Online Content Strategy Move Forward
Within our field I foresee a definite turn ahead: less “why” and more “how.” The UX community has by and large taken the memo–content matters–but if the message is to stick, the next turn among our foremost practitioners should be to begin demonstrating deliverables, methodology and our measurable post launch value. Which is perfect timing for Paul Ford to inaugurate the first-ever course in content strategy at the School of Visual Arts in New York come January. No pressure, Paul!
For many businesses, content strategy is still in the awareness phase. They’re realizing they have a problem, and they’re considering different options for how to deal with it. Over the next two years, we’ll see more businesses decide that they need to change. Companies will take action, by improving processes to evaluate and maintain content quality, and by empowering content strategists within the organization. As a result, users will get a better experience, and companies will start to reap the business rewards of content strategy. But the first step that most need to take now is admitting they have a problem.
Content management and content strategy will find greater synergies. This merging of technical and editorial will give CS broader outreach at the CMS and IT level. The complex interdependencies of content strategy will embrace search strategy at the pattern level and how a site is found will not just be about SEO. “Web strategy” will become synonymous with “content strategy” and in doing so, CS will gain broader acceptance.
If 2009 was the year content strategy broke, then maybe 2010 will be the year we fix it. I’d like to think that we’ll move beyond the web-centric content strategy hype cycle and into a more fertile period of collaboration with mobile app developers, tech architects and digital signage designers. While we’re at it, let’s kill the “content matrix” and see what happens. Who’s with me?
What is top of mind for me the past few months is the resurgence of talk about gated/paid content communities. We saw so much of this 10+ years ago, and due to the economy and the financial challenges of media we are seeing it again. While this is a business decision in many ways, there is a strong content strategy component. A content strategist can help an organization understand user needs from a content perspective and therefore help craft a plan for what types of content would be most successful in a pay-per-view situation. In addition, a content strategist can help an organization better package and deliver existing content in ways that users want to interact with it (whether paid or not).
The explosion of social media has been a significant contributor to increased interest in content strategy. As smart marketers realize the benefits of connecting with and engaging consumers via social channels, as opposed to treating social as a broadcast outlet, they are more likely to experience the pain associated with not having a content strategy in place. Effectively executing a brand social strategy requires an editorial plan, dedicated resources and aligning your messaging with business objectives and meeting consumer needs and goals. As brands move more of their marketing spend to social, we are going to see content strategy become even more prominent.
Most people who know me will probably expect me to say something about the Semantic Web. Of course I’ll be keeping an eye on what happens there, but I’ve been tracking that for years so it doesn’t seem right to call it a new trend. I think the new thing that Content Strategists should be thinking about is delivering content to different devices. How do you optimize content for a growing number of smartphones, tablets, networked TVs, etc.? Not only the format of the content, but streamlining the process of creating all the content assets. And of course you can’t just take the same content, reformat it and push it out to each type of device. Savvy Content Strategists will be thinking about how to create new content products that take advantage of the strengths of each new platform.
Staring into my crystal ball, I foresee the rise in demand for influential content. Many have talked about possibilities for “persuasive” content and technology. Turning those possibilities into realities will be the trend. Businesses will press the interactive industry for content that resonates with people. Content strategists will deliver by weaving editorial, data-driven, and social content together into an experience that influences people’s decisions and behaviors.
An arms race has been building within content strategy. As powerful aggregation tools proliferate so too do tools meant to segregate content. The Cloud, feeds, and social sharing tools are delivering more and more content, while semantic tools and sentiment analysis mining are arrayed to counter that expansionist threat. The net effect, of course, shouldn¹t aim at zero sum. Content Strategists will be called upon to become expert in the diplomatic act of negotiating both of these tool sets so that a useful set of relevant content remains.
2010 is the year every agency will be racing around trying to figure out what the hell content strategy is and why their clients are suddenly demanding it. By the end of the year, it won’t be an optional service on web projects: it will be the most-requested service. 2011 will see content strategy tools and methodologies working their way into other areas of our organizations. New alignments will emerge between previously-siloed departments and functions, focusing on the creation, delivery, and governance of content enterprise-wide.
2010 and 2011 is going to be all about how we communicate as a content strategy community. It’s important to discuss trends and what the next big thing is, but let us not forget that it ultimately comes down to the community — the talent and vision of people like the ones who are submitting to this post. Creative collaboration, idea sharing, new methods of fostering talent, celebrating successes, and spreading the CS word individually and collectively. Let’s look for new and innovative ways to creatively connect, collaborate and communicate to fuel the CS buzz.
For many businesses, content strategy is still in the awareness phase. They’re realizing they have a problem, and they’re considering different options for how to deal with it. Over the next two years, we’ll see more businesses decide that they need to change. Companies will take action, by improving processes to evaluate and maintain content quality, and by empowering content strategists within the organization. As a result, users will get a better experience, and companies will start to reap the business rewards of content strategy. But the first step that most need to take now is admitting they have a problem.
Content management and content strategy will find greater synergies. This merging of technical and editorial will give CS broader outreach at the CMS and IT level. The complex interdependencies of content strategy will embrace search strategy at the pattern level and how a site is found will not just be about SEO. “Web strategy” will become synonymous with “content strategy” and in doing so, CS will gain broader acceptance.
If 2009 was the year content strategy broke, then maybe 2010 will be the year we fix it. I’d like to think that we’ll move beyond the web-centric content strategy hype cycle and into a more fertile period of collaboration with mobile app developers, tech architects and digital signage designers. While we’re at it, let’s kill the “content matrix” and see what happens. Who’s with me?
What is top of mind for me the past few months is the resurgence of talk about gated/paid content communities. We saw so much of this 10+ years ago, and due to the economy and the financial challenges of media we are seeing it again. While this is a business decision in many ways, there is a strong content strategy component. A content strategist can help an organization understand user needs from a content perspective and therefore help craft a plan for what types of content would be most successful in a pay-per-view situation. In addition, a content strategist can help an organization better package and deliver existing content in ways that users want to interact with it (whether paid or not).
The explosion of social media has been a significant contributor to increased interest in content strategy. As smart marketers realize the benefits of connecting with and engaging consumers via social channels, as opposed to treating social as a broadcast outlet, they are more likely to experience the pain associated with not having a content strategy in place. Effectively executing a brand social strategy requires an editorial plan, dedicated resources and aligning your messaging with business objectives and meeting consumer needs and goals. As brands move more of their marketing spend to social, we are going to see content strategy become even more prominent.
Most people who know me will probably expect me to say something about the Semantic Web. Of course I’ll be keeping an eye on what happens there, but I’ve been tracking that for years so it doesn’t seem right to call it a new trend. I think the new thing that Content Strategists should be thinking about is delivering content to different devices. How do you optimize content for a growing number of smartphones, tablets, networked TVs, etc.? Not only the format of the content, but streamlining the process of creating all the content assets. And of course you can’t just take the same content, reformat it and push it out to each type of device. Savvy Content Strategists will be thinking about how to create new content products that take advantage of the strengths of each new platform.
Staring into my crystal ball, I foresee the rise in demand for influential content. Many have talked about possibilities for “persuasive” content and technology. Turning those possibilities into realities will be the trend. Businesses will press the interactive industry for content that resonates with people. Content strategists will deliver by weaving editorial, data-driven, and social content together into an experience that influences people’s decisions and behaviors.
An arms race has been building within content strategy. As powerful aggregation tools proliferate so too do tools meant to segregate content. The Cloud, feeds, and social sharing tools are delivering more and more content, while semantic tools and sentiment analysis mining are arrayed to counter that expansionist threat. The net effect, of course, shouldn¹t aim at zero sum. Content Strategists will be called upon to become expert in the diplomatic act of negotiating both of these tool sets so that a useful set of relevant content remains.
2010 is the year every agency will be racing around trying to figure out what the hell content strategy is and why their clients are suddenly demanding it. By the end of the year, it won’t be an optional service on web projects: it will be the most-requested service. 2011 will see content strategy tools and methodologies working their way into other areas of our organizations. New alignments will emerge between previously-siloed departments and functions, focusing on the creation, delivery, and governance of content enterprise-wide.
2010 and 2011 is going to be all about how we communicate as a content strategy community. It’s important to discuss trends and what the next big thing is, but let us not forget that it ultimately comes down to the community — the talent and vision of people like the ones who are submitting to this post. Creative collaboration, idea sharing, new methods of fostering talent, celebrating successes, and spreading the CS word individually and collectively. Let’s look for new and innovative ways to creatively connect, collaborate and communicate to fuel the CS buzz.
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