travel website A little about me… 2007 2010 2013 2017 Started doing what I would later recognize as content strategy Got my first “content strategist” job title Quit my full-time job to go solo Confabbin’ Started calling myself a content strategist Founded Contenterie @camthemaam
lonely content strategist if… …all the time or just on certain projects …because it’s your official responsibility …or because you’re just super awesome …or both.
Maybe I have no idea what I’m doing. Why was I not pulled into this project sooner? Here come the blank stares… Do I know what I’m talking about? Do I sound like I know what I’m talking about? I’m not a glorified copyeditor! How do I explain that content strategy and content marketing are not the same thing? @camthemaam Has anyone even looked at my content matrix?
involved in projects • Collaborate with people who are not content strategists @camthemaam Good thing we’re content strategists! Let’s talk about how to:
and print content that makes your brand shine while efficiently speaking to your target market.” —Small business client “…the organization of all your thoughts.”—Solopreneur client “…creating a plan of communication, which enables you to tell your story in a way that highlights your company benefits, but also gives the reader a sense of your company personality while answering prospect concerns.” —Financial services client It can mean different things to different people.
how much content we’ll need and how to lay the story out.” For developers: “Content strategy will help us establish rules for what page templates we serve up and when.” Speak your audience’s language. For sales people: “Content strategy plans what to communicate and when to drive qualified leads into the sales funnel.” For marketing executives: “Content strategy helps us create a consistent, engaging omnichannel content experience.”
content matrices, perfectly polished style guidelines, and beautifully articulated logic. It’s a practice, not an exact science. (Sorry, Russell Crowe.)
• Require little to no pre-approval • Easy to get started on • Can be done in minimal time • Can be added on to planned efforts • “Content strategy bursts”
web copy for designers? What about including… • A quick one-sheeter breaking down the purpose of different page types • A simple voice and tone brief • An informal content hierarchy template • Labeling standards for buttons or CTAs
with content marketers? Why not try… • Writing up some basic rules for tagging and categorization • Creating a list of content components required for different channels • Making a reference list of naming conventions for frequently used terms
with customer research? Take the opportunity to… • List out frequently used phrases or terminology to inform future content • Log answers to common questions and run a few trend graphs in Excel • Sketch out a rough architecture of major insights or key messages )
business partners and stakeholders. Reframe your relationships. • People executing in other disciplines (designers, developers, marketers) are partners. • Your boss, product manager, and project lead are stakeholders. (So are actual clients.)
• Get their own work done • Receive help with their challenges • Make their stakeholders happy • Feel proud of the final work product Stakeholders want to: • Make a smart investment • Get the work done on schedule • Make their stakeholders happy • See a final work product that achieves their goals Start by understanding their needs.
right now?” “What worked in the past? What didn’t?” “What would make things easier for you?” “What does your boss want to see?” “How are things going?”
People you collaborate well with • People who are sold on content strategy • People who just really need your help Enlist their help. • Ask them to help you stay looped in. • Ask to piggyback on their presentations. • Ask to include your activities on their schedules. /
what you’ll do and how you’ll do it. • Resist letting others dictate the tasks you focus on (or the deliverables you produce). • Let your clients and internal stakeholders clarify goals and challenges instead of needs and deliverables. @camthemaam Forge your own path.
of SEO hacks —I’ll do some research into what our target audiences are searching for.” @camthemaam Know your redirects. • Turn the tables. “You know what, I’d love to sit down with you and pick your brain about how that could help. When are you free?” • When all else fails, delay. “That’s a really interesting idea. Let me process a little and circle back later.”
scope of effort as building a content strategy proposal. •You need to clearly define the goal of your efforts and how you’ll get there —not just what you’ll produce.
“I recommend doing a content audit.” “I’ll spend some time evaluating all the content we have to work with, so we know what needs to be updated and what we can get rid of.” “I’d like to implement adaptive content.” “I’m going to figure out exactly what chunks of content we need, where, and make a list so we know what fields to add to the CMS / our content templates.” “I’m working on a content matrix.” “I’m making a tracking system for us to keep tabs on all the moving parts here, so we don’t fall behind or miss anything.”
I'm the brand and creative director at a local restaurant group, and I'm looking for help with content strategy. We are launching a new hospitality brand and website and I need some copy for that site, in addition to guidance for a blog I'd like to launch along with a social media presence.
and creative director, to create a new hospitality brand website with a connected blog by exploring the hospitality brand identity (voice and tone) and target audience and evaluating the business’ short- and long-term goals to create a digital presence for their new brand that resonates with the right people and reflects their vibe.
for new website • Blog strategy & planning • Social media marketing strategy • Cohesive voice across brand collateral • Small team / limited resources • Creating a realistic blog calendar • Variety of audiences • Site design already baked • Not cannibalizing existing social Potential Quick Wins Larger Opportunities • Brand voice characteristics • Audience prioritization • Basic blog production process • Copywriting guidelines (one-sheeter) • Audience research/interviews • Organizational workshop to get alignment and build excitement • Page outlines / content “wire frames” • Full brand identity & messaging guide
palkan
jnunemaker
chriscoyier
keavy
techseoconnect
ryanjones
aleyda
gurzu
tmiket
danielanewman
reverentgeek
jonoalderson
![@camthemaam Everything around you that you call [work] was made](https://files.speakerdeck.com/presentations/06a42f7be7d44e44ad814ba2ae4ca6dd/slide_20.jpg){kind=link}
![@camthemaam Start by clarifying your task. I will help [stakeholder]](https://files.speakerdeck.com/presentations/06a42f7be7d44e44ad814ba2ae4ca6dd/slide_48.jpg){kind=link}
![That’s a wrap! Questions? [email protected] @camthemaam](https://files.speakerdeck.com/presentations/06a42f7be7d44e44ad814ba2ae4ca6dd/slide_55.jpg){kind=link}