How to prepare a single,
unified content strategy
that’s truly strategic
Diana Railton
Content Strategy Applied 2013
Aim of the workshop
How to prepare and present a single, unified
content strategy that’s truly strategic
so everyone:
· understands it
· respects it
· finds it inspiring
· knows how to act on it
Schedule
1. Talk over strategy
2. Look at a simple practical process for
working out a strategy
3. Apply
4. Review the process – and your solutions
5. Continue the discussion
Poll: How do you feel about strategy?

· Intimidating
· Confusing
· Exciting
· Not sure – needs must
· Other
THE PROBLEM WITH
STRATEGY
www.timberqueensland.com.au/images/hero/about/board.jpg
strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategy strategic strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategy strategic strategic
strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic
strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategy strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategic
strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic
strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic
strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategic
strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategic strategy strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategic strategic strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategiv strategy strategy strategic strategy
strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic
strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy
strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategic strategy strategy strategy

The “S” word: strategy / strategic
Strategy

http://mikemcclaughry.files.wordpress.com
http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com
‘People who claim to be content strategists
couldn’t strategize themselves out of a box’
From responses to Content Strategy Recruitment Trends survey, 2012
Firehead

www.firehead.net/the-problem-with-hiring-a-content-
Some people have
more of a strategy
mind-set than
others

http://warwicksport.warwick.ac.uk/pageassets/officer/strategymeetings/strategy1.jpg
http://sofrep.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/chess-board-opt-630x394.jpg
STRATEGY
DOESN’T NEED TO BE
COMPLICATED
h

http://fistfuloftalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/confused-child-429x250.jpg
You don’t need to:
have an MBA
be a senior manager
read lots of books on it
You do need to:
identify expectations
agree terms
share a practical framework
Discussion
What does “strategy” mean to you?
What are the advantages of having a strategy?
What are the main components of a strategy?
What’s the use of running if you’re on the wrong road?
German proverb

http://texastailwind.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/long-road-ahead.jpg
Three tiers of strategy
Defining purpose and direction
Planning how to meet your goals
Bringing together your resources
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy
strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy strategy

Strategies need integrating
“Strategy is a singular thing; there is one
strategy for a given business – not a set of
strategies. It is one integrated set of choices.”
Roger Martin
“Strategy is creating fit among a company’s
activities.”
Michael Porter
Based on Mintzberg and Walters 1998

www.web-books.com/eLibrary/Books/B0/B58/IMG/fwk-carpenterfig05_008.jpg
Listen and learn
Cross-organisational
collaboration

Image credit: Agile101.net
“Strategy today must shape itself around the
customer. ... If it focuses on organizational silos
and professional disciplines, it will fail.”
Gerry McGovern

www.customercarewords.com/strategy-and-online.html
A good strategy
Provides a strong sense of common purpose
Motivates and inspires
Achieves “superior performance”
Battle of Trafalgar 1805

Wikimedia comms
A SINGLE
UNIFIED
CONTENT STRATEGY
“I believe that all content strategists should be
knowledgeable about the entire content
ecosystem, the content lifecycle, content tools,
technologies, standards, and methodologies –
even those that fall outside of their area of
specialization, or are tangentially-related to the
project on which they are working.”
Scott Abel
http://thecontentwrangler.com/2013/07/29
KNOW WHAT’S POSSIBLE
AND PRACTICAL
Strong
Integrative
Supportive
“The vast majority of brands do not have a
documented content strategy.”
Joe Pulizzi
Content Marketing Institute
August 2013

Lots of surveys coming out on lack of strategy
EVEN IF THEY DO:
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
“Most companies do not have a strategy.
Okay, I admit it: I do not have any solid statistics
... but I do observe a heck of a lot of companies
and ... I think nine out of 10 (at least) don’t
actually have a genuine strategy ... or a good
rationale for doing the things they are doing.”
Freek Vermeulen
“The vast majority of strategic plans that I have
seen over 30 years of working in the strategy
realm are simply budgets with lots of explanatory
words attached.”
Roger Martin
Harvard Business Review
Blue-sky objectives
Strategy essentials
Simple to explain and carry out
Communication
of strategies
Some strategies are too dressed up
Or too elaborate

www.thementalelf.net
Or just plain boring

www.scotduke.com
First steps
Identify the challenge
and the problems to be solved
Diagnosis »
www.brightercollective.com/content-strategy/the-case-for-content-strategy

Where’s the strategy?
Kristina Halvorson, Content / Communication, CS Forum 2013
Kristina Halvorson, Content / Communication, CS Forum 2013
http://bearriverhomestead.com/2012/12/12/taco-pasta/
P
A
S
T.
A
B
E
A
R

www.trendhunter.com
Framework for a strategy
PASTA
Purpose / Mission / Vision
Often combined
Vision is looking ahead
Dream the dream

inspire

communicate

demonstrate
Which organisation?
To be earth’s most customer centric company;
to build a place where people can come to find
and discover anything they might want to buy
online.
Which organisation?
To provide a global online marketplace where
practically anyone can trade practically anything,
enabling economic opportunity around the world.
Which organisation?
To organize the world’s information and make it
universally accessible and useful.
Which organisation?
A just world without poverty.
The purpose of Oxfam is to help create lasting
solutions to the injustice of poverty. We are part
of a global movement for change, one that
empowers people to create a future that is
secure, just, and free from poverty.
Which organisation?
By creating value for our customers, we create
value for our shareholders.
We use our expertise to create transport-related
products and services of superior quality, safety
and environmental care for demanding
customers in selected segments.
Framework for a strategy
PASTA
Purpose / Mission / Vision
Principles / Values
“Core ideology”
“Companies that enjoy enduring success have
core values and a core purpose that remain
fixed while their business strategies and
practices endlessly adapt to a changing world.”
James Collins and Jerry Porras
Building your company’s vision
http://gr8c.org/images/gr8c_vision_values_mission_competencies_venn_566x555.png
+ TOWS

Wikimedia comms
www.scribd.com/doc/24854038/Amazon-Strategic-Plan
www.scribd.com/doc/24854038/Amazon-Strategic-Plan
Framework for a strategy
PASTA
Purpose / Mission / Vision
Aims / Goals / Objectives
What you want to achieve
Adapted from http://mobilemarketingapps.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mobile-Marketing-Strategy-Map-1024x697.png
Adapted from http://mobilemarketingapps.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mobile-Marketing-Strategy-Map-1024x697.png
http://heidipowell.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Goal-Setting.jpg
Measuring goals: outcomes
To sign up 200 people a year
Target
Key performance indicators (KPIs):
200 people a year
Critical success factors (CSFs):
the course is attractive
+
NUMBERS EASIER TO MEASURE
THAN PERCEPTIONS

http://blog.iprospect.ca
Citizens Advice Service Strategy 2010-14
Possible outcomes from a social media strategy
Efficiency
Reputation
Differentiation
Risk reduction
Client retention
Brand association
Long-term revenue
Environmental impact
Eff
Economic development
Opportunity creation
Immediate revenue
Perception shifting
PR and exposure
Client education
Network growth
Building trust
Innovation

Try to be precise

http://hellboundbloggers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Social-Media-ROI.jpg
Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 2

Tactic 2

How you will meet your goals

Tactic 2

Tactic 2

Adapted from http://mobilemarketingapps.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mobile-Marketing-Strategy-Map-1024x697.png
Strategy
Goal:
To sign up 200 people a year
Strategy:
by making more people aware of the course
Reduce phone and face-to-face support costs by
15% within nine months
by increasing customers’ ability to complete their
support tasks using online channels.
Reduce repetitive, simple questions to doctors
by 50% by November 2014
by allowing citizens to answer these questions
themselves online.
Adapted from www.customercarewords.com/strategy-and-online.html
Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 1

Tactic 2

Tactic 2

Tactic 2

Tactic 2

Adapted from
http://mobilemarketingapps.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mobile-Marketing-Strategy-Map-1024x697.png

Your detailed action plan
Goal:
To sign up 200 people a year
Strategy: Make more people aware of course
Tactic 1:
Tactic 2:
Tactic 3:
Tactic 4:
Tactic 6:
Tactic 7:
Tactic 8:
+

Improve website content for ranking
Add named testimonials page
Publish interview with two attendees
Start Google AdWords campaign
Start email newsletter
Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Strategy

Tactic 1
+ Activity

Tactic 1
+ Activity

Tactic 1
+ Activity

Tactic 1
+ Activity

Tactic 2
+ Activity

Tactic 2
+ Activity

Tactic 2
+ Activity

Tactic 2
+ Activity

http://mobilemarketingapps.co/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Mobile-Marketing-Strategy-Map-1024x697.png

Day to day. Who, when, where?
“More than choosing what to do, strategy is
about choosing what NOT to do. Because today,
more than ever, there are far more things that
you could do – but shouldn’t. Strategy is about
understanding what really matters and acting on
it.”
Gerry McGovern
www.customercarewords.com/strategy-and-online.html
P
A
S
T.
A
B
E
A
R
Purpose / vision / mission. Why?
Aims / goals / objectives. What do you want to achieve?
Strategy. How will you do this?
Tactics. What is your action plan?
Activities. Day to day. Who, when, where?
Budget
Evaluation
Analytics
Return on investment
Budget + the cost of internal time
70% low-risk content (50% time)
20% innovate from what works (25% time)
10% high-risk experimentations (25% time)
x 100
£
$
€
The content strategy “statement”
Overall purpose / mission / vision
short, single, memorable, inspiring, action phrase
Content 2020: Liquid and Linked

Liquid =
conversation
provoking,
shareable,
educational
Curate an entertaining, online reference guide
that helps stressed-out law students become
successful practicing attorneys.
Kristina Halvorson and Melissa Rach
H-a-r-d to be original
Inspire people to buy and talk about the benefits
of xxx.
Ensure every one of our potential customers
immediately understands our offering.
Optimise content to help visitors quickly
complete their top tasks.
Hilary Marsh
www.slideshare.net/hilarymarsh/content-strategy-for-library-websites-marsh
Typical principles
All content:
Has a clearly defined purpose
Focuses on our audiences’ needs, not ourselves
Demonstrates our core values of x, y and z
Is accessible on any device
Is clear, concise and consistent
IABC Gold Quill Awards
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The business need or opportunity
Stakeholder or audience analysis
Goals and objectives + tactics, activities
Solution overview
Implementation and challenges
Measurement and evaluation
PROVE THE VALUE OF
CONTENT STRATEGY
http://rbth.co.uk/assets/images/2011-04/big/Bear.jpg
Purpose / vision / mission / principles / values
Aims / goals /objectives
Strategy
Tactics
Activities
Budget
Evaluation
Analytics
Return on investment
Practical
Introducing.....

Drink
Organics

uk
THANK YOU
Diana Railton
@dianarailton
www.drcc.co.uk
© Diana Railton 2013

How to prepare a single unified content strategy that's truly strategic