We commonly associate web analytics (including Google Analytics) with web governance and measurement, using it to evaluate content performance and user interaction post website launch. But web analytics can do more than report progress: it can inform process. A lot of content work happens before we have a governance plan in place, including content research and discovery. We need to understand business objectives and website goals, who our users … [Read more...]
A Content Strategy Approach to Online Crisis Communications (Part Two)
August 31, 2011 by
Last week, we began discussing how to approach crisis communications planning from a content strategy mindset, ensuring that we will be able to effectively publish our most "useful, usable content" when it is needed most. I outlined core communications principles that apply during a crisis and addressed how to plan roles and resources and how to structure messaging. Today, let's dig deeper into our channels and how to manage them during a … [Read more...]
What .edu Can Learn From .gov
August 19, 2011 by
In the web world, higher ed is often compared to government, and the comparison is not always flattering -- crippling bureaucracy, committee hell, lack of funds and resources, the list goes on. So it is heartening to learn that smart content strategy can be achieved in the .gov domain. Erin Scime of HUGE recently detailed her work on the redesign of the Department of Energy's website, Energy.gov. The project sports many parallels to the ones … [Read more...]
Elements of Editorial Style for the Web
August 4, 2011 by
Last week, while sitting at Starbucks, I overheard a guy tell his friend, "Making websites is so easy these days. You just buy a template and move text around." I joked with Georgy about asking the guy to do a Meet Content guest post on "Cut-and-Paste Content Strategy." Although most people don't describe the process as being that easy, many do have an oversimplified understanding of what is involved in creating effective … [Read more...]
On-Brand SEO Keywords for Meaningful Search
July 20, 2011 by
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential component of content strategy. If audiences can't easily find or discover your content through search, its value and usefulness is diminished. We need to understand the words our audiences associate with our content so that we can cater to their search habits with relevant keywords. This is a fundamental task for SEO. However, people often confuse valuable SEO keywords with the right SEO … [Read more...]