The Content of Stories / The Story of Content with Justin Bookey

CS2: The Content of Stories // The Story of Content

@EMFATIK #ContentStrategy @InfoDevWorld

Some good content walks into a bar

Then what happens?

People listen.

Cats!

2

The First Cat Video

Who knows what the first cat video ever uploaded was?

Trick question. It wasnt a video, it was a film. And it wasnt uploaded. It was distributed and projected physically. Because the year was 1894!

3

The First Cat Video

Forget Grumpy Cat. Or even Cat in the Hat. This film was a success in 1894, and showed that people just love watching cats do silly things. A century before Buzzfeed was serving up cats and Kardashians.

Good lesson to keep in mind throughout all of this: Whats old is new.

4

The Content of Stories //The Story of Content

With that backdrop, I present5

Justin BookeyHead of Content & Branding

EMFATIK.comThe Content of Stories //The Story of Content

Justin BookeyHead of Content & Branding

EMFATIK.comThe Content of Stories //The Story of Content

@EMFATIK #ContentStrategy #InfoDevWorld

My Story


1 Dog

My Story


1 Dog

2 Sons

My Story


1 Dog

2 Sons

3 Degrees

My Story


1 Dog

2 Sons

3 Degrees

4 Careers

My Story


SeattleSan DiegoSanta MonicaBostonWashington, DC1 Dog

2 Sons

3 Degrees

4 Careers

5 Great U.S. Cities

My Story


What do these all have in common:13

1 Dog

2 Sons

3 Degrees

4 Careers

5 Great U.S. Cities

FactsMy Story


Theyre FACTS. Stories would be:

Grateful for dog: First ever, cuz horrible allergies as a kid. But also, played with lizards and frogs, which led to a feature doc, ended up on PBS and got Emmy nomination.

Common thread in careers: Creating content that persuades or enlightens others.

14

So what are the contents of a story?

And why do we care?


FACTS

The King died. Then the Queen died.- E.M. Forster


FACTS

The King died. Then the Queen died.- E.M. ForsterSTORY

The King died. Then the Queen died.


17

STORY

The King died. Then the Queen died.Of a broken heart.FACTS

The King died. Then the Queen died.- E.M. Forster


Its that human element of emotional impact that provides connective tissue, to make a story.

And its been with us forever. Its what makes for human storytelling.18

Cave Wall: 8,000 B.C.


Magura Cave, Bulgaria, 8,000 B.C.

Dancing men, women, animals; plants and tools and weapons; religious symbols and holidays and calendars.

Basically, shared cultural information, things they cared about, stressed about19

Cave Wall: 8,000 B.C.Daily lives, family, animals, labors, calendar, religious holidays


[READ]

20

Facebook Wall: 2015

Daily lives, family, animals, labors, calendar, religious holidays


Fast forward to 2015, and our Facebook wall. What are we drawing? [READ] Things that have meaning in our daily lives that we want to share

Look familiar?

21


Key point: As humanity and technology evolve

22

The stories remain the same. Its just the cave walls that change.


[The BIG IDEA]

So what makes a story something we want to share and want hear? What resonates?

Moving on from prehistoric times to ancient Greece

23

Aristotle: ~ 300 B.C.Story Elements


Aristotle wrote of the crucial parts of a good story.

24

Protagonist relatable Inciting Incident A goal + obstacle Resolution, with meaning Beginning >> Middle >> EndAristotle: ~ 300 B.C.Story Elements


25


Story elements present in ancient western mythologies to stories in the Bible, Koran, Hindu holy texts, and elsewhere

All the way through early Chinese theater, oral traditions of Africa, through Shakespeare, original peoples folktales from around the world, through modern novelists, Hollywood scriptwriters, to TV to web series to Vine videos Whew.

Many consistent elements. Some we just feel at a root level26

Based on a presentationby Dr. Beau Lotto


Quick experiment. Two random shapes. One is named Lolo, one named Kiki.

How many think the one on left is Kiki, and the on the right is Lolo?

27

KikiLoloBased on a presentationby Dr. Beau Lotto


We have common ways of interpreting the world we cant even always express.

28

Family Stories


Quick exercise. Pick a neighbor. Tell a family or personal story. 60 seconds max. Then switch.

Ask for volunteers to say WHY a story was memorable.29

StorytellingCultureReligionFamily HeritageSafetyEntertainment


Heres what storytelling was used for since pre-history

Why relevant to us at [IDW] today?

A new use for storytelling arose in the last century

30

StorytellingCultureReligionFamily HeritageSafetyEntertainment+Mass Marketing


Mass marketing.

Why?31

Stone Age >> 1900sScarcity


From Stone Age times until early 1900s, SCARCITY was the rule. Average got just what they needed, if they were lucky.

32

1900s >> PresentAbundance

Stone Age >> 1900sScarcity


Industrialization brought assembly lines, leisure time, and a consumer culture to the world. (Fair distribution is another topic!)

Post WWII, in the West, a surplus of goods, to sell.

This spawned an entire new industry33


Thus was born Don Draper and Madison Avenue friends

To show us all these goods and conveniences that we maybe didnt know we needed, but now had the means to buy with our unprecedented wealth!

How did Don Draper do it? He was a masterful STORYTELLER.

34

Advertising Stories


And what kind of stories was he telling? What themes?

35

Advertising Stories


Same stories

36

Advertising Story Walls


Our CAVES: living rooms

Our WALLS were TVs and magazines

Down to a science very controlled walls, very profitable. BUT traditional advertising was more or less linear, one-way.

37

And that all started changing with


38


[Howd that get in there?]39

The Internet


40

Stories

CultureReligionFamily HeritageSafetyEntertainment+Mass Marketing


Until now, talking Content of Stories, with a one-way, linear delivery

41

Stories



But now, a new 3D world of digital communications brought so many new cave walls, and the cave itself is moving!

WHAT IT MEANT: Someone had to figure out how ad agencies could manage storytelling content with all these new digital walls!

So now we flip the conversation to the STORY OF CONTENT specifically42

StoriesContent(Strategy)



Content Strategy. 43

DefinitionContent Strategy\kon-tent strat-i-jee\


You ask 4 content strategists, youll get 5 definitions. 44

Getting the right content to the right audience in the right time, place, and manner.Content Strategy\kon-tent strat-i-jee\


This is one that Ive developed over the years that best covers all the bases.

How was this applied?45

2003


Early years

Websites: Dense, hard to scan online, pure copy, no interactivity46

Webifying Traditional Print ContentDense copySingle lengthLinear presentationWriter controlled One and done mentality


Early content strategy Webification

47

Webifying Traditional Print ContentDense copySingle lengthLinear presentationWriter controlled One and done mentality


A new form of WRITING.48

Webifying Traditional Print ContentDense copySingle lengthLinear presentationWriter controlled One and done mentalityHeaders, bullets, lighter copyBite / Snack / Meal approachStrategic hyperlinkingUX team: copy + designSticky content + user flows


Transforming 2 dimensional content into 3.

49

2015


Not perfection, but shows evolution: Imagery, hierarchy, social interactivity50


Webifying content is just one small aspect now

Big transformation was taking place in digital content, obviously. Traditional legacy content wasnt just getting converted into suitable digital content. Native digital content was getting created.

With it, transition in professions: Content Strategists were coming from ranks of copywriters, but also journalists, brand specialists, ad agency people, public relations, library science, law

51

Content Strategy Pillars


3 main pillars today

52


1. StorytellingThe WHAT


Content creation in all of its forms

Content: Anything you can consume with your eyes, ears, and mind53


1. Storytelling

2. StrategyThe WHATThe WHY/WHERE/WHEN


Driven by business goals and research

54

1. Storytelling

2. Strategy

3. Content MgmtThe WHATThe WHY/WHERE/WHENThe HOWContent Strategy Pillars


Wrangling of assets, documentation for development, uploading, distribution, CMS Left Brain

More specialized today. Some still cover all the bases, some are more focused.

55

Tools of the Trade


Here are some of the tools and deliverables youll see with Content Strategy today

56

Content Roadmapping


Depth, tone, cadence of content rolled out57

Content Audit


Exhaustive inventories of all web or social or blogging content, with qualitative analysis and recommendations for existing, future, and missing content58

User Personas


Research-based personifications of potential content consumers help focus content creation and UX design59

Voice & Tone


Content Style Guides, including Voice & Tone, Usage, other copy guidelines60

Copy Decks & Scripts


Content creation: Research, concepting, and writing for native digital content, in many forms to adapt to different sections61

Editorial Calendar Web and Social


Crucial for rolling out large quantities of content around strategic milestones, especially with brands publishing so much today62

User Flows


Along with UX designer, content strategists must think about user flows as they construct content for each relevant stage of content63

Heat Mapping


Heat mapping, to analyze eyeball traffic patterns on a page, to help prioritize content64

Campaign Concepting


Broad thinking: Content series, videos, imagery, short- and long-form65

Story Pyramid


One favorite working with creating and spreading a brand story from scratch. Great for startups.

CONSISTENCY across all channels & opportunities all the different WALLS (including elevator)

66

Origin Story


Americas Cup captain, sailing multi-day race, in middle of ocean, off Rhode Island, 1977.

Exciting race, storms, near capsized boats, drama

But the news coverage scant, and only at 11 p.m. Very removed, uncompelling reports for TV viewers. But he loved the sport and knew that media publicity would help it grow.

Captain thought, what if there were a news channel round the clock to cover events like this?

Huge skepticism, but this captain, who built up his fathers modest media business, ended up founding CNN, the first all-news network. Ted Turner never looked back.67

Quality content is critical today.


Why so many resources and people thrown at all of this?68

Quality content is critical today.


Gee, thanks Captain Obvious.

But it wasnt always the case.69

Key Words >> Site Traffic >> Impressions/Clicks >> $$ for Site (+ ad networks) >> Content FarmsMid-2000s


This formula led to content farms

70

Mid-2000s


Many search engines could happily lead you to crappy content based on keywords and basic algorithms (Demand Media & Ask.com)71

Mid-2000s


Until there was basically just one. Superior algorithms, better quality results. Still could game the SEO system.

72

2010s >>

Signal : Noise Ratio


Googles search traffic is 17 times higher than its next five competitors combined (Shareaholic, 2014 study).

2011 Panda update penalized poor quality content

2012 Penguin update penalized poor quality links

2015 change purported, to prioritize mobile-optimized sites (Big Commerce Blog, 3-7-15). [Did it happen??]

73

2015 >>


What does this mean? High quality content is relevant again.

So all is easy again, right? Just make great digital content and youre golden. Well74


Those shifting cave walls again

75

Web + Push + Social


Website + Push (subscription newsletter, blog, special promos) + Social (native content that stays there and interacts on social platform)!

76

Web + Push + Social


PLUS mobile! That little cave wall we bring with us

With all this 3D thinking, CONTEXT is really critical to content strategy now.77

Content is KingContext


Time, place, and manner part of definition78


In screenwriting, Pre-Life and Post-Life for characters in every scene

79

Pre-Life Now Post-Life


The NOW scene must be believable, and flow naturally, to resonate within a story youre trying to tell.80



Example of no pre-life: In movie where new scene starts in a car, and one character asks: 81


So where are we going?


So where are we going? WAY late to ask that

But also for digital content, sales funnels, social media marketing: FRAME OF MIND of character (user)

82



Example: Jaguar-sponsored content on Instagram >> film site >> interactive car banner >> Jaguar concept car landing page >> Vehicle shopping page

At banner: Users coming from film site; want them to go to Jaguar to shop. CONTEXT = CONNECTIVE TISSUE83



VARIATIONS too 3D thinking.

GQ.com banner, but maybe users there arent as interested in Tandie Newton, so try different banner? Or press release with link to Jaguar style landing page gets developed into story in GQ style section

SEGMENTATION / Personas84

Story Elements


Remember Aristotle and story elements? Basic storytelling arc RW content strategists should be good writers grapple with story and 3D content progression.

Why is this all more important than ever? A new beast has emerged that is devouring as much content strategy as it can swallow:85

Content Marketing


86

We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in. Craig Davis, former Chief Creative Officer at J. Walter Thompson


The essence

Brands themselves ARE the story these days, they ARE the publisher, not just media companies.

Dove, Chipotle, Red Bull, Reeses These are consumer goods/services companies, not TV networks, magazines, news outlets!87

55%B2B Content Marketing Budgets

2016


55% of B2B companies will increase content marketing budget next year

[2015 Content Marketing Trends North America report by Content Marketing Institute]88

#1 ChallengeB2B Marketers Face?


[2015 Content Marketing Trends North America by CMI, p. 30]

89

#1 Challenge

B2B Marketers Face?


Producing Engaging Content 5 years running now!

(Followed by Producing Content Consistently)


90

#1 Challenge

B2B Marketers Face?


Curiously, 2nd to last Good sign.


91

WhatWhy HowWhenWhere


Weve talked about the What, Why

What about the WHO?92

WhatWhy HowWhenWhereWHO?


Who creates all this much-desired quality content?93

If your committed to quality content, you must commit to a quality team


If you have 90% of a quality team, that 10% gap will become apparent94

If your committed to quality content, you must commit to a quality teamyoure


like no proofreaders95

Skeleton CrewContent StrategistCommunity Engagement Lead


Heres what teams can look like, depending on organization size, needs, and budget.96

Nimble FewLead Content StrategistContent Strategist / CopywriterVideo ProducerSocial Media Engagement Lead


97

Solid CoreHead of ContentContent Strategist CopywriterVideo ProducerVisual DesignerSocial Media Engagement LeadAnalytics / Optimization Manager


98

Robust TeamHead of ContentContent Strategist Content Strategist / Traffic CoordinatorCopywriter / Creative EditorCopywriter PoolProofreaderSocial Media Strategy Social Media Community EngagementSocial Media PromotionsVideo Producer / DirectorVideo EditorVisual DesignerAnalytics / Optimization ManagerDetails: bit.ly/ContentRoles


99

Content Force


Nestle 20 person digital editorial team, creating content every day

Red Bull Roughly 135 employed on its content marketing media strategy

[Source: Express Writers infographic 8-17-15]

100


With all this talk of numbers, its fitting that we wind up by looking at a natural obsession of marketers

101

Metrics


Im a big fan of instant, measurable feedback.

No need to sing the song of content measurement and metrics data we all know its incredibly valuable to content marketing and social media campaign tuning and much is free.

102

Campbells Law


As soon as a number is used to measure something, someone will confuse or distort it, thinking theyre improving the underlying metric.

Social scientist Donald Campbell, 1976 paper.103

Nixons crackdown on crime

Campbells Law


Nixon led to underreporting, and downgrading of crimes to look less problematic; actual crime did not decrease104

Speedometer Confusion


Seth Godin applies his own take105

Speedometer ConfusionMoney vs. Happiness

Weight vs. Health

Tenure vs. Competence

Twitter followers vs. Anything


Examples of what are easy indicators vs. what our true objectives are

If you dont pay attention to Campbells Law, its too easy to satisfy your boss or client or yourself with easy numbers

106

If you torture numbers enough


And if you torture numbers enough107

If you torture numbers enough theyll tell you anything


108

Build upon facts to get storyMaster storytelling basics they havent changedGood story first; then worry about wall it goes on Context is king: Think in 3DQuality content requires a quality teamUse metrics; dont torture themTake-Aways


Content Insights & StorytellingBlog / WebsiteThe Story of TellingHumans of New YorkBrain PickingsSeth GodinYouMoz BlogUnmarketingVICE MagazineTwitter@BernadetteJiwa@ThomasBarta@DiaryCS@brainpicker@iMelody@BrandRepublic@EMFATIKBrand ContentDoritosGuinnessSouthwestDennysDoveCoca-ColaRed Bull


Just some sample resources for content marketing and storytelling 110

Justin [email protected] You!


There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you

- Maya Angelou

112

The Content of Stories / The Story of Content with Justin Bookey

Technology

Transcript of The Content of Stories / The Story of Content with Justin Bookey