Content Strategy Hits the Big Time

Haven’t heard about content strategy yet? Then listen up – because this “niche” discipline is shaking up the way websites and online assets are made, managed, and maintained.

I’ve been mouthing off about content strategy for quite some time now. Partially because I’m mouthy. But even more, it’s because I truly believe content strategy is the next big thing – and that you really do need to know about it, even if you’re not in the business of building or managing a website.

This isn’t just because it’s my job. Actually, content strategy wouldn’t be my job if I didn’t believe it. In fact, it wouldn’t be a job at all.

That’s because content strategy came from people like me – writers, information architects, user experience designers, and many more – all beginning to identify the same problem: the content they were being asked to work with was a mess, and no one wanted to invest time and energy in fixing it (much less in fixing the process that led to the mess in the first place).

Some folks decided this needed to change – and we spread the benefits of thoughtful, cared-for content far and wide: longer site visits, more conversions, fewer frustrations, easier updating. We got a few folks to agree. We wrote blogs. We started Meetups. Now things are heating up.

2010: A Content Strategy Whirlwind

This is the year of content strategy. In March, there was South by Southwest, where content made a major showing, thanks in part to leaders like Kristina Halvorson and her excellent Content Strategy FTW.

In April, Off Madison Ave hosted the first PHX Content Strategy Meetup. We were joined by Kristina Halvorson herself, as well as around 30 content-loving folks from around town. I swear I almost cried.

Then there was the first conference – Content Strategy Forum 2010 – held last month in Paris. Around 170 current and emerging content strategists from 18 countries converged on the City of Light for a sold-out two-day event filled with workshops, presentations and smart chat over three-course French lunches. I was floored. And full.

The event was such a hit, no one wanted it to end. Well, that and the fact that a volcano in Iceland stranded half the crowd for an extra week.

Back in the states, Chicago will host Web Content 2010 in June – another sold-out conference on issues around content strategy, management, and marketing. Fast Company wrote about it. Media Post is talking about it. And content strategist jobs are cropping up like spring flowers.

More than just buzz

OK, that’s great for those who make their living doing content strategy. But does it mean you should be investing in content strategy? Is this real?

Consider this: Technology has made it easy to create and publish content online: PR materials, white papers, blogs, landing pages, social media outposts, you name it. Which means organizations now have more content than ever before – and more hands in the pot creating that content. But they rarely have a defined process – or person – to make it all meaningful. To ensure it’s findable, fresh, and relevant. To organize it, polish it, and give it style. To love, honor, and cherish it.

Without that thoughtfulness, content gets messy. It gets overwhelming. It turns into an episode of “Hoarders” waiting to happen. And then you only have two options:

1. You close the door on the mess, pretend it’s not there, and start piling crap in the next room.
2. You let the camera crew in, start crying, and force yourself to go through your crap until you’ve figured out what you’ve got, what you need, and how to make sense of it all.

The problem with #1, ignoring your content, is that eventually no one wants to come over anymore – including your target website audiences. And if your website’s on its way to #2, well, you don’t have a moment to spare – because that scene’s just going to get uglier.

Getting Started

If you’re ready to learn more – or to start selling your organization on content strategy – there are plenty of places to get help. Just a few of our favorites include:

• Visit A List Apart’s section on content for several useful, passionate primers on the field.
• Join a Meetup. Here in Arizona, I organize the PHX Content Strategy Meetup every couple of months.
• Follow the #contentstrategy Twitter feed. You’ll find useful, interesting articles and blogs pretty much every day here.
• Read Content Strategy for the Web by Kristina Halvorson herself.
• Check out the Content Strategy Google Group.

(Kristina Halvorson photo courtesy of Katchoo | Hoarder photo courtesy of RobertFrancis.)

About the Author: Sara Wachter-Boettcher

As the Director of Interactive Content & Marketing Strategy, Sara leads a team of content, social media and marketing specialists to develop communication strategies across interactive disciplines – including websites, mobile, social media, and email. An outspoken advocate for creating thoughtful, meaningful web experiences, she focuses on engaging storytelling across media. Sara graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in journalism and German, a mouth like a sailor, and a penchant for ridiculous self-descriptions.

View more blog posts from Sara Wachter-Boettcher >

Contact Sara

<< back to blog