These are notes from a talk by Rick Allen titled “Bare Bones Content Strategy: Simple Ideas for Sustainable Change on the Web” during the HighEdWeb 2015. From Meet Content.

• We should plan for simple.
• Content strategy is simple.
• But content is complex. Content is confusing. Content is time-consuming.
• Complexity is often the problem (solving complex problems with complex solutions, but that is hard to sustain.)

Plan for Simple

• Simple means that tasks are easily understood and done.
• Not getting bogged down in difficult processes.
• Understand the complexity we want to solve. It is hard to simplify if you don’t understand the goals.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews
  • schedule, listen and guide, decide what to ask.
  • purpose is to help define broad goals.
  • identify the themes and shared goals.
  • Learn the purpose and value of their content.
• Understand the details
• defining Content Goals, Examples:
  • Provide new student information, resources, encourage engagement.
  • Describe the distinguishing characteristic of the academic program
  • Inform Current Students about course scheduling and policies
• Messaging Guidelines Examples
  • Transformative
    • Service Oriented, passionate, collaborative (define the jargon!)
  • Community Building
  • Valuable
  • Vibrant

Content Creation Workflow

• Sample
• Content Guides and tools
• Making Content Guides Relevant
• Content Guides and Tools
  • Page templates, Content Audits, Calendars, Schedules, Taxonomy, etc.

In the end, the best content strategy is the one that works for you.

• Talk results, not content.
• Don’t talk about the process up-front.
• If content strategy is working, it makes building content easier for everyone.
• Speak human, use plain language. “I make sure the content is useful for the people who need it.”
• Help people understand how content strategy will help them.

Peace
– KS
Web Developer at Benedictine University near Chicago