Meet Content Blog Archives
Confab Higher Ed 2013: Session Recaps, Day 1
From November 11-12, more than 350 individuals representing more than 170 institutions gathered in Atlanta for the inaugural Confab Higher Ed. Alaina Wiens of the University of Michigan-Flint and Meg Bernier of St. Lawrence University share their recaps from some of the 33 speakers who shared content strategy knowledge at the event. Keynote: “Content/Communication” with Kristina Halvorson Much like other big higher ed buzzwords such as … [Read more...]
Content Gets Wings at HighEdWeb 2013
Last week, the HighEdWeb annual conference landed in Buffalo, New York — known for its friendly spirit, Niagara Falls and, of course, buffalo wings. But, as much as we loved that spicy sauce, it was the wings given to higher ed content that was most satisfying. The common theme linking our favorite sessions from the conference is the importance of looking at familiar issues from fresh perspectives. From new ways of considering how we build and … [Read more...]
Clarity and Readability Checklist for Content Creators
Last week, Georgy talked about respecting our audiences with readable content, including options for testing readability. Wikipedia describes readability as "the ease in which text can be read and understood." In other words, do people get what you're saying? The definition of readability is straightforward enough, but how do you plan for clarity and readability? In particular, for content creators working on the front line, what … [Read more...]
Planning for Content Beyond the Web
The following guest post was written by Dave Olsen, a programmer and project manager at West Virginia University. Dave will be speaking at Confab Higher Ed in Atlanta, GA this November. "Get your content ready to go anywhere," says web designer Brad Frost, "because it’s going to go everywhere." For many, responsive web design has become the solution for ensuring that their content is, as Brad noted, “ready to go anywhere.” It’s a simple … [Read more...]
Respect Your Audience With Readable Content
Recently, I was reviewing a website and came across a page geared toward international students. Reading the copy, I realized English would not be the first language for the target audience. Immediately, I felt my brain shift into a different gear. Beyond assessing the value of the content, I began closely scrutinizing diction and syntax. How many syllables in this word? How many clauses in this sentence? Would the density and complexity of … [Read more...]