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Content Strategy Deliverables: What Goes In …

What goes into a content strategy is well defined. But what comes out?Content Strategy Deliverables and the Magic Layer

Recently, as I was getting to know a new client and going over what to she could expect from the content strategy process, she asked about content strategy deliverables. Specifically, she wanted samples.

Content Strategy Samples

I thought about the dozens of content strategy initiatives I’ve launched over the last couple years and came up blank. Not one was specifically relevant to her project. Content strategies are customized based on company goals, resources, budget, and time.

I certainly didn’t want to set unrealistic expectations, let alone give up a company’s confidential strategic plans. But I hate to say no to someone who’s just trying to understand. Instead, I provided an audit template and a list of all the potential content strategy deliverables (pdf) I could think of, and checked off the ones we were planning to cover.

I also doodled.

The Magic Layer

“What’s this magic layer?” she asked. Ah, well. I knew that would come up. Every content strategist brings unique skills and experience with them. Some content strategists are also (deep down) writers, editors, designers, or information architects. This background influences not only the strategy, but also the deliverables.

For example, I have a strong editing and interactive content background, so I’ll push for story in context and really work that core messaging across platforms. Another content strategist might provide wireframes or traffic analysis.

Content Strategy Deliverables

Download the PDF

How to Use This List

+Your content strategist will guide you to what’s needed

+Hint: You don’t need (or want!) all of them

+Some might be created by others, i.e., your marketing or creative department or agency and should be shared with your content strategist

What Are You Trying to Achieve?

  • Summary of company goals

What Do You Own?

  • Content inventory or audit
  • Content assessment (quality and quantity)

What’s Missing?

  • Content gap analysis
  • Comparative content analysis
  • Competitive analysis

How Do You Present the Words?

  • User personas
  • User scenarios (think believable stories)
  • Editorial strategy
  • Core messaging strategy
  • Content templates
  • Sample content
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy
  • Metadata strategy
  • Brand strategy
  • Style guide
  • Glossary

Where Does It Go?

  • Copy deck
  • Content conversion/migration strategy
  • Content flow schematic
  • Channel strategy
  • Community and social strategy
  • Visual presentation recommendations
  • Wireframes

How Do We Make It Happen?

  • Content approval workflow or governance model
  • Communication plans
  • Community moderation policies
  • Content production workshops and training
  • Content sourcing review and plans (people, tools, budget, time)

How Do We Stay Organized?

  • CMS requirements
  • Business rules
  • Taxonomies
  • Responsibilities
  • Schedules

What’s Coming Up?

  • Editorial calendar

How Do We Know It’s Right?

  • Benchmarks
  • Checks and balances
  • Summary of company goals
  • Success metrics
  • Usability tests

Your Unique Needs Are SUPER Important!

What content strategy deliverables do you wish for that would help your company reach its goals?  Or, if you’re the one doing the content strategy, which deliverables are most valuable to you? Comment away!

Resources

For more on content strategy deliverables, see Knol: Content Strategy, Content Strategy for the Web, and The Elements of Content Strategy. Awesome resources.

For specifics on a blog content strategy, read About That Blog You’re Planning…

    Posted by Shelly Bowen on May 19, 2011. Filed under The Magic Layer, Web Content Strategy

     

    8 Comments | RSS feed for comments on this post

    • Wonderful and useful list! Thank you.

      Comment by Jeri Hastava on May 19, 2011

    • Excellent list!

      I’d also add:

      Key influencer lists
      Messaging and style guides

      Comment by Gigi on May 19, 2011

    • Ditto. Nice list.

      Offering up URL Strategy as well.

      Comment by cleve on May 22, 2011

    • Kate Kenyon, content strategist in London, suggested adding “globalisation and/or localisation strategy” to the list, via Twitter. Great point, thanks!

      Comment by Shelly on May 25, 2011

    • Good #content strategy list. It struck me that the process has the same structure as all of my strategic projects whether advertising, marketing, communications, web or content. I might add a data/technology gap analysis.

      Comment by Patricia McLaughlin on May 30, 2011

    • [...] strategy community has begun to standardize on a central set of documents, and we’ve been thinking and talking about them … a [...]

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