What I have learned so far
First Puzzle Pieces of a Big Content Strategy Picture
Studying Content Strategy reminds me a lot of my former studies in the field of cultural studies. It is interdisciplinary and there is no right or wrong as long as you have convincing arguments. A general recipe for a content issue does not exist. You need a holistic overview - which you already know you will never have - to decide which of the numerous methods to use to solve a content problem that is always unique.
So, what is Content Strategy?
There is an ever-recurring challenge in our Content Strategy community at the FH Joanneum: try to explain Content Strategy to your grandparents! In the last month I had many trials with friends, neighbours and my family. It is not easy, and to let an expert sum it up: “Content strategy plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.” (Kristina Holvorson, A List Apart). Stating this abstract “definition” I experienced a lot of questioning faces.
I will try it like this: Content Strategy has to do with the communication of organizations. In offline times, their communication was predominantly in one direction: from sender to recipient. And through a bunch of channels like newspapers, TV, radio, telephone, mailings, flyers and brochures. This is, in a narrow sense, the principle of classic PR and Marketing. The organization speaks, the crowd listens.
With the rise of the internet and the digitalization of communication, this principle has changed radically. Nowadays, the communication is multi-channel, multi-dimensional and the audience is better informed than ever. It questions our messages and requires a lively dialogue. This self-confident and discerning crowd is so inundated with information, that organizations must plan exactly what they will publish, when and how in order to reach it. They have to meet their user’s needs.
On the other hand, the organization has to keep its business goals and identity in sight. It makes no sense to subject your own communication and actions to the dictates of user needs. After all, the organization exists solely because it is intended to achieve certain goals. Therefore, the ultimate goal of a content strategy is to find a balance between user needs and business objectives. At least there is one constant in this jungle called Content Strategy!
The Role of the Content Strategist
That takes me to the role of a content strategist. I have this picture in my mind of a person with a big suitcase. It contains all these methods – from Audit to Web Analytics – which will help the Content Strategist to solve specific content problems.
To find the way through this jungle, the Strategist must make many decisions. To prepare those decisions the Strategist collects a lot of information and data – about the company and about the users/customers. That can be the company’s goals, insights on the stakeholders, its organizational structure, content and touchpoints. Input by their experts will also be useful. In order to gather information about existing customers and potential ones, the strategist has to gather data on the environment the company acts in.
With this understanding of the essence of the company, the strategist can now decide which methods to use in order to develop a plan for more effective communication.