"People engage with ideas, not channels. Ideas drive channel behaviour" Derek Robson, Goodlby, Silverstein & Partners
I was asked recently by a client to put together a workshop on digital content strategy. My own version of what content strategy is involves fulfilling customer needs and acheiving business goals by answering the kind of questions that have always been important for content: what's the story, who should hear it, how do you make it easy for them to do so, and what do you want to happen once they've heard it? One of the models for content strategy that I like comes from Yahoo (HT to the guys at We Are London):
Find:- making content accessible, available, discoverable
Use:- the content is fit for purpose, high quality, fun, relevant
Share:- spreadability and shareability
Extend:- the extent to which it can be interacted with, commented on, engaged with.
But it's the kind of subject, it seems, that is not short of different definitions. Some talk about "the practice of planning for content creation, delivery, and governance". Or there's "a repeatable system that defines the entire editorial content development process". Or then there's "using words and data to create unambiguous content that supports meaningful, interactive experiences". Sometimes it seems to be about content analysis, other times more about User Experience Design, or Information Architecture, or editorial development processes and content planning. It's a little confused. There are companies (including Facebook, Disney, Verizon, Ebay) who employ people who have Content Strategist on their business cards. But I'd be surprised if they do the same thing.
Our interpretation of what content is is broadening beyond recognition. And the ferocious rush of the media ecosystem (whether bought, earned or owned) towards complexity is as unrelenting as it is unstoppable. So it seems a better definition of what content strategy is is overdue. I'm rather intrigued to know, what do you think it is?
Leave a Reply