Content strategy is a relatively new area of expertise in the digital world. It overlaps with fields like user experience (UX), interface design, web development, SEO, content marketing, public relations, and traditional “offline” marketing. This article explores key content strategy concepts for the web, its connections to related fields, and practical tips for anyone working in the digital realm, particularly those new to content strategy, to consider before developing their own strategy. These insights stem from industry experts who presented at the 2012 Content Strategy Forum in Cape Town. Here are 10 things you should know to achieve a content strategy’s fundamental aims: (1) meeting user expectations and (2) fulfilling business goals.

1. Content strategy necessitates collaboration

“Content is king” is a phrase we’ve heard repeatedly. However, content alone cannot bring a digital project to fruition. Content must function in tandem with related disciplines. Kristina Halvorson, CEO of BrainTraffic and ConFab founder, emphasizes the critical role of teamwork in content strategy. The following interconnected disciplines should be consulted during the content strategy phase:

• User Experience
• Design
• Information Architecture
• Copywriting
• Development
• Search Engine Optimization
• Marketing
• Public Relations and Brand Building
• Business stakeholders As with many endeavors, this collaborative approach can lead to the “too many cooks” dilemma. Rachel Lovinger from Razorfish explained their agency’s solution: “For digital projects, we start by forming a ‘CRUX team’ with one or more senior members from both Creative and UX. They collaborate with the Strategy group to establish the foundation for the overall digital concept, including content strategy. Once defined, we expand and bring in specialists from various related fields.” A comprehensive understanding of content creation and execution is crucial, regardless of team size. In essence: Effective content strategy requires collaborative efforts from all relevant disciplines.

2. Consider the content AND the people who create it

As previously mentioned, a successful content strategy aims to satisfy user expectations and meet business goals. Halvorson, co-author of Content Strategy for the Web and a pioneer in the field, developed a framework that considers not only the content but also its creators. She believes that incorporating workflow and governance into content strategy development results in more useful and usable content for online audiences while fulfilling business objectives.

Halvorson’s content strategy framework, “The Quad,” encompasses Content Components and People Components. Content Components:

• Substance – the topics, tone, style, and intended message
• Structure – how content is prioritized and organized into fundamental elements People components:
• Workflow – the process, tools, and resources required for content creation and upkeep
• Governance – ensuring content consistency, integrity, and quality In essence: Considering both the content and its creators facilitates meeting user expectations and achieving business objectives.

3. Align your writing with your audience’s literacy level

Angela Colter from Electronic Ink conducted user tests with individuals possessing diverse literacy levels. The findings demonstrated that users with lower literacy struggled to complete simple tasks on websites with content written for those with higher literacy. Conversely, lower-literacy users performed tasks quicker and with less frustration on websites designed for lower literacy levels. This seems intuitive. However, a noteworthy discovery was that users with higher literacy also performed significantly better when website language was simpler. In essence: Use clear and straightforward language. Both your lower and higher literacy users will appreciate it.

4. The Five W’s (and H) of content marketing strategy

Journalism students are well-versed in the Five W’s and H: Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How. Traditionalists argue that a story is incomplete without addressing all six questions. This holds true in journalism, as omitting any question creates a gap in the narrative. How does this apply to web content strategy? Rick Yagodich from Think Info has reordered the Five W’s (and H) to create a checklist for online content strategists:

• Why – Define the business case and goals. What is the project’s purpose?
• What – Determine the message to be conveyed.
• Who – Identify the target audience.
• Where – Establish where the message will be received (location, device, context).
• How – Determine the optimal presentation and structure for the content.
• When – Set the timeframe for content creation and publication. In essence: The Five W’s (and H) act as a checklist to ensure a comprehensive content strategy.

5. Voice and tone are crucial

Voice and tone are potent “front-line” instruments in a content strategist’s arsenal. A brand’s voice reflects its personality and identity and should be consistent throughout its content. Tone, however, can and should be adapted to the content’s context. According to Kate Kiefer Lee, content curator at MailChimp, a brand’s tone should shift based on the reader’s emotional state. For example, humor on a welcome page fosters likability and loyalty, but in a warning message, it can have the opposite effect. MailChimp is so passionate about voice and tone that they created www.voiceandtone.com. The website guides their writers on using the MailChimp voice for various content types (blog posts, tweets, “compliance alert messages,” and even mascot jokes). It’s an invaluable resource for their team and anyone creating a voice and tone guide. Kudos to MailChimp. Oook oook.

MailChimp maintains a consistent voice while adjusting its tone to match user emotions in different situations. In essence: A style guide defining your brand’s voice and tone enhances user experience and strengthens brand identity.

6. SEO is not obsolete

With recent Google algorithm updates updates like Panda and Penguin, many digital experts have proclaimed SEO dead. The consensus is that achieving a top ranking on page 1 is becoming increasingly challenging. This is largely accurate. Google has effectively countered, penalized, and even blacklisted websites employing “Black Hat” SEO techniques. Tactics such as “hidden text” (white text on a white background), “cloaking” (displaying different content to Googlebot and users), and “link spam” (purchasing numerous links from low-quality websites) used to be somewhat effective but are no longer viable. So, is SEO finished? “Unfortunately, I can’t declare Black Hat SEO dead or even dying,” states Jonathon Colman, in-house SEO for REI, an online outdoor gear retailer. “A more accurate statement would be that White Hat SEO and inbound marketing – genuinely earning attention and positive recognition by assisting users in achieving their goals (both online and offline) – are now more rewarded than ever by search engines.” He adds, “SEO is, or should be, an integral part of every content strategy. Content strategists are ideally positioned to not only manage content to adhere to search engine webmaster guidelines but also to plan and create content that strengthens brands rather than solely focusing on keywords.” Adhering to Google’s quality guidelines for search engine success and avoiding known SEO tricks is paramount. Google even provides a checklist of SEO tactics to avoid. In essence: An effective content strategy must incorporate SEO best practices, and SEOs must embrace SEO content marketing to maintain a positive standing with Google.

7. Divide your content into smaller units

When integrating content into a content management system (CMS), it’s crucial to break down large blocks of text into smaller “chunks.” If your CMS only provides a single, massive WYSIWYG field for content entry, separating that content into smaller units later becomes difficult if the need arises. The optimal approach, according to Lovinger, is to collaborate with your web developers (or whoever manages the CMS) to implement separate fields for each content “chunk.” Dividing content into smaller units allows for flexible rearrangement and utilization in various presentations. For instance:

• A webpage’s desktop version might display all “chunks” – e.g., headline, summary, four images, a video, 800 words of copy, three quotes, some reviews, recommended reading, and a “book now” button.
• The mobile version of the same page, constrained by screen size, might only display essential or mobile-relevant “chunks” – e.g., headline, summary, one image, 200 words of copy, and a “book now” button.

Mobile sites often present a condensed version of their desktop counterparts’ content. In essence: Structure content into its smallest building blocks within your CMS for flexible reassembly and adaptation across different contexts and devices.

8. Have your developers enrich your content with metadata

In web development, metadata refers to programming instructions that help search engines and other applications better comprehend webpage content. For example, if you blog about refusing to buy apples, metadata can clarify whether you mean apples or apples. (Note: Neither nor are valid metadata formats; they serve as illustrations.) Here’s a valid metadata example:

The HTML markup for “Ice Age 2” with and without metadata using the microdata format highlights the difference. This example enables Google or any metadata-reading application to identify “Ice Age 2” as a movie, not the geological event. When someone searches for “Ice Age 2,” the search engine can display relevant information (poster, trailer, reviews, actors, etc.) in the results, as seen in Google Knowledge Graph results. Google and Yahoo! have implemented this technology, and its expansion to encompass various search terms is inevitable.

Metadata empowers search engines like Google and Yahoo! to retrieve rich content relevant to a user’s search. Bruce Lawson a web standards advocate at Opera Software and a proponent of metadata adoption, recommends microdata as the preferred standard due to its support from major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Yandex). Why should content strategists care about metadata, which seems like a developer-centric concern?

• Metadata helps your content stand out in search results.
• Metadata enriches your content’s meaning in unexpected contexts (e.g., TripAdvisor reviews appearing on other websites).
• Metadata enhances your content’s meaning across various devices (e.g., mobile, tablet, TV). In essence: Encourage your developers to incorporate metadata into your content for increased search visibility and a richer browsing experience.

9. Encourage your developers to adopt web standards (including HTML5)

Web standards are a collection of best practices for website development. These standards are established by major browser manufacturers and search engines. To illustrate web standards to non-developers, consider newspapers: The front page typically features breaking news, while the back page covers sports. This arrangement is a convention among publishers and an expectation for readers, not a mandated rule. The primary reasons for advocating web standards in website development are:

• Ensuring consistent content display across browsers (old and new, desktop and mobile).
• Facilitating thorough crawling and indexing by search engines, leading to better rankings.
• Leveraging the capabilities of HTML5, the most comprehensive web standard. HTML5 is essentially an extension of web standards, introducing features like

Bruce Lawson, author of Introducing HTML5, is deeply passionate about HTML5. In essence: Web standards and HTML5 are crucial for enhanced search visibility, consistent cross-browser compatibility, and a richer user experience.

10. Develop platforms for users to share their stories

A critical and humbling aspect of content strategy is recognizing that user-generated content holds more weight than your own. Luke Wroblewski, author and former product lead at eBay and Yahoo!, champions the “read/write web.” He highlights that the web’s most popular sites thrive on their read/write nature. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube enable users to contribute, view, and interact with content. Blogging and CMS platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, ExpressionEngine, Tumblr, Weebly, and Yola empower millions to easily create and share their content.

The web’s most frequented websites empower users to share their experiences. Wroblewski asserts that “a truly meaningful content strategy embraces the read/write concept.” Engaging on existing platforms is the bare minimum; ideally, we should create platforms for our audiences to publish, engage with, and share their content. “Numerous considerations and strategic decisions arise when incorporating user-generated content. Most focus solely on publishing outward, which is important but potentially less effective than also receiving content.” In essence: User stories supersede our own. We need to build platforms for them to share.

Conclusion

Achieving a web content strategy’s core objectives necessitates attention to detail. Voice and tone enhance brand image, while established processes cultivate brand identity. Employing clear and concise language benefits both users and search engine rankings. Adhering to ethical SEO practices, structuring content effectively, and incorporating metadata create a richer user experience. By providing users with a platform to share their stories, you establish a strong foundation for your online content strategy. Andre Van Kets is passionate about travel, technology, SEO, content creation, user experience and all kinds of problem solving. He is co-founder of Discover Africa Group and constantly strives to apply best practices of these digital disciplines into the company’s flagship car rental website drivesouthafrica.co.za. Contact @andrevankets on Twitter or +Andre Van Kets on Google+.