IntroductionWelcome| 00:00 |
(music playing)
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Hi, I'm Patrick Nichols.
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And welcome to Foundations of UX Content
Strategy.
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In this course, we'll look at how to
approach content analytically as a key
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component of delivering and engaging, and
successful user experience.
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I'll start by helping you see how and why
content strategy has emerged as a
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critical component of UX.
Then, I'll introduce the building blocks
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of content strategy.
Voice, tone and style, and how to apply
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those when getting started with your
content.
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We'll cover how to identify and work with
constituents.
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How to use tools of the trade to build
your content, and how to gauge whether
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your experience is a success.
Now, let's get started with Foundations
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of UX Content Strategy.
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| Using the exercise files| 00:00 |
We've made the exercise files for this
course available to all members.
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Feel free to download them and take a
look at the samples I've provided.
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You won't need to use them when taking
the course, they're there as a reference.
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And to help you get started with content
strategy.
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The CategorizingProduce, ContentAudit,
ContentMatrix, and CopyDeck are identical
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to what you'll see in the course.
I've added the Style Guide as an example
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of one way you might structure your own
style guide.
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Resources list some helpful websites.
And the Categorizing Exercise is there
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just for fun, to practice categorizing
creatively.
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Let's get started.
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1. What Is Content Strategy?What is content strategy?| 00:00 |
When you look at a website or use an app,
you're interacting with content.
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Content is the information conveyed in
copy, navigation and the visual design of
| | 00:09 |
digital experiences.
Content strategy is the concerted effort
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to present that information in
meaningful, useful and relevant contexts
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within the user experience.
Content strategy is a discipline in many
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creative agencies and mid to large scale
companies.
| | 00:26 |
This content strategist role combines
elements of information architecture and
| | 00:29 |
copywriting, along with editorial method.
But even if you're not called a content
| | 00:34 |
strategist, you'll use content strategy
in creating websites and digital experiences.
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Understanding content strategy will allow
you to deliver the right information at
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the right time and in the right place.
Information architecture and content
| | 00:48 |
strategy really go hand in hand.
Specialists in each discipline often work
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closely together in a user experience
team.
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In smaller engagements, one person may
combine the expertise of these two
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disciplines into a single role.
Content strategy places information in
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meaningful contexts.
That way when users have a website or
| | 01:07 |
other digital experience, need
information, they'll find it when and
| | 01:11 |
where it's needed.
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| Evolution of content strategy| 00:00 |
As a term, Content Strategy didn't gain
prominence until the rise of the Web in
| | 00:04 |
the 1990s.
And to many people, it's still entirely new.
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But since we began communicating, it's
always been in there.
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It's in our nature to ponder the best way
to communicate information.
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In Paleolithic times, cave walls were
sometimes used to record stories.
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While painters painted, the storytelling
that dictated the selection and
| | 00:24 |
arrangement of figures was a sort of
prehistoric content strategy.
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Fast forward to the 15th century.
Johannes Gutenberg's printing press
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employed movable type to rapidly
accelerate the spread of the written word.
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The urge to broaden distribution of
printed materials to the masses was a
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form of content strategy.
Mail order catalogs enabled 19th century
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farmers to shop from faraway urban
stores.
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The marketing of merchandise and the
arrangement of goods by department
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exhibited content strategy.
The 1950s in America introduced a golden
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age of advertising.
Copywriters, art directors, and other
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creatives worked together to sell dreams
as well as products.
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Their world was art and copy, but their
collaboration included content strategy.
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In the 1970s, Richard Saul Wurman coined
the term Information Architecture.
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To describe the logical approach to
ordering the waves of information thrust
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at us continually.
It's in the dot com boom of the 1990s
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that the term content strategy emerged to
emphasize the critical junction.
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Where copy, architecture, design, and
data collide.
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Content strategy may be a relative
newcomer, but its roots extend back centuries.
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The tradition of improving how we
communicate, continues today.
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| Exploring the future of content strategy| 00:00 |
As a disciplined, content strategy
blossomed in the dot com era, information
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access continues to change in ways we
couldn't even imagine in the 1990's.
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Today, content strategy is increasingly
critical in ensuring users can access the
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right information, at the right time, and
in the right place regardless of how
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they're accessing it.
By 2012, approximately 20% of all web
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traffic in North American and 10%
globally came via mobile devices.
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With mobile access continuing to spread,
many experts predict that mobile web
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traffic will surpass desktop web traffic
within the next couple of years.
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And with mobile access to content, it's
not just browers we have to consider.
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There are hunderds of thousands of apps
on multiple platforms.
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What does this mean?
There can no longer be an assumption that
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content designed for a website will stay
on that website.
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It may eventually be used in an app or
other digital experience.
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When building content strategy, we need
to plan for content that can adapt to
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responsive designs on different
platforms.
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Content strategy is more important now
than ever before, because it can enable
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content to be created once, and used in
many channels.
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As user experiences continue to evolve,
we don't know how content will be used
| | 01:13 |
down the line.
The best we can do, is insure content is
| | 01:17 |
flexible, and comprehensible, in any
context.
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| Setting the right expectations| 00:00 |
Content strategy is a relatively new
discipline, so you may need to lobby for
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its inclusion in projects.
The best starting point is setting proper expectations.
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You can do this by helping stakeholders
understand how content strategy fits in
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the user experience project.
A typical project includes four major
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phases, discover, design, develop, and
deploy.
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The discover phase covers research,
evaluation, and generation of ideas.
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The design phase yields the interactions
and visual aesthetic that shape the experience.
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That experience is built, tested, and
refined in the develop phase.
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Finally, the newer, redesigned experience
launches in the deploy phase.
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Where does content strategy fit in?
At every step along the way.
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In the discover phase, the content audit
categorization, gap analysis, stakeholder
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interviews, and personas are integral to
building requirements and defining the project.
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The design phase features development of
the style guide and content matrix, plus
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close collaboration on wire frames.
In the develop phase, copy decks are
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written, reviewed, and approved, and the
style guide is refined and distributed.
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And in the deploy phase, content is
evaluated within the experience, and
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updated as needed after launch.
There's one important caveat when setting expectations.
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Don't promise perfect content.
That's simply not a realistic goal.
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But you can promise close collaboration
with the project team and carefully
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constructed content.
That's just the type of achievable and
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meaningful expectation you'll want to
set.
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And it shows stakeholders why content
strategy deserves its place in user
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experience projects.
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2. Building BlocksUnderstanding tone and voice| 00:00 |
Each of us has a voice.
This is what mine sounds like.
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It changes somewhat, depending on the
time of day, how much I've been talking,
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how I'm feeling, and various other
factors.
| | 00:10 |
But it's generally recognizable as my
voice.
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Websites and other content resources also
have a voice.
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That voice should be consistent and
generally recognizable regardless of the
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context in which it's encountered.
How can we define a voice?
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Well, it's really an expression of the
brand it represents, and that expression
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is often defined through adjectives.
For a fashion retailer, the voice might
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be smart, stylish, aspirational and
sophisticated.
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For a sports news resource, the voice
might be upbeat, energetic, edgy and competitive.
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Looking at an existing site, you can
gauge its current voice pretty quickly by
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identifying keywords.
On this olive oil producers home page, we
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see phrases like, thank you for taking
the time out of your busy day, we hope
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you'll find, and love to get feedback.
The voice is meek, needy, and passive.
| | 01:02 |
There's nothing really promoting the
company or confidently marketing its
| | 01:06 |
olive oil product.
The home page of this art academy
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presents an entirely different voice.
Here, we see words and phrases like
| | 01:14 |
passionate, join us, excited, and don't
forget.
| | 01:19 |
The site's voice is impassioned, assured,
energetic, and conversational.
| | 01:23 |
Good content strategy enables you to
define the voice you want, and develop
| | 01:28 |
the content to reinforce it.
Tone goes hand in hand with voice,
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whereas voice is consistent and generally
recognizable, tone is dependent upon context.
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The tone of my voice can vary wildly.
If I'm angry or confused or really happy,
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that's reflected in the tone as well.
Content functions similarly.
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Tone depends upon context.
Think of a corporate website where the
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voice is authoritative, cutting-edge,
slightly boastful and completely determined.
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The home page may reflect a salesy tone
that matches the page's marketing objective.
| | 02:03 |
The about us section, on the other hand,
changes tone completely.
| | 02:07 |
Here it's restrained, factual, and
slighly clinical.
| | 02:11 |
That's because it's sharing the nuts and
bolts that bind the company together.
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The tone reflects that intent.
Defining the voice and tone you want puts
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you in control of how your brand is
communicated and perceived.
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| Shaping the tone| 00:00 |
Whereas Voice is generally consistent
across a digital experience, Tone varies
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depending upon the context in which
content is discovered.
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Three main considerations go into setting
the tone.
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Audience profile, subject matter, and
desired outcomes.
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An audience profile describes that
characteristics common to a group.
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Focus on those characteristics that make
your audience unique.
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What characteristics truly define this
audience and draw it to your experience.
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If you have detailed demographic data
that describes your audience, such as
| | 00:32 |
age, education level, and postal codes,
then that's perfect.
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Use your data to build your audience
profile.
| | 00:39 |
For most experiences however there are
likely won't be easily accessible in
| | 00:42 |
detailed data.
I's okay to infer characteristics of your
| | 00:46 |
audience but don't make wild guesses.
Stick with reasonable inferences that are
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fairly representative of your audience.
Profiles bases on inferred audience
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characteristics are called Personas.
Personas are composite sketches that
| | 01:00 |
reflect real world behaviors, attributes,
and attitudes.
| | 01:04 |
For a detailed look at personas, see the
movie Developing Personas later in this course.
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Whether drawn from real world data or
personas, audience profiles help you
| | 01:14 |
understand who your audience is and what
information it needs.
| | 01:18 |
So that was the first consideration when
working with tone, audience profiles.
| | 01:22 |
The second consideration is the Subject
Matter.
| | 01:25 |
What is it you're trying to communicate
with this content?
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The third consideration is Desired
Outcomes.
| | 01:31 |
What is it you hope the audience will do
with this content?
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Subject matter and desired outcomes will
differ across content elements, and these
| | 01:39 |
differences provide context.
Let's take a look at this olive oil
| | 01:43 |
producer's website.
We can infer the audience is researching
| | 01:47 |
olive oil.
Individuals may be foodies looking for
| | 01:50 |
new ingredients or gift givers looking
for something unique.
| | 01:54 |
Let's identify the subject matter and
desired outcomes that drive the context
| | 01:57 |
for each main section of the site.
The Home page introduces the olive oils.
| | 02:02 |
It should entice the user to click into
the site, beyond the home page.
| | 02:06 |
About, provides company information
should help the audience better
| | 02:10 |
understand it's history and tradition.
Process explains how the olive oils are made.
| | 02:15 |
It should encourage the audience to
interact with the available virtual tour.
| | 02:19 |
Shop presents each olive oil product
individually, and should encourage
| | 02:24 |
purchase of the oils on the website or at
a local store.
| | 02:27 |
Now that we know the audience profile as
well as the subject matter and desired
| | 02:31 |
outcomes for content elements, we can
shape content tone.
| | 02:34 |
While voice is consistent, tone changes
to support different contexts.
| | 02:40 |
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| Defining style| 00:00 |
Voice and Tone are the building blocks of
content style.
| | 00:03 |
To help shape that style, it's important
to establish your voice, and tone.
| | 00:09 |
You may be building a new experience or
reshaping an old one.
| | 00:12 |
If you're starting from scratch, the
voice is yours to create.
| | 00:15 |
Ask yourself, or your client, what
defines your brand.
| | 00:19 |
Make a list of brand attributes, these
will help shape your style, so will your audience.
| | 00:25 |
Make a list of key characteristics.
You need to know who you're communicating
| | 00:28 |
with in order to meet their needs.
Now, you can brainstorm a starter set of
| | 00:33 |
voice adjectives that reflect both your
brand and your audience.
| | 00:37 |
These adjectives will evolve into your
content voice.
| | 00:41 |
It can also be helpful to list what the
voice isn't.
| | 00:44 |
Defining voice in is, isn't pairs,
provides additional examples that help
| | 00:49 |
content creators express a common voice.
Say you're building a site for college
| | 00:54 |
students to share videos.
You know your Brand is original, curious,
| | 00:58 |
and funny.
And your Audience is young, social, and daring.
| | 01:03 |
You also know that your Brand isn't
passe, dull, or boring.
| | 01:08 |
Use these descriptions to guide content
development.
| | 01:10 |
Periodically check whether the content
you are creating matches the voice
| | 01:14 |
adjectives you started with.
If it hasn't and you feel the content
| | 01:18 |
satisfies both brand and audience needs,
then you'll need to revise your adjectives.
| | 01:24 |
For the video sharing site, it turns out
the content is better described as
| | 01:28 |
adventurous, rather than funny.
Now, you have an emerging voice that
| | 01:31 |
works well with both your brand and your
audience.
| | 01:35 |
If you're reworking an existing source,
the voice is already there somewhere.
| | 01:40 |
It's likely muddled, buried, or plain
confusing.
| | 01:43 |
You still need to define your brand and
audience and create a set of voice adjectives.
| | 01:49 |
Instead of creating content from scratch,
you're evaluating whether the current
| | 01:53 |
content matches the adjectives.
If it doesn't, then you'll need to rework
| | 01:57 |
it to reflect the voice, or you may need
to update the voice adjectives to match
| | 02:02 |
the content.
Once you've established your voice, you
| | 02:05 |
can shape the tone to match different
contexts.
| | 02:09 |
You shape the tone by examining your
audience profile, subject matter, and
| | 02:12 |
desired outcomes.
The audience profile is characteristics
| | 02:16 |
that make your audience unique and draws
it to your experience.
| | 02:20 |
Subject matter is what you are trying to
communicate.
| | 02:23 |
Desired outcomes are what you hope the
audience does with he content.
| | 02:27 |
Let's look at shaping tone for a computer
retailers website.
| | 02:31 |
Our audience is interested in technology
or just needs a computer.
| | 02:35 |
The subject matter is computers and the
desired out is a completed purchase.
| | 02:41 |
The contents tone should be informative
with a broad range of product information
| | 02:45 |
that gets more technical the deeper the
customer digs.
| | 02:48 |
It should be confident, projecting that
this retailer's computers present the
| | 02:52 |
customer's best choices.
And it should entice the customer to
| | 02:56 |
enter, and complete the purchase cycle.
Together, voice, and tone comprise
| | 03:01 |
content style.
What you should document in a style guide.
| | 03:04 |
For a detailed look at that process, see
Creating Style Guides, later in this course.
| | 03:09 |
For now, remember that content style, is
the embodiment of voice, and tone.
| | 03:14 |
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3. Getting StartedContent auditing| 00:00 |
If you're working with existing content,
the best place to start is with a Content Audit.
| | 00:05 |
Even if you're starting from scratch, you
can use it as a template for content
| | 00:08 |
creation during the development planning
stage.
| | 00:10 |
A Content Audit is a spreadsheet like the
one you see here.
| | 00:14 |
Each row lists a content element, with
columns capturing your objective and
| | 00:18 |
subjective analysis of each item.
Objective analysis collects facts about content.
| | 00:24 |
You'll want to use the spreadsheet
columns to list such basics as what the
| | 00:28 |
item is titled.
What it's linked to.
| | 00:30 |
When it was created.
And who's responsible for maintaining it.
| | 00:34 |
For more objective criteria, see the
Content Audit in this course's exercise files.
| | 00:39 |
If server analytics data is available,
it's also helpful to include how
| | 00:43 |
frequently the item is accessed.
How usage has trended in common search
| | 00:47 |
terms used to find it.
Subjective analysis is an opinion-based
| | 00:51 |
assessment of content quality.
In other words, is it still good and
| | 00:56 |
still useful?
Subjectivity is, well, subjective.
| | 01:00 |
But you can structure this spreadsheet
columns as a checklist to guide your analysis.
| | 01:05 |
Your checklist might include, is the
content relevant?
| | 01:08 |
Does it use the proper voice, tone and
style?
| | 01:11 |
Is it clear and easy to understand?
Is it up to date?
| | 01:15 |
You'll find more subjective criteria
examples in the Content Audit exercise file.
| | 01:20 |
If you're starting your project from
scratch, use the Content Audit
| | 01:23 |
spreadsheet to document content planned
for creation.
| | 01:26 |
Assign as much detail in the audit as you
possibly can even if you're making
| | 01:30 |
educated guesses.
The goal is to build a checklist that is
| | 01:34 |
useful for your project and for gauging
your contents ability to provide the
| | 01:38 |
right information, at the right time and
in the right place.
| | 01:41 |
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| Categorizing| 00:00 |
Categorizing helps us organize the
information collected in the Content Audit.
| | 00:04 |
When we categorize things, we place
similar items into groups.
| | 00:08 |
When conducting a content audit, we might
categorize the content by asset type.
| | 00:12 |
HTML, text, video, these are just a few
examples.
| | 00:17 |
Essentially, what we're doing is finding
patterns and defining context.
| | 00:22 |
Some patterns and contexts may already be
defined due to existing navigation,
| | 00:26 |
metadata, or other organizational aids.
But the challenge here is to not rely
| | 00:31 |
solely on pre-existing categorization.
You want to apply your expertise and
| | 00:36 |
judgment to categorize content
creatively.
| | 00:39 |
And logically independent of any
preexisting arrangements.
| | 00:43 |
Let's give it a try.
Take a look at these common items you'd
| | 00:46 |
find in a grocery store, and think of how
you would categorize them.
| | 00:50 |
Chances are, you would categorize them as
your grocery store does in the produce section.
| | 00:54 |
One category is fruits, another
vegetables.
| | 00:57 |
But that's because we're using
preconceived catgories to arrange the items.
| | 01:01 |
How else could we do it if categorizing
creatively?
| | 01:04 |
By color, by shape, by size.
Chances are, you won't be dealing with
| | 01:11 |
fruits and vegetables as content.
But you can take a similar approach when
| | 01:14 |
categorizing what you do have.
If you're starting from scratch, you can
| | 01:18 |
still categorize planned content to find
patterns and tentative groupings.
| | 01:23 |
Be creative and brainstorm different ways
to categorize content.
| | 01:27 |
Document categorization ideas in your
Content Audit spreadsheet.
| | 01:31 |
While you may not use every category you
think of, you'll want to capture them all
| | 01:35 |
for future reference.
When you use your creativity, you're not
| | 01:38 |
just relying on pre-existing categories.
Instead, you're finding new patterns that
| | 01:43 |
bring different content elements
together.
| | 01:45 |
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| Identifying gaps| 00:00 |
Once you have your content audited and
categorized, it's time for gap analysis.
| | 00:05 |
Gaps point to information that's missing
from original content and would be useful
| | 00:09 |
for users.
Some gaps will be easily identifiable,
| | 00:12 |
based on what you're trying to
communicate and the content you already have.
| | 00:16 |
Say you hope to leverage interactive
elements to deliver an engaging experience.
| | 00:21 |
When you complete your audit and
categorization, you notice the
| | 00:23 |
interactive elements are distributed
unevenly.
| | 00:25 |
Take this olive oil producers website.
The homepage has a flavor of the month game.
| | 00:32 |
The process section has an interactive
tour that incorporates videos and photos.
| | 00:38 |
But the about us section is missing
interactivity.
| | 00:41 |
That's a gap.
But we can identify an opportunity to
| | 00:44 |
introduce interaction.
The company history could be developed
| | 00:47 |
into a media rich, interactive timeline,
instead of being delivered in plain text.
| | 00:53 |
Other gaps will be identified through
your content audit.
| | 00:57 |
You may identify that some assets are
outdated and should be replaced.
| | 01:01 |
You may also identify that some products
have an incomplete array of supporting information.
| | 01:05 |
These are gaps that need to be addressed.
For now, list them as gaps in your audit.
| | 01:11 |
When you get to content development,
you'll know to add new content to fill
| | 01:15 |
the gaps.
If you're starting from scratch, you can
| | 01:18 |
still use gap analysis to identify holes
in your content plans.
| | 01:22 |
Then you can prioritize content
development resources where they're
| | 01:25 |
needed the most.
That's what gap analysis does.
| | 01:28 |
It provides you the opportunity to
identify and fill holes in existing content.
| | 01:33 |
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4. ConstituentsDefining your audience| 00:00 |
If you build and deliver content, but
there's no one around to consume it, does
| | 00:04 |
it communicate anything?
Audiences don't just spontaneously
| | 00:07 |
appear, they're drawn to experiences that
are relevant, meaningful and useful.
| | 00:13 |
To deliver these types of experiences
consistently, you need to get to know
| | 00:17 |
your audience.
Build a profile of key characteristics
| | 00:20 |
that are common to members of your
audience.
| | 00:22 |
Focus on what makes your audience unique,
and what connects it to your experience.
| | 00:27 |
If you're working with existing content,
you can use server logs to learn about
| | 00:31 |
your audience.
What search terms did they use to find you?
| | 00:34 |
Where are they located?
And what days and times does the audience peak?
| | 00:39 |
What social networks are users actively
involved in.
| | 00:42 |
And what profile data is available from
those social networks.
| | 00:46 |
If you don't have access to detailed
data, or if you're starting from scratch,
| | 00:50 |
that's okay.
You can infer characteristics of your
| | 00:53 |
audience based on what you know about
your brand and content.
| | 00:56 |
Stick with reasonable inferences that are
fairly representative of your audience.
| | 01:01 |
Say you're working on content strategy
for a museum.
| | 01:04 |
We can make some pretty solid inferences
about your core audience.
| | 01:08 |
They appreciate the arts, are likely
considering a visit, and are interested
| | 01:12 |
in current exhibits and upcoming events.
Once you know who your audience is and
| | 01:17 |
what they're looking for in the
experience, you can use that information
| | 01:20 |
to build content that better meets their
needs.
| | 01:23 |
While it might work for an Iowa baseball
field.
| | 01:26 |
For most digital experiences, it's not
true that, if you build it, they will come.
| | 01:29 |
You have to draw audiences in, keep them
interested.
| | 01:34 |
And bring them back with your content.
And to do that, you have to know your audience.
| | 01:38 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Developing personas| 00:00 |
There's no single audience description
that can apply to every user.
| | 00:03 |
Instead, we can categorize users into
generalized audience types.
| | 00:08 |
To keep these audience types front of
mind throughout content development, we
| | 00:12 |
can give them descriptions and names.
We call these Personas.
| | 00:16 |
Personas are composite sketches that
reflect real world behaviors, attributes
| | 00:21 |
and attitudes.
They reflect the Pareto Principle also
| | 00:25 |
known as the 80, 20 role.
80% of your business comes from 20% of
| | 00:29 |
your customers.
So, while personas can't possible
| | 00:32 |
encompass your full audience base.
They're designed to capture the essence
| | 00:36 |
of those who matter the most in
determining your success.
| | 00:40 |
To develop your audience personas, you'll
start by defining your audience.
| | 00:44 |
Identify key characteristics that are
common to users, and make your audience unique.
| | 00:49 |
Next, map audience interests to brand
attributes.
| | 00:53 |
What draws and connects the audience to
your experience.
| | 00:56 |
Then, match audience interests to your
subject matter.
| | 00:59 |
What will attract, inform, and keep them?
Finally, use these characteristics to
| | 01:04 |
tell a story that brings each persona to
life.
| | 01:07 |
To make personas seem more like real
people, and less like composite sketches.
| | 01:11 |
Assign them names and personal details.
That also makes them easier to reference
| | 01:16 |
with colleagues.
Let's take a look at three key personas
| | 01:20 |
for a museum based in Southern
California.
| | 01:23 |
First up is Susan.
She's in her late 50s and lives in Santa
| | 01:26 |
Barbara, just a few miles from the
museum.
| | 01:28 |
She's the mother of two adult children.
While she has a degree in art, she owns a
| | 01:33 |
small marketing firm but has cut back to
being in the office just three days a week.
| | 01:38 |
With her free time, she'd like to get
better acquainted with area museum collections.
| | 01:42 |
A second persona is Jenna.
She's a teenager who lives in the Los
| | 01:46 |
Angeles area.
She's currently taking an art history class.
| | 01:49 |
Her teacher recently showed the class a
painting by Paul Shellington and
| | 01:53 |
mentioned this museum would soon be
exhibiting Shellington's work.
| | 01:57 |
Jenna thinks maybe he would make a good
subject for her end of semester project.
| | 02:01 |
Don is our third and final persona.
He's in his early 70s and lives in
| | 02:05 |
Michigan, over 2000 miles away from the
museum.
| | 02:09 |
But his daughter and grandchildren live
near the museum.
| | 02:11 |
He's planning to visit soon and would
like to plan some local activities.
| | 02:15 |
So, he stays out of their way during the
school days.
| | 02:18 |
Each persona represents a different core
audience type.
| | 02:21 |
Susan represents a key persona for the
broad website.
| | 02:24 |
She's based locally, and wants to learn
more about the museum, and both it's
| | 02:27 |
permanent and rotating exhibits.
Jenna is looking for information on a
| | 02:32 |
specific artist, and his upcoming
exhibition.
| | 02:35 |
She may visit the museum in person, and
see more than just Shellington's collection.
| | 02:38 |
But her interests are primarily geared
toward that one artist's work.
| | 02:44 |
Don is an out of towner looking for
something to do when he visits.
| | 02:47 |
He's likely to need information on
planning his visit to the museum.
| | 02:50 |
And he also may like to preview the
collections.
| | 02:54 |
Three personas can't possibly account for
the broad range of users who visit a
| | 02:57 |
museum site like this one, but that's
okay.
| | 02:59 |
Personas aren't intended to describe
everyone.
| | 03:03 |
Instead, they're composite sketches
designed to reflect the real world
| | 03:06 |
behaviors, attributes and attitudes of
key users.
| | 03:09 |
For more on personas, check out Jen
Kramer's course, Website Strategy and Planning.
| | 03:14 |
Personas match core audience profiles
with brand attributes and subject matter.
| | 03:20 |
With these personas in mind, you can then
develop content to meet the needs and
| | 03:24 |
interests of the audience you're trying
to attract and keep.
| | 03:27 |
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| Understanding your stakeholders| 00:00 |
Your constituent base extends well beyond
the 80% captured by personas, and even
| | 00:04 |
the 20% that covers the remainder of your
users.
| | 00:08 |
You also have internal stakeholders who
are involved in, or at least keenly
| | 00:11 |
interested in your project and results.
Just as it's critical to understand, your
| | 00:16 |
end user audience, it's critical to
understand your internal audience as well.
| | 00:20 |
Who your stakeholders are varies from
company to company and project to project.
| | 00:25 |
But chances are, they may include your
boss, project team members, executive
| | 00:29 |
sponsors and content contributors.
You don't need to build personas to
| | 00:33 |
capture stakeholder needs.
After all, these are real people, not
| | 00:37 |
composite sketches.
You will want to interview key
| | 00:41 |
stakeholders and capture their input.
Document what they think is working well,
| | 00:45 |
broken, or missing.
Find out what they know about your audiences.
| | 00:49 |
Discover how your efforts can help make
their jobs easier.
| | 00:53 |
Let's look at stakeholder input captured
for a fashion retailers website.
| | 00:57 |
If you are a high fashion site, you need
to look high fashion.
| | 01:00 |
I want the site to be able to make the
right suggestions for customers.
| | 01:03 |
Our stores are known for customer
service.
| | 01:06 |
Our site should be the same.
From these statements, we know that
| | 01:10 |
stakeholders want a high fashion look for
their new site.
| | 01:13 |
A good system for making recommendations,
and a strong customer service sensibility.
| | 01:19 |
Stakeholders will prove critical to your
project's success.
| | 01:22 |
By capturing their input upfront, you'll
be better positioned to deliver on their
| | 01:26 |
needs and expectations.
| | 01:27 |
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| Working with influencers| 00:00 |
While stakeholders hold part of the
reigns to your project's success, there's
| | 00:03 |
an even broader constituent group whose
satisfaction matters.
| | 00:06 |
These are your influencers, who aren't
directly involved in your project, but
| | 00:10 |
have the power and influence to impact
its success.
| | 00:13 |
Influencers can be internal or external.
Internally, influencers may include
| | 00:19 |
thought-leading executives, colleagues
with public visibility through social
| | 00:23 |
media or conferences.
People on other project teams whose
| | 00:27 |
opinions and insights you respect.
Anyone with the ability to enhance
| | 00:31 |
prospects for success can be an
influencer.
| | 00:35 |
You don't necessarily need to interview
internal influencers like you did
| | 00:38 |
stakeholders, you should however make
them aware of your efforts and keep them
| | 00:42 |
appraised of progress through occasional
updates.
| | 00:45 |
A similar description applies to external
influencers.
| | 00:48 |
But here the term applies to individuals
outside your organization with the
| | 00:51 |
ability to raise your project's
visibility.
| | 00:54 |
These may be bloggers who like to
highlight the latest and greatest in
| | 00:57 |
their areas of expertise.
Critics who review new releases or
| | 01:01 |
updated digital experiences, journalists
and media representatives with the
| | 01:05 |
capacity to reach broad audiences.
You may want to monitor their thinking,
| | 01:09 |
and when the timing is right reach out
with updates that you hope they will then
| | 01:12 |
share with their audiences.
Be careful, however, not to reveal any
| | 01:16 |
proprietary information.
Work closely with PR or marketing
| | 01:20 |
colleagues to ensure coordinated
outreach.
| | 01:22 |
And if your organization has formal
policies for contacting outsiders make
| | 01:26 |
sure you follow them.
There's a risk in working with external
| | 01:30 |
influences, if they don't like what they
see they may well spread the word publicly.
| | 01:34 |
Even if this happens, it's a good idea to
absorb their criticism, evaluate their
| | 01:39 |
accuracy and relevance for future
enhancements.
| | 01:42 |
Remind yourself of the old saying,
there's no such thing as bad publicity.
| | 01:46 |
Whether internal or external, consider
sharing updates with influencers to keep
| | 01:50 |
them informed and apprised of progress.
After all, while they're not a core part
| | 01:55 |
of your project, they have the power and
influence to impact your success.
| | 01:59 |
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|
|
5. Tools of the TradeCreating style guides| 00:00 |
Walk into a bookstore's writing section
and you'll likely see a number of books
| | 00:03 |
called style guides.
But don't worry, we're not aiming to
| | 00:07 |
write a book, just a working guide, and
it's okay to start small.
| | 00:11 |
Style guides are living, breathing
documents that provide a blueprint for
| | 00:14 |
content creation.
The purpose of a style guide is to, well,
| | 00:18 |
guide consistent content creation.
And this applies regardless of who is
| | 00:22 |
producing the content.
Write the guide, so that anyone who picks
| | 00:26 |
it up can create consistent content.
If you've been following along, you
| | 00:30 |
should already have the information you
need to get started, voice and tone,
| | 00:35 |
personas, and key stakeholders.
You'll also want to add spelling, grammar
| | 00:39 |
and punctuation conventions that should
be followed.
| | 00:42 |
Something as simple as a serial comma can
spark debate among content contributors.
| | 00:47 |
Capture such potential flashpoints up
front to ensure they're documented and
| | 00:50 |
available for reference.
You'll want to list preferred word
| | 00:54 |
choices and their synonyms, so content
contributors know what to choose.
| | 00:58 |
For example, a computer retailer might
include preferred entries like laptop,
| | 01:02 |
which is preferred over notebook, and
monitor, which is preferred over panel or display.
| | 01:08 |
For an example of how your style guide
might look, see the exercise files for
| | 01:12 |
this course.
When your style guide is complete, share
| | 01:15 |
it with stakeholders and content
contributors.
| | 01:17 |
Ensure it's available online for easy
access when needed.
| | 01:21 |
If you work with agencies or other
external contributors, make sure the
| | 01:24 |
guide is accessible for them, too.
Your style guide will change after it's
| | 01:28 |
distributed, and that's okay.
It's a living, breathing document that
| | 01:32 |
can expand to include new style
clarifications.
| | 01:35 |
You'll want to restrict editing rights to
select individuals.
| | 01:38 |
You don't want just anyone making style
changes that trickle out to other content contributors.
| | 01:43 |
Keep your style guide up to date, and
ensure the current version is always available.
| | 01:48 |
That way, all content contributors can
use the same source to produce consistent content.
| | 01:53 |
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| Working with wireframes| 00:00 |
The wire frame is a document that maps
how information, assets and objects are
| | 00:04 |
arranged within a container.
That container can be a webpage, an app,
| | 00:08 |
or other digital experience.
Wire frames are extremely helpful in
| | 00:12 |
planning the relative heirarchy of
content within a shared space.
| | 00:15 |
You can use software like Omnigraffle or
Visio to create wire frames, or you can
| | 00:21 |
sketch them on a tablet or piece of
paper.
| | 00:23 |
What matters is that your wire frames
have a clean look and feel that's easy
| | 00:27 |
for others to read at a glance.
Though different wire frames can have
| | 00:31 |
different visual styles, most share a few
basic design elements.
| | 00:35 |
If you're new to wire framing, follow
these design conventions.
| | 00:39 |
Show copy as wavy lines or placeholder
text.
| | 00:42 |
Some people put real copy in their wire
frames.
| | 00:44 |
But I recommend against it.
You want reviewers to focus on relative
| | 00:48 |
placement, not real copy, and if you
think reviewers won't be distracted by
| | 00:52 |
real copy, think again.
The eye tends to gravitate to it by instinct.
| | 00:57 |
If you need to show some copy, use
placeholder text instead.
| | 01:00 |
A good placeholder text language is Lorem
Ipsum.
| | 01:04 |
You can find passages of it to use
online.
| | 01:07 |
For large navigation sections, if the
labels are final you can use them in the
| | 01:11 |
wire frame.
But as with copy, sometimes it's better
| | 01:14 |
to avoid too much detail.
The same applies to links, which you'll
| | 01:18 |
want to note if there're important page
elements, but probably won't want to show
| | 01:22 |
in detail.
Add images as rectangular boxes with a
| | 01:25 |
sample sketch or large X spanning each
form.
| | 01:29 |
If you have videos, show them as
rectangles with the sample play button
| | 01:32 |
instead of an X.
These are just a few examples to help you
| | 01:36 |
get started.
Follow whatever conventions will render
| | 01:39 |
your wire frames universally helpful and
easily understood for all key contributors.
| | 01:44 |
If you're working with an information
architect, he or she may build and manage
| | 01:48 |
the wire frames.
Work closely together to ensure content
| | 01:52 |
elements are prioritized properly.
For more on wire frames, check out Chris
| | 01:56 |
Nodder's course, User Experience
Fundamentals for Web Design.
| | 02:01 |
Wire frames are useful tools for planning
digital experiences.
| | 02:04 |
Whether laid out in software or sketched
on paper, they help you see and explain
| | 02:08 |
the relative placement of content within
a shared space.
| | 02:11 |
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| Developing a content matrix| 00:00 |
The content matrix is an evolution of the
content audit spreadsheet.
| | 00:04 |
Where as the audit catalog's pre existing
content elements, the matrix includes
| | 00:08 |
both pre existing and planned content.
It's serves as a resource for content
| | 00:12 |
contributors and other project team
members who need to check the status of content.
| | 00:17 |
If you have content audit, you can save a
new version and evolve it into your
| | 00:21 |
content matrix.
The basic format is similar.
| | 00:24 |
Each row lists a content element, with
columns capturing the details.
| | 00:29 |
You'll want to list the title and
description for each element that didn't
| | 00:32 |
come over with the content audit.
If a site map exists for your project,
| | 00:36 |
list where each content element lives.
Match the numbering or labeling system
| | 00:40 |
used in the site map.
For example, if we know that Admissions
| | 00:44 |
is labeled 3.0 in the site map, with
specific Admissions sections labeled 3.1,
| | 00:49 |
3.2, and so forth, then label the
corresponding content matrix entries as
| | 00:53 |
3.0, 3.1, and so on.
This will make it easy to match content
| | 00:58 |
referenced in the matrix, with it's
location in the site map.
| | 01:02 |
List the content status.
If it already exists, note that.
| | 01:06 |
If it's planned for creation, not that as
well.
| | 01:09 |
These are just a couple of label ideas.
You can use whatever status labels will
| | 01:13 |
be the most useful to your project team.
Note the links that connect content elements.
| | 01:19 |
Use site map labeling for easy reference.
Or, if you're not using a site map, list
| | 01:23 |
the title of linked elements.
Add additional dates to track when a new
| | 01:28 |
content item was added to the matrix, and
when it was completed.
| | 01:31 |
Blogs and other frequently updated
content elements are never truly completed.
| | 01:36 |
But go ahead and mark a blog as complete
when its content structure is finalized.
| | 01:40 |
Then, maintain a separate editorial
calendar to plan and log your blog posts.
| | 01:45 |
It's also a good idea to list who owns
each content elements, that way if
| | 01:48 |
questions arise team members will know
who to contact.
| | 01:52 |
Like the style guide, the content matrix
is a living, breathing document that
| | 01:56 |
you'll update throughout your project.
You'll also want to share this online,
| | 02:00 |
but limit editing rights to just the
people who need to make updates.
| | 02:05 |
The content matrix is a key reference in
the development of digital experiences.
| | 02:09 |
Using this spreadsheet will help keep
your project on track, and organized.
| | 02:13 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Using copy decks| 00:00 |
CopiedDeck captured text content elements
in a word file.
| | 00:04 |
They allow for streamlined review and
approval of copy, independent of
| | 00:07 |
interaction or design elements.
Each deck is a word document containing
| | 00:12 |
all of the relevant copy elements, such
as the title, headings, body copy and
| | 00:17 |
link labels.
To build your decks, start with your
| | 00:20 |
content matrix.
Identify all the entries that need copying.
| | 00:23 |
If you're building a website with 100
webpages, you'll end up with 100 copy
| | 00:28 |
decks, one for each webpage.
There's an exception for blogs and
| | 00:32 |
similar content systems, updated with an
unusually high frequency.
| | 00:36 |
Instead of creating a copy deck for each
post, plan and log your posts in a
| | 00:40 |
separate editorial calendar.
If you're working with existing content,
| | 00:44 |
match any copy decks you have with their
entries in the content matrix.
| | 00:48 |
Then, create copy decks for all of the
new copy.
| | 00:50 |
Next, look at your wire frames to make
sure you've captured all the copy.
| | 00:56 |
Wherever there's copy indicated in the
wire frame, there should be corresponding
| | 00:59 |
copy in the deck.
So, you may also need to include things
| | 01:02 |
like error messages, or help text if
they're indicated in the wireframe.
| | 01:07 |
Name decks to match their location in the
content matrix.
| | 01:09 |
For example, title your initial help copy
deck with the corresponding site map
| | 01:14 |
number and title.
The v1 indicates this is the first
| | 01:17 |
version of the deck.
You'd save subsequent updates as v2, v3
| | 01:21 |
and so on.
Add the file name of each copy deck to
| | 01:24 |
your content matrix.
Let's look at a deck for the tour page of
| | 01:28 |
a website on California tourism.
The deck includes each copy element
| | 01:32 |
included in the web page.
The title, heading, body copy, and so on.
| | 01:37 |
The text you see in the deck, matches
exactly the text you see on the site.
| | 01:43 |
Copy decks are great for collecting and
reviewing copy without the distraction of
| | 01:46 |
interaction or design elements.
Once approved, they're the authoritative
| | 01:51 |
source for copy that gets published.
| | 01:52 |
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|
|
6. Achieving SuccessMeasuring results| 00:00 |
Once your copy decks are final and the
content strategy is in place for launch,
| | 00:04 |
you're ready for the next phase.
While the development team prepares for
| | 00:08 |
deployment, you can turn your attention
to identifying ways to measure success.
| | 00:12 |
While you'll have made every effort to
deliver exceptional content, you won't be
| | 00:16 |
able to gauge its effectiveness until it
lives within an active user experience.
| | 00:21 |
Before your project launches, make sure
your analytics tool is set up to track
| | 00:24 |
the right metrics.
Some organizations will have teams
| | 00:27 |
dedicated to analytics.
If that's the case for you, then you'll
| | 00:31 |
want to work closely with that team.
If you don't already have an analytics
| | 00:35 |
tool, there are a number of free online
options to choose from.
| | 00:39 |
To learn more about online analytics, you
can find courses in the lynda.com library.
| | 00:44 |
If you're unsure which metrics to focus
on, think about the brand attributes your
| | 00:48 |
experienced highlights, and the desired
outcomes for your content.
| | 00:51 |
Then, choose metrics that support them.
Make a list of all the metrics you'll use
| | 00:56 |
to measure success.
If a key outcome is to get more users to
| | 01:00 |
purchase products, measure whether sales
are trending up or down.
| | 01:03 |
If a key outcome is for users to find
self help information and reduce support
| | 01:08 |
inquiries, measure usage of help content
and support case loads.
| | 01:12 |
Your desired outcomes define key paths
through your experience.
| | 01:16 |
Identify the steps along those paths and
measure how often users are finding and
| | 01:20 |
completing them.
If your project reworked an existing
| | 01:23 |
digital experience, for each key
measurement you've identified, get
| | 01:27 |
metrics to compare before and after
results.
| | 01:30 |
You should also track any user feedback
systems built into the experience.
| | 01:34 |
Such as ratings, comments, or reviews.
It's always powerful to demonstrate
| | 01:38 |
results through direct user feedback.
Until an experience launches, you can't
| | 01:43 |
be certain how much it helps users
achieve desired outcomes.
| | 01:47 |
Define key measurements before launch,
then track them to gauge the success of
| | 01:51 |
your new experience.
| | 01:52 |
| | Collapse this transcript |
| Managing content| 00:00 |
Content isn't static.
We change it to better support our users,
| | 00:04 |
deliver updates, and sometimes just to
refresh an experience.
| | 00:08 |
Such changes are part of managing your
content.
| | 00:11 |
Now, content management is a discipline
unto itself.
| | 00:14 |
We don't need to consider all the
technical ins and outs.
| | 00:17 |
But you should have a basic understanding
of how to manage your content after it launches.
| | 00:22 |
Evaluate content on a regular basis,
daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or
| | 00:27 |
anywhere in between.
How you set that basis depends upon a
| | 00:31 |
couple of varaibles.
One is the planned frequency for updating
| | 00:34 |
the experience.
Another is the speed at which key
| | 00:37 |
information in your experience changes.
Establish a schedule and stick to it, so
| | 00:42 |
long as it continues to meet the needs of
users and the experience.
| | 00:46 |
Use key measurements to test whether
users are achieving desires outcomes.
| | 00:51 |
Go through gap analysis each evaluation
cycle to see if you can identify any new
| | 00:55 |
areas requiring content.
Revise existing content as necessary to
| | 01:00 |
meet user and business needs.
Once the revised content is deployed,
| | 01:04 |
carefully follow the metrics to see if
they improve as you'd hoped.
| | 01:08 |
If not, then re-evaluate and revise
again.
| | 01:12 |
Sometimes, it takes multiple cycles to
achieve desired results.
| | 01:15 |
For blogs and other frequently updated
content systems, you won't want to revise posts.
| | 01:21 |
Instead, write new and improved posts
that better adapt to user and business needs.
| | 01:25 |
For content that has been replaced by
newer information, expire or archive it,
| | 01:30 |
rather than continuing to revise it
unnecessarily.
| | 01:33 |
Focus ongoing efforts on current content
that continues to deliver value.
| | 01:37 |
Again however, blogs are an exception.
Keep older blog posts active and available.
| | 01:43 |
Following these basic content management
practices after your experienced launches
| | 01:47 |
will help you support users in achieving
desired outcomes while ensuring the
| | 01:51 |
experience remains up to date.
| | 01:52 |
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| Advocating for users| 00:00 |
As content strategists, we get to know
our audiences.
| | 00:03 |
Develop personas to bring them to life.
Build style guides to deliver consistent content.
| | 00:08 |
All this is to meet user needs while also
supporting the business.
| | 00:12 |
Content strategy is a user-centered
discipline.
| | 00:16 |
It's critical we keep our personas and
audiences front of mind, throughout the
| | 00:19 |
development and maintenance of digital
experiences.
| | 00:23 |
If we're not meeting user needs, then
we're not delivering succesful content.
| | 00:27 |
Be an advocate for your users.
When you receive requests for new copy,
| | 00:31 |
navigation or interactions, validate if
they will meet user needs and expectations.
| | 00:37 |
If they're being proposed solely for
business reasons, it's okay to push back
| | 00:40 |
a little.
Sometimes you need to remind colleagues
| | 00:43 |
and stakeholders that users are at the
core of your experience.
| | 00:47 |
Keep personas alive as part of the
ongoing conversation, and continue to
| | 00:51 |
update them post launch.
Your audience may change with the new
| | 00:55 |
experience, so prepared to update your
personas as needed to keep pace.
| | 01:00 |
Often the team behind the digital
experience moves on to other tasks at lanch.
| | 01:04 |
Make sure your organization doesn't
forget about user needs as soon as the
| | 01:08 |
lanch date arrives.
Evaluate content regularly post lanch and
| | 01:12 |
revise as needed to continue supporting
users in achieving desired outcomes.
| | 01:18 |
Content strategy is a critical aspect of
delivering a solid, consistent, and long
| | 01:22 |
term user experience.
The more we can advocate for our users,
| | 01:26 |
the better their chances of completing
key tasks, and the better our odds of
| | 01:30 |
delivering successful content.
It's a win, win.
| | 01:33 |
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| Sharing best practices| 00:00 |
It's important to keep those with the
greatest stakes in your success apprised
| | 00:03 |
of their investment.
Keep stakeholders informed of progress
| | 00:07 |
throughout your project, as well as after
the new or enhanced user experience launches.
| | 00:12 |
But you can spread your finding to an
even broader audience.
| | 00:16 |
If other parts of your organization have
yet to embrace content strategy.
| | 00:20 |
Document your experiences and share them
as best practices, presentations, or briefs.
| | 00:25 |
Pull actionable suggestions from
stakeholder input, and show how you
| | 00:29 |
delivered on those goals and requests.
Demonstrating the benefits delivered by
| | 00:33 |
content strategy will both show the value
of your recently launched project and
| | 00:37 |
improve expectations for future work.
Outside your organization, look for
| | 00:42 |
opportunities to network with other user
experienced professionals.
| | 00:46 |
Conferences and meetups are perfect
venues for the informal sharing of experiences.
| | 00:50 |
Twitter is also a valuable tool in
building project visibility as well as
| | 00:55 |
your personal brand.
Share non-confidential case studies and
| | 00:58 |
best practices that will enhance your
organization's profile.
| | 01:01 |
LinkedIn is another great resource.
You can find dozens of content strategy
| | 01:06 |
groups, some of which may even be
targeted to your region or industry.
| | 01:10 |
You are your greatest advocate and the
individual most knowledgeable about your work.
| | 01:15 |
Don't be shy.
Share best practices that demonstrate the
| | 01:19 |
value of content strategy.
| | 01:21 |
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ConclusionNext steps| 00:00 |
As you move forward with content
strategy, I'd like to share some
| | 00:03 |
resources that can help you learn more
about the field and advance your career.
| | 00:07 |
I've included these links as a PDF in the
exercises folder.
| | 00:12 |
The Yahoo style guide is available
online, or for purchase as a printed book.
| | 00:16 |
Alertbox is a great bi-weekly newsletter
from longtime user experience expert
| | 00:21 |
Jakob Nielsen.
Boxes and Arrows is an active and
| | 00:25 |
thought-provoking design website with
many posts on content strategy.
| | 00:28 |
Confab is the annual content strategy
conference hosted by the consulting group
| | 00:33 |
Brain Traffic.
Scatter Gather is a lively group blog
| | 00:37 |
from my former content strategist
colleagues at the digital agency, Razor Fish.
| | 00:41 |
To really move forward with content
strategy, you have to start practicing it.
| | 00:46 |
Here are some next steps to help you get
started.
| | 00:49 |
Get to know your content, all of it,
audit what's existing, and build a matrix
| | 00:54 |
for everything you'll manage moving
forward.
| | 00:57 |
It's a time consuming process, but you
can't be sure you have effective content,
| | 01:01 |
if you don't know what all is out there.
Create or update your style guide.
| | 01:06 |
Consistency in voice, tone, and usage,
goes a long way towards presenting,
| | 01:11 |
successful content.
Define your audience and bring key
| | 01:15 |
segments to life through personas.
I can't stress enough how useful it is to
| | 01:19 |
have meaningful detailed personas to
check your work against.
| | 01:23 |
Interview your stakeholders.
They're the ones who invest in your efforts.
| | 01:27 |
Take their needs and interests into
account, and do what you can to make
| | 01:31 |
their jobs easier while improving the
user experience.
| | 01:35 |
Finally, be a user advocate.
Don't forget that you're work isn't done
| | 01:39 |
at launch.
Measure, maintain, and improve your content.
| | 01:43 |
Do everything you can to keep your
organization user-centered.
| | 01:48 |
I hope you've enjoyed this course, and
that you're excited to move forward with
| | 01:51 |
content strategy.
It's an exciting and growing part of user
| | 01:54 |
experience, and the sky is the limit in
terms of opportunities.
| | 01:58 |
I've certainly enjoyed getting to share
my experiences with you.
| | 02:01 |
I'd love to hear from you with any
questions or comments.
| | 02:04 |
You can find me on LinkedIn.
Go forth and create good content.
| | 02:08 |
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