This document provides tips and guidance for creating effective content. It discusses how content is important for setting businesses apart, attracting users and search engine rankings. It encourages identifying content opportunities and turning ideas into plans. Tips include developing brand, engaging audiences, updating regularly and knowing target demographics. The document also reviews techniques like using simple language and hyperlinks to make content scannable. Examples of content types are provided like blogs, videos and social media. Overall it aims to help users understand how to generate high-quality, engaging content.

1. Making content
Skye Doherty
November 2010

2. Content is the most important thing on your site.
It is what sets you apart from competitors. It is
why users visit you, search engines rank you
and advertisers buy digital inventory

4.  Find out what makes good content
 Identify content opportunities
 Turn those ideas into plans
 Learn how to record and edit audio
Today you will …

5. Good content can
Develop / reinforce brand
Get messages out effectively
Engage customers / audiences
Reach niche audiences

7. Check out these content producers
http://www.mediastorm.com/
http://duckrabbit.info/

8. Where to get ideas
 Stories
 Solutions
 Expertise
 Events
 Personalities

9. Task
What story can you tell?
What expertise do you have?
Are there any upcoming events?
What do you know that others want to?

10. Match the qualities of your content with
the right medium and tools

11. Stories Solutions Expertise Events
Text
News release
Social media
Blog post
FAQ
Newsletter
Forum
Q&A
Wiki
Blog
Press release
Social media
Forum
Sound
Audio slideshow
Radio package
Podcast Interview
Podcast
Podcast
Interview
Vision
Image gallery
Video
Social media
Slideshow
Animation
Vlog
Interview
Vlog
Presentation
Video, vlog
Image gallery
Maps
Social media

12. 1. Create original content
2. Update regularly
3. Know your audience and what they want
4. Use social media for exposure and reach
5. Make all content meaningful
Five tips

13. Getting the words right

14. Concise
Scannable
Objective

15. Techniques
 Simple language
 Deliver what you promise
 Avoid meaningless phrases
 Use bullets, subheads, emphasis
 Hyperlinks, keywords, metadata

16. The story: who, what, where, when, why,
how. If reader stopped now they would
have the facts.
Detail: expands on facts adds
information
Least important
information

17. “With the goal of prioritization and agreement
on criteria for a comprehensive recyclable cup
solution, discussions will address obstacles
and opportunities.”
Starbucks June 2009

18. “Primary prevention includes health promotion
and requires action on the determinants of
health to present disease occurring …
“It has been described as refocusing upstream to
stop people falling in the waters of disease."
UK Department of Health
C/- BBC Plain English Awards

19. Introducing the Breaking Borders Awards
Google
Kick start your year with a cleanse and enter to win!
Whole Foods
User post: How to use LinkedIn for biotech projects
LinkedIn
Webchat: Q&A with new General Motors North America
president Mark Reuss GM
Video: Cisco chief demo guy shows newest collaboration
tools Cisco

20. Task
Look at the press release you brought:
1. How could you improve the writing?
2. What other content could you create?

21. Introduction to audio

22. Recording
http://www.youtube.com/watc
hmaps
Editing http://audacity.sourceforge.net
Publishing http://podcastmachine.com

23.  http://skyedoherty.com
 www.twitter.com/skyedoherty
 www.slideshare.net/skyedoherty
 www.delicious.com/skyedoherty
 www.scribd.com/skyedoherty
Resources

24. http://skyedoherty.com