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2011© 2011 Margot Bloomstein CS Forum 090511 @mbloomstein FIRST THINGS FIRST: MESSAGE MATTERS.

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2011 Unless you understand what people are trying to do with your content you cannot know if it’s working or not.” (Gerry McGovern, 45 minutes ago) “

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2011 Your serve.

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2011 Why content strategy?

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2011 Why content strategy? Because we all want the same thing, but content keeps getting in the way.

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2011 Deliver on time

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2011 Maintain a consistent vision

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2011 Ensure the site can evolve

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2011 Support a holistic user experience

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2011 Minimize revisions

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2011 Maintain long-term consistency

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2011 Keep the voice in microcopy

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2011 Ensure cross-channel consistency

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2011 Ensure cross-channel consistency …among multiple bloggers

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2011 Ensure cross-channel consistency …among print and web and phone

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2011 Ensure cross-channel consistency …between Twitter and Facebook

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2011 Ensure cross-platform consistency (and contextual relevance)

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2011

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2011 First things first.

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2011 First things first. What do you need to communicate?

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter, consolidate the current site architecture,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter, consolidate the current site architecture, add video testimonials,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter, consolidate the current site architecture, add video testimonials, incorporate user reviews,

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter, consolidate the current site architecture, add video testimonials, incorporate user reviews, develop new brand guidelines…

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2011 First things first. Why even do this…redesign this website, let the CEO start blogging, audit the content, start engaging on Twitter, consolidate the current site architecture, add video testimonials, incorporate user reviews, develop new brand guidelines… if you don’t know what you need to communicate?

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2011 If you don’t know what you need to communicate, how will you know if you succeed?

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2011 Establish the message architecture.

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2011 Establish the message architecture.

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2011 What’s a message architecture? A hierarchy of communication goals that reflects a common vocabulary.

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2011 What’s a message architecture? Concrete, shared terminology, not abstract concepts.

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2011 Make us look innovative, but not risky.

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2011 It should say traditional, but edgy.

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2011 Words are valuable, but meaningless without context and priority.

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2011 How? • Engage in a tangible, hands-on way • Encourage debate and conversation • Identify points of disagreement • Prevent seagulling • Force prioritization • Encourage ownership & investment

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2011 Cardsorting Step one: • Who we are • Who we’re not • Who we’d like to be (my methodology)

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2011

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2011 Cardsorting Step two: • Who we are  Who we’d like to be

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2011

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2011 Cardsorting Step three: • Prioritize the goals • Tell the story of those aspirations

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2011 Why do this?

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2011

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2011

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2011 Why do this? Words are cheaper than comps.

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2011 Why do this? Let creative colleagues refine the concept, rather than confirm the purpose.

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2011 Why do this? Gain standards by which to conduct a qualitative audit. (What is “good” anyway?)

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2011 Why do this? Sell new content types to manifest the message architecture—not just because they’re trendy.

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2011 A little thing with big impact.

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2011 A little thing with big impact. How could we prove this is a car not like anything else out there? It’s a small car, but it’s premium. You get a Porsche 911 ride for a fifth of the cost. It’s got history… but in Europe. You need to give people content to give them history.” “

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2011 A little thing with big impact.

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2011 Message architecture Premium technology • Assertive; ready to perform as a driver’s car • Proactive and supportive of spontaneity Classic design • Experienced and savvy Cheekiness • Smart,“punny,” hip • Fun, gleeful

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2011

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2011

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2011

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2011

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2011 If these emails are boring you and you don’t mind missing out on all the lip-smackin’ stuff we’ll be sending in the future, simply send a message to owner- unsubscribe@insiders.miniusa.com and include “Unsubscribe” and your favorite fruit in the subject field.

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2011 Message architecture drives the user experience

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2011 Nomenclature Calls to action Instructional content Sentence structure Diction …in content

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2011 Photographic angles Dark backgrounds Bold headlines Thick stroke weights …and in design

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2011 …and in the choice of features and content types

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2011 So where to from here? Content audit: measure quality against the aspirational attributes in the message architecture.

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2011 So where to from here? New content types: prioritize features against the new communication goals. Experience? Portfolio. Trust and responsiveness? Testimonials.

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2011 So where to from here? Editorial style guidelines: determine diction, sentence structure, formality, etc. Traditional? Longer sentences, more Latinate verbs, pragmatic use of passive voice, etc.

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2011 But your message architecture comes first.

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2011 Thank you! Margot Bloomstein @mbloomstein margot@appropriateinc.com slideshare.net/mbloomstein #csforum11 Title image: http://flickr.com/KandyJaxx All other images property of their respective owners or public domain.