statement

66
This year’s plans and resources
will specifically prioritize
website content.
We’ll be highly
conservative about the
content we plan for and
create.
The content we feature
will be exclusively about
dart frogs.
We’ll create “Dart Frog 101”
content for people who are
curious about what it’s like to
raise and breed our frogs.
We’ll keep topics timely and
fresh for the advanced dart frog
keeper.
Our content is never “nice to
have.” Everything we share on our
website can be tied directly to a
product we sell.
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Content strategy statement

• Rewrite “About Us” copy
• Curate articles about dart frogs
• Create interactive company history
timeline
• Restructure home page around top
tasks
• Do Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
• Start a daily blog

Example 1: CS document intro

Example: Guiding Principles

1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance

Messaging Architecture

PRIMARY
SECONDARY
PROOF POINTS
“Is this what I want?”
“How can I be sure
it’s what I want?”
“Why should I
choose you?”
MESSAGING
PYRAMID

@halvorson
Junglebox Primary Message
We make it possible for you to
experience the joy of owning,
breeding and raising exotic frogs.

PRIMARY
SECONDARY
PROOF POINTS
“We make it possible for you
to experience the joy of
owning, breeding and raising
exotic frogs.”
• You love frogs. So do we.
• You might not know
everything about frogs,
but we can help out.
• You have found your
frog people.
• Our owner has been
studying and caring
for frogs since forever
• Testimonials tell the
story
• All product
descriptions are
written and edited by
our own experts
• We offer 360º service
JUNGLEBOX

Voice and Tone Guidelines

@halvorson
Voice and Tone
The voice of your content embodies who you are as
a company: not just products, not just brand, but the
mind and heart of your story.
Your tone will vary depending on audience and
circumstance.

Smart
These tiny springtails float on the
water’s surface, which makes it easier
to remove them for feedings.
Due to their tiny size, springtails float
on the surface of water. This trait can
be exploited when attempting to
remove the springs from their culture
for feedings.
Helpful Have questions? I’m happy to help
out however I can.
Should you have questions or
concerns regarding our live
specimens, products, shipping or
other subject, please contact us so
we may be of assistance.
Enthusiastic Our new vivariums have us hopping
up and down with excitement.
OMG! Check out our awesome new
crop of Dendrobates Tinctorius!!
Seriously, you’ll freak out over these.
FREAK. OUT.
Junglebox is… Like this. Not this.

Content Requirements

http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodclothingshelter/3697096198/sizes/l/in/photostream/

@halvorson
• What
• Why
• How
• When
• For whom
• By whom
• With what
• Where
• How often
• What next
Step on in, content strategist.

@halvorson
Content Requirements: IMPORTANT
Content requirements are more than labels on the site
map.
Content requirements commit us to living, breathing text,
images, sound, video, and all other content … content
that must be consistent, compelling, and cared for over
time.

82
This year’s plans and resources
will specifically prioritize
website content.
We’ll be highly
conservative about the
content we plan for and
create.
The content we feature
will be exclusively about
dart frogs.
We’ll create “Dart Frog 101”
content for people who are
curious about what it’s like to
raise and breed our frogs.
We’ll keep topics timely and
fresh for the advanced dart frog
keeper.
Our content is never “nice to
have.” Everything we share on our
website can be tied directly to a
product we sell.
Our website delivers limited, laser-focused content that
educates newbies, excites enthusiasts, and motivates purchases.
Junglebox.net content strategy statement

high level tree
frog audit

Template for a User Journey Map

FEATURED FROGS
Buy Dart
Frogs
Buy Supplies Our
Gallery
Watch &
Learn
Jasper’s
Frog Blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Contact
Jasper
Herpetology the way you like it.
Flexible space #1
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consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Flexible space #2
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
Flexible space #3
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum
non massa accumsan odio consectetur
FROG 1 FROG 2 FROG 3
Our
Story
Login | Checkout
JUNGLEBOX

Page: Products
Objective: Help customers understand we are experts who sell
the same high quality products we use ourselves, so
they will have the confidence to buy.
Source Material: Current site, product box copy, current campaign materials
Maintenance: Monthly
Key Messages: After 10+ years of raising frogs, these are the products we
recommend. You don’t have to shop around, because
everything you need is right here.
Priority 1: Highlight product categories
Only three bullet points (10-15 words each) for each category.
- What is it?
- What is it for?
- Why will it help you?
Priority 2: Intro text
One sentence about how Junglebox only offers the products we
use ourselves.
Page Table

Qualitative Audit

@halvorson
Content Audit
A qualitative process. Determine if what you already have
is what you need, and if it’s any good.
• On brand
• Readable
• Maps to user journey/needs
• Legal requirements
• Appropriate voice and tone
• etc.
Useful for gap analysis, rewrites, and content migration.

90

Template for a User Journey Map

92

Content Models

@halvorson
Content Models
A content type is a kind of content used repeatedly that has a
standardized (agreed-on) structure.
• They give content creators patterns of organization (maybe even
templates) to work with, simplifying their job and ensuring that they
include all necessary content elements.
• They provide a common communication tool for content creators, UI
developers, stylesheet creators, and print and publishing people.
• They give consumers a consistent – and, therefore, more pleasant
and helpful – experience.
• They create opportunities for content reuse that don’t exist when
content is left unstructured.
• They prepare content for automation.
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/intelligent-content/blog/content-types-noz-urbina/

Example: Content Model

Example: Wireframe Based on
Content Model

1 : Assessment and Analysis
2 : Strategy
3 : Editorial and Structure
4 : Implementation
5: Maintenance

Example: Content Strategy Roadmap

@halvorson
Workflow
Workflow means understanding not only what
processes and tools you’ll use to create, deliver,
and care for content throughout its lifecycle.
Workflow also means ensuring clarity of roles and
responsibilities.

Example: Enterprise Workflow

Example 1: Team Structure

Example 2: Team Structure

Roles breakdown
(annoying but
useful)

Types of Governance Models
https://www.whitehouse.gov/digitalgov/digital-services-governance-recommendations

WORKFLOW TECHNICALEDITORIAL STRUCTURE
INFORMING
STRATEGIES
PRODUCT DIGITAL
CONTENT
STRATEGY
BRAND
• What
is
the
Voice
of
Junglebox?
• What
tones
do
we
use,
and
when?
• What
is
our
messaging
architecture?
• How
is
it
applied
across
audiences?
• What
are
the
roles
and
responsibilities
of
people
across
the
content
lifecycle?
• What
system(s)
do
we
use
to
support
the
content
lifecycle?
• Where
do
we
host
our
content?
• Who
has
publishing
rights?
• What
is
the
metadata
schema
that
will
organize
our
information
and
data?
METRICS
• What
are
KPIs
for
our
content
properties
and
channels?
• What
are
our
benchmarks
for
content
quality?
• What
are
the
tools
and
processes
that
move
content
through
its
lifecycle?
LEGAL
• What
are
our
legal
and
regulatory
requirements?
• What
are
accessibility
requirements?
• How
is
the
content
structured
for
front-­‐
and
back-­‐
end
findability?
OVERSIGHT
• Who
gets
to
say
“no”?
• Who
sits
on
the
content
governance
council?
• How
often
do
they
meet?
UX
• What
are
the
content
requirements
cross-­‐channel?
• What
are
the
primary
“buckets”
of
information,
internally-­‐
and
externally-­‐facing?
ORG
STRUCTURE
• What
are
the
primary
functions
and
drivers
of
each
team?
• What
does
the
RACI
structure
look
like?
Adapted
from
website-­‐governance.com
108
Sample Governance Model

How do you make the
case for content
strategy?

@halvorson
Pain points.
• “We’re struggling with too much content across our digital properties,
with more being produced every day.”
• “We don’t know who owns the content.”
• “Our content is inconsistent, off-brand, outdated, even incorrect in
places.”
• “We’re partway through a website redesign and suddenly have major
content problems.”
• “We’re duplicating work efforts in digital and print content.”
• “People in our company all talk about content and content strategy in
totally different ways.”
• “There are lots of politics and opinions that make progress very difficult.”

@halvorson
Unanswered questions

@halvorson
Opportunities
DIGITAL SERVICES IMPROVEMENT
• Reduced content operations cost
• Reduced content approval cycle time
• Decreased content redundancy
• Increased flexibility of content production and distribution
CUSTOMER VALUE IMPROVEMENT
• Higher content quality, lower error rates
• Increased customer satisfaction
• New customer interactions
• Increased direct bookings

How will you bring
content strategy to
your business?

You can
find all
sorts of
tools and
templates
in here.

More Ideas: Books and Articles
- How To Create a Clear Project Plan
- Auditing Big Sites Doesn’t Have To Be Taxing
- Audit Sampling: It’s a Numbers Game
- Good Kickoff Meetings, by Kevin Hoffman
- Moments of Impact: How To Design Strategic Conversations
that Accelerate Change
- “Interviewing Humans”
- Just Enough Research
- Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
- What Is Strategy and Does It Matter?

Kristina @Halvorson
GET IN TOUCH!
Coauthor, Content Strategy for the Web
CEO, Brain Traffic and
Founder, Confab Events