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...]
Be Yourself: Embrace Authentic Content
April 18, 2013 by
In a recent post, Rob Engelsman talked about using students to create “authentic content” through social media. Indeed, this can be one of the greatest benefits of social media content. It's often raw and unfiltered (or less filtered). It's “authentic.” However, authentic content is not reserved for social media. In fact, all content should be authentic. But why is authenticity good for content? What does “authentic content” mean and how do … [Read more...]
Content Worksheets for Editorial Workflow
February 13, 2013 by
For web professionals in higher ed, keeping content up to date is an uphill battle. Regardless of the size of your institution, as a content professional you still have to deal with numerous subject matter experts, content contributors, editors, approvers, and publishers. Content has a shelf life, and without processes for maintaining it, it can quickly become ROT. Editorial workflow for the web is a challenge for day-to-day work, not to mention … [Read more...]
Content With Purpose: Ready, Set, Action!
April 23, 2012 by
What defines quality content? Does it communicate clearly? Does it attract new users? Does it engage current users? It can and should do all those things, but to what end? Ultimately, content should inspire action. On Meet Content, we talk a lot about purposeful content — goal-driven content for users and publishers alike. I think that's an idea most people can buy into. However, when you start talking about user actions, content contributors … [Read more...]
Going Long: The Role of Longform Web Content
February 9, 2012 by
With 140-character tweets and short, scannable web copy often top of mind, it can be difficult to think of a situation where we would willingly want to publish thousands of words. But longform content is carving out a significant niche in the habits of online content consumers, as evidenced by trends in journalism and ebook publishing. In higher ed, there are opportunities to capitalize on this trend, as well as implications to … [Read more...]