BUILDING CONTENT STRATEGY SEMINAR The tips, tools and advice you need to build a content strategy Whether you’re looking to get into content marketing, are responsible for your company’s websites and social platforms, or want to use information and advice to better connect with consumers, you need content strategy to be successful. But what is content strategy and how do you build a successful one? In this workshop, you will learn about the exciting new discipline of content strategy and a step-by-step method to build one — all with a focus of putting people -- those that will be consuming, commenting, and sharing your content -- first. Beginner to more advanced content professionals will learn how to develop a well thought out strategy that satisfies business objectives. Plus, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how one of Canada’s leading content agencies crafts award-winning strategies for some of Canada’s biggest brands. In this full-day session participants will explore key concepts of the discipline of content strategy and will apply these ideas to a business case. You Will Learn · Define the objectives that will drive your content strategy · Get to know your audience and their content needs · Find out what kind of content you have, if it’s reusable, and what gaps exist · Communicate your strategy and get stakeholder buy-in · Plan for great content · Maintain and measure efforts Key Take-Aways · Real-world content strategy examples · A toolkit of templates to use when crafting a content strategy back at your own organization · An opportunity to get answers to your tough content problems WHO SHOULD ATTEND · Writers, editors and social media managers · User experience and web professionals · Marketing managers and those crafting content for their organizations · Agencies looking for a primer on content strategy

1. Making the case for content
How to build a strategy & make your content work

2. Howdy, nice to see you
Mark Michaud
SVP, Strategy
@michaudmark
Baron Manett
SVP @bstat
SVP, Strategy
@bstat
Blind faith in technology.

3. What’s the point
of marketing?
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

4. Somehow we thought he
had all the answers…

5. We started to
listen these folks

6. And then this happened…

7. …and this…

8. … and then this.

9. Now this.

11. So…
What’s the point
of marketing?
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

12. What’s the
one constant?

16. People & the relationships
they have with one another
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

17. Makings of a good relationship
Empathy &
Communication
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

18. LISTENING
EMPATHETIC
RECIPROCAL
Conversation
MUTUAL BENEFIT
THOUGHTFUL
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

19. Where does content fit in?
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

20. It’s the
stuff
you talk about.

21. Content ≠ copy
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

22. Content ≠ format
2000 – 2012

23. Content ≠ messaging
2000 – 2012

24. Content:
The essence and substance of
your brand.
2000 – 2012

25. Think of it like this…
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

26. This is Brad…
…he wants a new car.
2000 – 2012

27. ?
2000 – 2012
Here
Here

28. Brad’s Journey
TESTS
CONFIRMS
BUYS
VALIDATES
RESEARCH

29. Brad has questions…
?
?
?
TESTS
VALIDATES
RESEARCH
?
?
?
CONFIRMS
?
BUYS
?
2000 – 2012
…we have answers.

30. This is
CONTENT

31. If
Q+A
= CONTENT
2000 – 2012

32. What is content strategy?
2000 – 2012

33. Wells Fargo
2000 – 2012

34. IKEA
2000 – 2012

35. KNORR
2000 – 2012

36. content
> What should we say?
> How do we organize it?
> How should we sound?
> How do we create it?
> How will we maintain it?
strategy
> Why are we doing this?
> What are the right channels?
> Who are we talking to?
> How will we measure it?
> Why are we saying it?

37. Content Strategy:
Content strategy plans for the creation,
publication, and governance of useful,
usable content.
2000 – 2012
– Kristina Halvorson

38. THE
PROCESS?

39. THE
PROCESS?

40. But there are tools &
approaches…

41. Here’s ours…
People-focused
content strategy
2000 – 2012
Blind faith in technology.

42. Let’s roll up our sleeves:
1. Challenge our thinking about content.
2. Prove that content is an asset worth investing in.
3. Explain how to think about content strategically.
4. Enable an approach to content strategy.

43. 1
2
3
Define
Strategize
Plan
• Business objectives
• Audience insights
• Content review
•
•
•
•
•
Overlap in goals
Strategy statement
Identify formats
Align existing content
Identify gaps
•
•
•
•
Matrix
Requirements
Tone and voice
Editorial calendar

45. Define
Gathering everything we need for the strategy.

46. Why?
What are the objectives underpinning your strategy?

47. You probably have
to deal with this

48. Tools that can help
Market analysis reports
Competitive Reviews

49. Is this a good objective?
Get more visitors to our website.

50. Get more visitors to our website.
Increase the number of salequalified leads.

52. Identifying True Objectives
BUSINESS
• Increase our share of
mortgages among firsttime homebuyers.
• Increase the number of
qualified leads
originating from the web
sites by 20%
MARKETING
• Be the “go-to” place
that first-time
homebuyers use to
learn about mortgages.
• Demonstrate our
ability to help first-time
homebuyers make
confident home buying
decisions earning the
right to get their
mortgage business.
COMMUNICATION
• We are your best source
of mortgage information,
tools, advice and products.
• Show first-time
homebuyers how to make
good real estate and
financing decisions for
their own situation.

53. The makings of a good objective:
ü
Measurable: Can be measured with a certain degree of
accuracy.
ü
Focused: Places emphasis on a single goal.
ü
Business impact: The objective is moving the business
forward in a meaningful way.

54. Your turn:
Let’s complete exercises one, two and three.
Here’s how:
1. Craft your business story
2. Map out your stakeholders
3. Identify your business objectives

55. Who?
What audiences are we trying to connect with?

56. Everyone!

57. Tools that can help
Audience research
Customer journeys
Personas

58. Unpacking the brief
The Brief
Gender: Men and Women (note that
single women are more likely to be firsttime homebuyers than single men)
Age: 25-32 and 35-42 (Gen Z and
Millennials/Gen Y)
The Insights
?
Education: Skews “some postsecondary education”
Influencers: 98% use a real estate
agent; 65% get pre-approval in a bank
branch; 35% get parental help with a
down payment

59. Unpacking the brief
The Brief
The Insights
Gender: Men and Women (note that
single women are more likely to be firsttime homebuyers than single men)
Doing their homework online, but
interacting in many channels. Gen Y
and Gen Z are technology savvy and
high education makes them technology
optimists but home buying in not an
online process.
Age: 25-32 and 35-42 (Gen Z and
Millennials/Gen Y)
Education: Skews “some postsecondary education”
Influencers: 98% use a real estate
agent; 65% get pre-approval in a bank
branch; 35% get parental help with a
down payment.
Process: On average, first-time
homebuyers view 25+ houses before
purchase.
Process is complex. With multiple
viewings, many influencers and
professionals involved and a dynamic
markets, the process can be
overwhelming, stressful and
complicated.

60. Unpacking the brief
The Insights
The Goals
> Learn about home buying.
> Learn about mortgages.
> Assess options to have confidence
in final decision.

61. Getting to know our audiences:
Data
Insights
Demographics
Hypotheses
Assumptions
Behaviours
Motivations
Goals

62. Empathy Maps

63. Your turn:
Let’s complete exercise four.
Here’s how:
1. Identify your audience and their needs.

64. What?
What content do we currently have?

65. “I want a blog!”

66. Tools that can help
Content
Inventory
Scorecard

67. Audits Done Right
Establish criteria
Look for sources
What you’ll inventory
Where you’ll look
q Name
> Websites
q Location
> Collateral
q Format
> Call Centre Scripts
q Creation date
> Archives
q Brand
> Social Media
q Focus
> Design files
q Notes
> Warehouses

68. 1
2
3
Define
Strategize
Plan
• Business objectives
• Audience insights
• Content review
•
•
•
•
•
Overlap in goals
Strategy statement
Identify formats
Align existing content
Identify gaps
•
•
•
•
Matrix
Requirements
Tone and voice
Editorial calendar

69. STRATEGIZE
Pulling it all together

70. The tools:
Content Strategy
Deliverables

71. Mapping objectives
They want to…
We want to…
> Learn about home buying.
• Increase the number of qualified leads
originating from the web sites by 20%
> Learn about mortgages.
> Assess options to have
confidence in final decision.
• Show first-time homebuyers how to make
good real estate and financing decisions for
their own situation.
• Demonstrate our ability to help first-time
homebuyers make confident home buying
decisions earning the right to get their
mortgage business.
2000 – 2012

72. Finding Overlap
Audience
Goals
Business
Objectives
2000 – 2012
Where the strategy lies

73. Spell it out
Our brand will engage with first time homebuyers
by providing them with a comprehensive source of information
and advice on all aspects of home buying – integrating real estate
information with financing education.
To ensure they can access this resource when they need it,
we will provide it on the web and through a mobile/tablet app.
They will be able to customize it and store info on their specific
situation so it acts as an essential tool to facilitate the purchase process.

74. Strategy Statement
Our brand will engage with first time homebuyers
by providing them with a comprehensive source of information
and advice on all aspects of home buying – integrating real estate
information with financing education.
To ensure they can access this resource when they need it,
we will provide it on the web and through a mobile/tablet app.
They will be able to customize it and store info on their specific
situation so it acts as an essential tool to facilitate the purchase process.

75. Finding Brand Themes
Truly helpful advice
Enabling client
success
OUR BRAND
Holistic view of needs
On our clients’ terms

76. Your turn:
Let’s complete exercises five, six and seven.
Here’s how:
1. Find overlap between your goals and those of your
audience.
2. Identify your brand themes.
3. Craft your strategy statement.

77. 1
2
3
Define
Strategize
Plan
• Business objectives
• Audience insights
• Content review
•
•
•
•
•
Overlap in goals
Strategy statement
Identify formats
Align existing content
Identify gaps
•
•
•
•
Matrix
Requirements
Tone and voice
Editorial calendar

78. PLAN
Mapping out how to get it done

79. Identifying content types
Audience
Goal
Learn about
home buying.
Learn about
mortgage
options.
Topics
•
•
•
•
What to look for when buying.
Which neighbourhoods are good..
How much house is too much.
What are closing costs?
• Types of mortgages.
• Available options like
prepayments.
• How to decide what’s right for
me?
• Process: How do I get one?
Format
> Video
> Reports
> Tips
> Step-by-step instructions
> Articles
> Calculators

80. Find Gaps
Audience
Goal
Learn about
home
buying.
Learn about
mortgage
options.
Topics
Format
Reuse
•
•
•
•
> Video
> Reports
> Tips
?
?
What to look for when buying.
Which neighbourhoods are good..
How much house is too much.
What are closing costs?
• Types of mortgages.
• Available options like
prepayments.
• How to decide what’s right for
me?
• Process: How do I get one?
> Step-by-step
instructions
> Articles
> Calculators
What does our
content audit say?

81. Your turn:
Let’s complete exercise eight.
Here’s how:
1. Identify the content you’ll need and list out if you
know where it exists.

82. The tools:
Editorial calendar
Tone and voice
guidelines
Content
requirements

83. Setting up a matrix
All the content we
need to produce,
edit or migrate.

84. Content Requirements
The Purpose:
Where is the source content?
What are the copy points?
Where are the wireframes?
Who creates it?
When is it due?

85. Governance
How do we do to
maintain content?

86. Your turn:
Let’s complete exercise nine.
Here’s how:
1. Try your hand at completing content requirements.

87. And… breathe ;)

88. Here’s what we learned:
ü Content is powerful: It’s the substance of the
conversations you have with customers.
ü Content is for people: Put your audience at the
heart of your strategy and it will excel.
ü Content is hard work: But it’s worth it.