Babak Zand & Helen Schrader

Agile Content Strategy: developing and

implementing a content strategy with few

resources

Hey there. We are...

2

Babak Zand; Content Strategist & SCRUM Master@bazakom

Helen Schrader; Product Owner Content Marketing & SEO@helenschrader19

A few words about Pixum

3@bazakom | @helenschrader19

What is currently the biggest challenge in Content Marketing?*

4* Survey among n = 132 content marketing decision makers and employees of agencies and companies in Germany.

How can we - without

neglecting our daily

business and with a

small team -

● ...methodically develop

a solid and documented

Content Strategy?

● ...implement, measure

and control a

cross-departmental

Content Strategy within

the company?

5

Develop a Content Strategy methodically by

using agile Project Management Methods

within an pilot project with the help of

Performance Measurement Systems.

6

WTF?7

Structure

What? Content Strategy● Introduction of the Content Strategy Framework● Content Strategy @PIXUM

How? Agile Management● Introduction of the SCRUM Framework ● Iterative Approach @PIXUM

Is it Working? Performance Measurement● Controlling with the help of the Balanced Scorecard● The Objective and Key Results System @PIXUM

8@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Content Strategy Framework

9

A birds perspective – The Content Strategy Framework10

Preparation Phase – The Kick-Off11

The Preparation Phase - The Kick-Off

• One of the most important phases regarding later agile management.

• Project vision is defined; Setting up a Business Case

• Getting Support of C-Level for the Pilot Project.

• Team members are selected.

• Planning for internal trainings (e.g. workshops) for future team members without prior agile

experiences.

12@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Looking for data - The Research Phase13

Looking for data - The Research Phase

• Collect meaningful data with the help of strategic analysis.

• Used for making the important decisions.

• Various strategic analytic instruments; data relevant to structures and processes.

14@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Draft of a first battle plan – the Content Marketing Strategy15

• With enough data collected, a battle plan is developed.

• Several Content Marketing Strategies for multiple target audiences.

• Workshop results are planned on a high level, confirmed and then processed in further sprints.

16

Draft of a first battle plan - The Content Marketing Strategy

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Helen

17

The Preparation Phase - How to start?

What is necessary to start your strategy?

● Set the stage● C-Level management support● Casting call● Pioneers, characters

We had our framework, but what now?

● Get everyone together● Set goals● Get help

18

CEO

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

The Research Phase: Learn to love your numbers

Our questions:

● Do we have best practices? ● What has worked in the past?● Where can we achieve the biggest growth?

Our to-do’s

● Content Audit ● Customer Surveys● Data, data & tools

19@bazakom | @helenschrader19

The Battle Plan: First Discoveries

Findings

● The best channels: Social Media, CRM & Service● Daily business vs. Content Strategy● Northern star vs. team goals vs. private goals

Revelations

● Who is your stakeholder?● Find supporters!● Find a framework that works for you

20@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Agile Management with the SCRUM Framework

21

"(...) Eisenhower once observed that

planning for combat is important, but as

soon as the first shot is fired, your plans go

up in smoke." - Jeff Sutherland, Co-Creator

of SCRUM.

22

SCRUM Model23

BACKLOGREFINEMENT

DAILY

RETRO

REVIEW

SPRINTPLANNING

Backlog©

Pix

um 2

016

|

Sei

te 2

4

BACKLOG

Requirements

Prioritisation

User Stories

Refinement

© P

ixum

201

6 |

S

eite

25

REFINEMENT

Complexity

Effort

Planning Poker

Sprintplanung©

Pix

um 2

016

|

Sei

te 2

6

SPRINT PLANNING

User Stories

Sprint Scope

Tasks

Daily©

Pix

um 2

016

|

Sei

te 2

7

DAILY

Updates

Progress

Challenges

Review

© P

ixum

201

6 |

S

eite

28

REVIEW

Results

Transparency

Feedback

Retro

© P

ixum

201

6 |

S

eite

29

RETROSPECTIVE

Self reflection

Potential

Strategies

30

Heroes of SCRUM

● Team consists of specialists

● Solve tasks self-sufficiently

● Team members gain more experience with every sprint, which improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire team.

The Tuckman-Model

31

Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Helen

32

How did we become a great team? - Storming

How to jump into your storming phase?

● Think about your favourite childhood movie● What was great about it?

That’s why agile is great!

● You win some, you lose some● Friendship goals● The Nerd, The Princess, The Jock, The Basket Case, The

Criminal :-)

33@bazakom | @helenschrader19

How to build self-esteem? - Norming

Agile can support change

● Transparency● Communication● Prioritization● Goals & Achievements

Every member becomes

● More self-aware● Hungrier

34@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Data, again…! - The Performing Phase

Agile & SCRUM thrive on data...

● as do most businesses● consistent delivery● increased efficiency

This data has different manifestations

● KPIs (hard & soft)● Sprint Velocity● Turnover & Sales● Prosperity & Success

35@bazakom | @helenschrader19

As you can see… it works! Best Marketing Organization Award 201636

Measuring and Controlling a Content Strategy as a continuous task

37

38

The concept of the BSC in under 3 Minutes

Concept of the Balanced Scorecard

39

Strategy

Vision

Financial Perspective

Internal Perspective

Learning & Growth Perspective

Customer PerspectiveScorecard

Dashboard of all

relevant KPIs

Strategy Map

Visual cause & effect

chain

40

Clear and easy to understand - The Strategy Map

41

Just like a cockpit - the Scorecard

How to find the correct key figures - it’s the mixture that counts

42

Performing Measures Leading Measures

Helen

43

Explanation OKR-System

Objectives & Key Results

● Relevant KPIs for the Company● Your company’s focal point● Increase transparency & communication● Company goals, divisional goals, team goals● Set quarterly targets

44

Pixum Company Objectives

CS BMIT PM Ad

SEACRMSEO

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

My practical OKR-Example @PIXUM

How does it work for me?

● Third quarter goals in 2016● Four objectives, twelve key results● They pay into the company goals● They pay into the team goals● They are agile and complementary● They structure your work

45@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Why did we choose SCRUM for our Content Strategy?

46

● Struggle with various tasks, priorities and teams

● It works well with the OKR Systemthat we already had

● Lack of documented content strategy● Developing, implementing & controlling a

solid content strategy without neglecting daily business

Questions?

47

Contact

Babak ZandContent-Strategist & SCRUM-Master

www.babak-zand.deinfo@babak-zand.de+49 177/368 20 98

Helen SchraderProduct Owner Content Marketing

www.pixum.co.uk / www.pixum.de hes@pixum.com+49 2236 886 422

48@bazakom | @helenschrader19

SourcesPage 38: Stormtroopers; Name: Robert McGoldrick; Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobsfever/6747750655/

Page 41: Cockpit; Name: Byron Sterk; https://unsplash.com/@byronsterk

Page 42a: Performance Measures; Name: Clem Onojeghuo; https://unsplash.com/@clemono2

Page 42b: Leading Measures; Name: averie woodard; https://unsplash.com/@averieclaire

All other pictures by Nadine Kuhn Fotografie or Pixum.

49