Developing a Content Strategy for Your Institution

Developing a Content Strategy for Your Institution eduWeb, 30 July 2012

Kate Brodock Executive Director of Digital & Social Media at Syracuse University

Founder & Chair of Other Side Group

Kate Brodock eduWeb 30 July 2012

Me….


AGENDA

CONTENT PRODUCTION CONTENT STRATEGY INSTITUTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS Q&A


Content Production: What is Content?

•  Writing - blogging, eBooks, white papers •  Photos •  Audio clips •  Video •  Use-generated content •  Third-party content – articles, videos, etc


Content Production: Brand Journalism

“Brand Journalism is when any organization….creates valuable information and shares it with the world.” •  Brand Journalism is not a product pitch. It is not an advertorial. It is not an

egotistical spewing of gobbledygook-laden corporate drivel. •  Instead, Brand Journalism is the creation of Web content – videos, blogs posts,

photos, charts, graphs, essays, eBooks, white papers – that deliver value to your marketplace and serve to position your organization as one worthy of doing business with.

- David Meerman Scott, 2009


Content Production: Social Writing

“Content, primarily in written format, that is designed to be optimal for social sharing.” •  Goal 1: Create content that people want to share. •  Goal 2: Create content that will work well once shared.

- Other Side Group, 2012


Content Production: One more time….


Content Production

Question: What sorts of content are you using?


Content Production: How it works with your communications plan

Your goals may be: •  Branding, promotion, outreach, media relations, prospecting, alumni

relations….

Content opens up new opportunities to reach new people, have them reach you, initiate conversation, create more engaging experiences and two-way relationships, have your “brand” shared with other networks……


Content Production: How it works with your communications plan

TAKE NOTE: Content creation does not replace your current marketing or communications plans…… …..it enhances and supports them.


Content Production: Content Creation vs Content Curation

CONTENT CREATION •  Original content created by your institution.

Beneficial for: •  Demonstrating value directly •  Thought Leadership •  Giving deeper, more knowledgeable insight into your brand •  “Controlling the message”



CONTENT CURATION •  Discovering, gathering, culling through and presenting existing digital content that

surrounds a specific subject matter. •  “Content curation is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on

the web and presenting it in a meaningful and organized way around a specific theme. The work involves, sifting, sorting, arranging, and publishing information.” – Beth Kanter, 2011

Beneficial for: •  Supporting Thought Leadership •  Quick pieces of content •  Creating conversation



CONTENT CREATION +

CONTENT CURATION =

SWEET SPOT


Content Strategy: Why is it important?

People are consuming information in new ways. You need to keep up with them. •  Skimming •  Video consumption •  Visual stimulation

Your specific audiences are communicating in new ways. You need to meet them there. •  Current students •  Prospective students •  Tech savvy faculty, staff and alumni •  Media and external parties


Content Strategy: Why is it important?

With the right content, you have the potential to reach more people. •  Social content •  Search-engine optimized content (SEO)

People are getting bored or annoyed with straight sales tactics and some traditional marketing, especially when they’re online. You need to give them a reason to re-engage. •  They want something valuable and useful. •  If you can offer them that value, that’s a good thing!


Content Strategy: Why start a content program?

•  Thought Leadership •  Education •  “Lead generation” (finding prospective students, for instance) •  Engagement and Community Building •  Search-Engine Optimization (SEO) •  Brand Awareness •  Outreach •  Media Relations

•  Traditional methods are not sufficient, and you’re likely missing opportunities

•  If you’re already in the social space, you need something to share and connect to people with, right?


Institutional: Content Sources

Where do you already have existing content? •  Old photos and audio (library archives?) •  Un-organized video footage •  Existing marketing copy •  Testimonials •  User-generated content

Where have you been able to find existing content?


Institutional: Content Sources

Where can you get additional content? •  Enthusiastic students, prospects, alumni, faculty, staff and community members •  Live events – on campus and off-campus •  Social media channels •  Third-parties •  User-generated content •  Cross-campus partnerships

For those of you who’ve created new content, what have you done?


Institutional: Content Quality

What type of quality guidelines do you want to have for your content? •  High-profile vs low(er)-profile events •  When to use user-generated content •  Professional vs non-professional options •  Who’s the audience?

What purpose is content being used for? •  Marketing vs media relations •  Informational vs engaging •  What platforms will the content be going on? •  Who’s the audience?


Institutional: Branding and Voice

Branding •  How does this content fit into our brand message? •  Does this content accurately represent our brand? •  How do we want our brand portrayed in this particular piece of content? •  Who’s our audience?

Voice •  How do you want your brand portrayed? •  Social media is sometimes more casual than other formats •  The Voice Brand and The Emotional Brand •  Who’s your audience?


Institutional: Representation

Who are you representing? •  Universities have many different units – schools, departments, programs, centers,

etc •  Which one are you in charge of? •  Can you collaborate with others for a common goal?


Institutional: Things to Think About

•  Length •  Quality •  Accessibility •  Shareability •  Verification •  Legal Issues and Rights •  Attribution


Implementation: Resources

Resources needed for content strategy (and social media) •  Time •  Money

We’re strapped for both, so resource allocation is very important •  You get out what you put in to you content production plan. •  Think about other units across your campus and how you can share resources. •  Think about various ways you can create resources – students, alumni, volunteers. •  If you can’t find the resources, rethink your content production plan. •  Does your resource allocation include the right people and tools – various platforms

and media types, various departments, etc?


Implementation: Ownership

Several different ownership options •  Centralized •  De-centralized •  Committee structure •  Horizontal •  Partnership

Things to think about •  Content often happens on a daily basis. •  Is there enough leadership in your ownership structure to make sure content can

get out regularly? •  Is there enough tech support in your structure to make sure technical glitches can

be handled appropriately? •  Are the right people at the table – marketing, PR, web, mobile, etc.


Implementation: Management

Management suggestions •  Creation of an editorial calendar •  Access to the right set of tools – platforms, media types, etc •  Content Lead in each unit •  Again, is there enough leadership to move things forward?

Things to think about •  Accountability •  Seasonal cycle •  Editing •  Cross-platform expertise


Tools: Blogging Platforms

•  Wordpress, Typepad, etc •  In-house platform

•  Tumblr


Tools: Video Platforms

•  YouTube •  Vimeo

•  uStream •  Short-form (app-based): Viddy, Tout, SocialCam)


Tools: Content Curation Platforms

•  Storify •  Pinterest •  Paper.li


Tools: Rich-media and Location-based tools

•  Broadcastr •  Foursquare


Thank you!

Any questions? @just_kate Today and Tomorrow – katebrodock.com Ad Comments Here - othersidegroup.com Slideshare.com/justkate And other…….

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