Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life

You never want the contribution you make to your company or client to be limited to a stack of deliverables. It feels good to make a plan at the beginning of a project, but no matter how beautiful, detailed, or thought-out your deliverables are, if they don’t shape the website, app, or product you’re building, they’re worth very little.

Whether you call yourself a content strategist or not, strategy is a necessity. But creating a strategy isn’t enough. Putting it into practice has to be a big part of your skill set. I draw on past experiences and case studies to explain how you can take your content strategy from a high-level plan to a practical resource your company or client relies on.

Bringing your content strategy to life can be a big, frustrating, and messy task, but when it helps people in real, practical ways, it’s all worth it.

Transcript

1. BEYOND DELIVERABLES BRINGING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
2. ABOUT ME
3. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com MY EXPERIENCE… NON-PROFIT, CORPORATE, AGENCY
4. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com LONE PRACTITIONERS
5. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com EMBEDDED ADVOCATES
6. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com TEAM PLAYERS
7. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com YOU PROBABLY MAKE DELIVERABLES
8. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com SOME COMPLETELY UNFAIR DEFINITIONS OF “DELIVERABLE" AGENCY: “A THING WE CAN CHARGE THE CLIENT FOR.” INTERNAL TEAM: “A THING I CAN USE TO CONVINCE MY BOSS(ES) THAT I’M ACTUALLY GETTING STUFF DONE.”
9. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com WHAT MAKES A GOOD DELIVERABLE?
10. FACILITATE UNDERSTANDING GOOD DELIVERABLES… STAKEHOLDERS AT EVERY LEVEL CAN GRASP THEM THE IMPLICATIONS ARE CLEAR
11. DRIVE CHANGE GOOD DELIVERABLES… THEY MOVE CONVERSATIONS AND PROJECTS FORWARD THEY PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR FEEDBACK
12. SERVE AS GUIDELINES GOOD DELIVERABLES… PRODUCTION TEAMS RELY ON THEM DURING THE PROJECT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS EVALUATED AGAINST THEM THEY ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AND CHANGING
13. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com DESIGN DELIVERABLE FACILITATES UNDERSTANDING DRIVES CHANGE SERVES AS A GUIDELINE
14. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com CONTENT DELIVERABLE LET’S BE REAL: IT’S BASICALLY JUST A WALL OF TEXT VERY LITTLE CHANGED AFTER THE REVIEW MEETING IT GUIDED ALMOST NO ONE *muffled sobbing*
15. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com DON’T CONFUSE MAKING A DELIVERABLE WITH MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
16. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com PRACTICAL CONTENT STRATEGY COMMUNICATION COLLABORATION CREATION STRATEGY
17. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com WE’RE BUILDING CONTENT PRINCIPLES. KRISTINA HALVORSON:
18. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com WE ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS.
19. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com “YOU CAN CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE.” HILARY MARSH:
20. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com HOW CAN WE BRING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE?
21. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com BRINGING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE SHARE OWNERSHIP
22. IS NOT A COMPETITION CONTENT STRATEGY YOU NEED HELP FROM ANYWHERE YOU CAN GET IT WORK TOWARD ALIGNMENT, NOT ADOPTION
23. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com WHEN CONTENT STRATEGY WINS, EVERYONE WINS.
24. BE A PARTNER, NOT A PERFECTIONIST WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS, NOT FOR, AROUND OR INSTEAD OF THEM ARTICULATE CONTENT STRATEGY IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM
25. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com THE WAY YOU PRESENT YOURSELF AND YOUR WORK MATTERS. SHARE OWNERSHIP BECAUSE…
26. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com PEOPLE ARE NOT OPTIONAL.
27. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com BRINGING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE SHARE OWNERSHIP BE PRAGMATIC
28. LISTEN FOR THE REAL PROBLEMS YOU MAY UNCOVER UNEXPECTED NEEDS YOU’LL FIND COUNTLESS ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS LEAVE THINGS THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER
29. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com EVEN THE SMALLEST IMPROVEMENTS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. BE PRAGMATIC BECAUSE…
30. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
31. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com BRINGING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE SHARE OWNERSHIP BE PRAGMATIC TELL A STORY
32. AMPLIFIES YOUR EFFECTIVENESS TELLING A STORY HELP PEOPLE SEE HOW YOUR WORK IS SHAPING CHANGE USE TACTICAL DELIVERABLES THAT TELL THE STORY OF YOUR LARGER STRATEGY
33. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com TELL STORIES VISUALLY.
36. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
37. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
38. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com HELP PEOPLE SEE THE MESS THEY’RE IN.
39. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
40. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com PUT A HUMAN FACE ON DIGITAL PROBLEMS.
41. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
42. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com BE THE PERSON WHO BRINGS CLARITY.
45. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
46. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com BRINGING CONTENT STRATEGY TO LIFE SHARE OWNERSHIP BE PRAGMATIC TELL A STORY
47. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com LET’S TALK ABOUT LIFE
48. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
49. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
50. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
51. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
52. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
53. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
54. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
55. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
56. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com
57. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com LIFE’S NOT PERFECT. (SO HOW CAN YOU EXPECT PERFECTION FROM YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY?)
58. Beyond Deliverables: Bringing Content Strategy to Life | Michael J. Metts | @mjmetts | mmetts@nerdery.com THANK YOU!