Content Strategy: What is it and why is it Important By Denise Kadilak Information Architect/Team Manager TITLE SLIDE.

About Me Information Architect/Team Manager 17 years experience Creating and maintaining 1000s of pages of user-end documentation Technical-project lead investigating new tools, best practices, and workflows for a 22-member documentation team Led team’s move four years ago to MadCap Flare Part-time instructor at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH Teach the Technical Writing course included in the school’s Professional Writing program Past presentations: Flare workshop at 2014 WritersUA, Palm Springs Link your Way to Successful Content Management in Flare at the CMS/DITA North America 2013 conference Moving from FrameMaker to Flare at the 2011 WritersUA

About Me More stuff Moving from Adobe FrameMaker to Flare Webinar: Moving from Adobe FrameMaker to Flare Website: Writing with a Flare

Agenda What we’ll cover… What is a Content Strategy Why is it important How do you create a plan Legacy vs. New Content What is a Content Audit

So what is a content strategy? In very board terms Kristina Halvorson of Brain Traffic offers the most used definition: It “plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.” Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

What is a content Strategy? In very specific terms It is a lot more! Other stake holders? Deliverables? Corporate Philosophy

Why is a strategy Important? Creating content is no longer a simple matter Global markets Product iterations Short dev cycles – thank you Agile Regulations Advanced technologies Increasing deliverables library Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

Why is a strategy Important? You need to make sure… Content is easily translatable Satisfies a variety of output needs Is manageable in the short dev cycles Meets legal regulations Takes advantage of advanced technologies to simplify/streamline the publishing process Know outside stakeholders Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

Why is a strategy Important? It is not… Simply figuring out how you plan to manage thousands of content-carrying topics or hundreds of chapter-bearing files. Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

Why is a strategy Important? That is an element in the strategy equation, but because documentation teams nowadays do so much more than traditional “documentation” and work with so many departments outside of their own, a successful content strategy involves orchestrating a number of related elements. Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

Why is a strategy Important? It is not… A series of neatly defined steps Because, it’s also not a neat process Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? What it is is understanding… Organization’s content needs Documentation Training Marketing Support Cross-departmental relationships Cross-departmental outputs Your department’s outputs Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? What it is is understanding… All current deliverables Tools used Departments Effectiveness Rational Future needs Content Deliverables Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? What it is is understanding… Organization’s short- and long-term biz goals Talent pool Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? You take all of this… And you make a plan Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

How do you create a plan? In this plan, include details about… Content architecture Topic based, book metaphor, other Identify the content pieces Concept, Task, Reference Book, Chapter, Section Something else? Define each piece Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Content architecture Reuse/sharing strategies Best practices/workflows Formatting Style guide/tone Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Content architecture List all stakeholders How it will satisfy the needs of each stakeholder Potential stumbling blocks – and suggested solutions Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Relationships with other department Content they deliver Content goal Where are they getting this Tools used Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Output plans (pdf, epub, web-based help) For all departments including yours List all output options List those you plan to use Associate each output with the department need Address those you cannot satisfy - why

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Deliverables plan (video, visual walk through, full help systems, tip sheets, getting started) For all departments including yours List all deliverable options List those you plan to use Associate each with the department need Address those you cannot satisfy - why

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Future needs Make sure your plan anticipates these List known shortcomings Industry/market research Staying current with trends Understand biz goals

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Biz goals Know current and future goals Moving to the cloud? SAAS? Product diversification? Market positioning?

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Current/anticipated talent needs Current talents Missing talents Anticipated talent needs - justifications

So what is a content strategy? In this plan, include details about… Governance Relates primarily to architecture Who? What are their powers/responsibilities? How strictly do they enforce? Define reporting workflow/process

So what is a content strategy? This is a living document Plan for reassessments Be prepared to revisit elements

Legacy Content vs. new content New is easier New stuff Simply apply new stagey from start Neat and clean Legacy content Content audit Cleanup plan Messy

What is a content audit? In very broad terms Tracking of all content you currently publish Foundation of a successful content strategy

What is a content audit? A bit more specific Quantitative analysis that answers 5 basic questions about your content: What’s there? Who’s responsible for the content? How are users locating what they need? Is it satisfying the users’ needs? Is it up-to-date?

Where to start? Determine the size of your audit Full audit: Every piece of content currently in your system Partial audit: Varies, but usually focuses on the top few levels in your information hierarchy Or, content created during a specific time period (past three months, oldest-to-newest) Also used for print FrameMaker and Word output

Where to start? Determine the size of your audit Sample content Least detailed A random collection of content

Resources Content Strategy 101: Transform Technical Content into a Business Asset. Content Strategy Failure in 10 Easy Steps Reuse is a Good Tactic but a Poor Strategy Also used for print Framemaker and Word output

Questions? My contact information: denise.kadilak@blackbaud.com