Intranet content tactics - Interaction 2014
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The document discusses effective content strategy for intranets, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, engaging headlines, and thoughtful layout for enhancing user experience. It highlights tactics for effective writing, image use, navigation design, and engagement techniques to encourage interaction among users. Overall, the document serves as a guide to creating useful, accessible, and engaging intranet content.
![Links
Embed links in meaningful text within your sentences
Let people know if you're linking to a file
Read navigation design using card sorting [PDF; 425KB] learn
how to use simple cards to define your menus.
Never say 'click here'](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/sf08nslqaw1jwsn8kdux-signature-17c45aab838c43c2a613d8709676085520b1fabb76d5be0ac373e60164f85a60-poli-141012140208-conversion-gate01/85/Intranet-content-tactics-Interaction-2014-18-320.jpg)
![Documents vs. pages
Governance / guidance: when to use PDF, Word, and
other formats
Use intranet pages rather than Office documents unless
there's a specific reason not to
Consider replacing policies and guides in PDF with a
collection of intranet pages
If linking to a PDF or Office file, let people know
explicitly [Word; 300KB]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/sf08nslqaw1jwsn8kdux-signature-17c45aab838c43c2a613d8709676085520b1fabb76d5be0ac373e60164f85a60-poli-141012140208-conversion-gate01/85/Intranet-content-tactics-Interaction-2014-31-320.jpg)
Intranet content tactics - Interaction 2014
- 1. Text Content tactics executing your strategy on the page V2
- 2. @Wedge — kilobox.net Wedge Black UK Past intranet manager Currently consultant ClearBox Consulting, and Content Formula, and the WIC I like dogs, cats, books, plants (not flowers), and insects
- 3. Text Beyond the technical Beyond features
- 6. Creating intranet content Effective headlines Images Links Layout Search Writing Documents vs pages Engagement Channels Mobile http://d.pr/dlJX
- 7. Content strategy “Content strategy plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.” Kristina Halvorson “The main goal of content strategy is to use words and data to create unambiguous content that supports meaningful, interactive experiences. We have to be experts in all aspects of communication in order to do this effectively.” Rachel Lovinger
- 8. Content tactics Micro-content strategy Page-level / interaction-level content strategy UX + UI + ID + communications A matter of scale and focus
- 10. Effective headlines Help people choose what to read Short and clear Help people know what's relevant to them Summaries help convey further detail
- 11. Effective headlines Present tense Succinct Informative, detailing the who and what Direct and to the point Statements, not questions
- 13. Images Attract interest and conveying meaning Format images so they look consistent and pleasing alongside your content Choose your file-type and file-size carefully, to make sure the image loads quickly Put the image on the right-side of the content, unless the image is the main focus
- 14. Images Crop photos to focus on people or relevant detail Use photographs taken inside the organisation or by colleagues Avoid clip-art Permission from the owner, and preferably from anyone shown Use fresh images .jpg / .png Alt text
- 18. Links Embed links in meaningful text within your sentences Let people know if you're linking to a file Read navigation design using card sorting [PDF; 425KB] learn how to use simple cards to define your menus. Never say 'click here'
- 19. Links for navigation Avoid using the term ‘Quick links’ Avoid ordering items by ‘importance’ Avoid alphabetising a long list of links Group lists of links by function
- 21. Layout Structure articles for scanability Opening paragraph should communicate the most important facts Use sub-headings throughout the article Respect that many people will not read the full article
- 22. Layout F-pattern Left Right
- 23. Layout In-page menu links (for long pages) – a topic menu at the top that links to content further down Lots of sub-headings to break up the content and define topics In-page links to return readers to the top of the page Bullet points – people love the simplicity and richness Multiple paragraphs Short sentences, in the active voice
- 25. Search How to help people search for, and find, your content Different people use different terms and names for the same things Clear, sensible headlines and factual summaries help people find content through the search engine Links from other pages to your content are invaluable
- 26. Search checklist Clear, plain headings that express the subject matter succinctly Repeat keywords relating to the subject in sub-headings and the body of the article Use alternative keywords, nouns and common terms Label your content using appropriate tags and / or meta-data Write a clear opening paragraph to explicitly summarise the content of your article Ask for links to your new page from owners of related pages around the intranet Publish your page in the appropriate section / area of the intranet, following the expectations of audience members (not simply in ‘your’ section)
- 28. Writing Write for your audience, not for your boss Get the formality level right for your culture and the topic Use short, simple sentences — be clear and direct Avoid humour, metaphors, acronyms and jargon unless you know your audience very well But, if you can tell a good story, don’t worry too much
- 29. Text The equation for good comms http://d.pr/hrV5
- 31. Documents vs. pages Governance / guidance: when to use PDF, Word, and other formats Use intranet pages rather than Office documents unless there's a specific reason not to Consider replacing policies and guides in PDF with a collection of intranet pages If linking to a PDF or Office file, let people know explicitly [Word; 300KB]
- 32. Documents vs. pages People prefer single-topic short pages that link to each other, except when an ‘official procedure’ Word document can be presented as a long web page instead. Such ‘official documents’ (like procedures, work instructions and policies) could be one comprehensive page, or published in sections over several intranet pages.
- 34. Engagement Write to start a conversation Some content serves its purpose merely by being read, other content is only truly valuable if people engage with it in more active ways Comments, social sharing and the creation of new observations and ideas can unlock the knowledge within your organisation An informal tone can encourage feedback
- 35. Engagement Share progress, not just results Share ideas, not just decisions Blogs Discussion forums ESN
- 37. Channels The intranet is not an amorphous channel — it’s a city of sectors, communities, highways and byways. We should diversify our comms and stop simply publishing a single news story. http://d.pr/AIYc Photo: Jaakko Hakulinen
- 38. Channels Don't only rely on the home page to get your content noticed Use different areas of the intranet in different ways Actively engage audiences by using the channels they already use Photo: Alex Brown
- 40. Creating intranet content Effective headlines Images Links Layout Search Writing Documents vs pages Engagement Channels Mobile http://d.pr/dlJX
- 42. Text @Wedge — kilobox.net/3597 Thank you - Interaction, October 2014
Editor's Notes
- #2: Next: Wedge
- #3: Next: ‘Beyond the technical’
- #4: Next: Intranet purposes
- #5: Next: Focus on comms
- #6: Next: Creating intranet content
- #7: Next: Content strategy
- #8: Next: Content tactics
- #9: Next: 1. Headline problems
- #10: Next: Effective headlines
- #15: Articles with relevant images (even if tenuous) get read more thoroughly. Illustrative images that provide details communicate more than words alone. Next: Awful examples
- #16: Next: Good examples
- #17: Bauer Media Group, ‘Vine’, on Interact. Next: What’s in the box?
- #18: Next: 3. Links
- #19: People should know what a link will do before they click; this is not a puzzle game! Next: Links for navigation
- #20: People are drawn to hyperlinks; give them links rich in keywords and context. Next: Scan don’t read
- #21: Next: 4. Layout
- #22: Have you ever asked a question and been told ‘if you just read the guide you’ll see your question is covered in section 3.1, 8.7 and in the last paragraph of section 9’? Poorly structured content can dishearten readers and create barriers. Next: Image alignment
- #23: Next: Page structure
- #24: Group similar topics together, and make good use of whitespace and subheadings. Next: Lost - Search
- #25: Next: 5. Search
- #26: The job of sharing information on your intranet doesn’t stop when it is published; you also need to take steps to help people find it, just as a website owner would think about how to improve their Google rank. Next: Writing tips and SEO
- #27: You can create a more successful intranet by helping people find what they need. Next: 6. We are pleased to announce
- #28: Next: Writing
- #29: To be understood, you need to communicate with empathy for your audiences’ needs. The broader the audience, the more simple your writing needs to be. Communication does not take place when you publish your article, nor even when a person receives and reads your work, it takes place as the reader processes and interprets your message. Next: Comms equation video
- #30: Next: 7. Documents and pages
- #41: Next: Intranet purpose
- #42: Next: End slide