“If content is king, then content strategy is a king-maker.” – UX Booth
Without a content strategy, you just have words on a page. With a strategy, content can play a pivotal role in the direction, execution, and success of a company.
But, let’s not only associate a killer content strategy with success. User Experience (UX) is also deeply intertwined with content. And when that content is irrelevant, outdated or unorganized, the user does not have an enjoyable experience.
How can you tell if your content is working for you or against you?
A simple content strategy audit will do the trick.
Michelle Lin, of Content Marketing Institute defines performing a content audit around these three parameters, “ROT: redundant, outdated, or trivial information”. By getting clear on what falls into any of these three categories, then you can more easily determine what is necessary and what needs to go.
A common misconception about content is that more is better. The idea of “more” tends to beget “fluff”. More is only ever better if you can retain the below foundational copy consideration:
Clear, concise, and catchy are key.
A content marketing audit will help you break down the “what” and “why” of your current copy so you can see all the moving parts of the big picture more easily. It is absolutely vital to break all this down before you can build back up.
High performing content has purpose, punch and power. Your customers are looking for specific information when they come to your website, so why not give the people what they want?
Every brand can benefit from a content strategy audit. It’s so important to analyze the purpose of your information, but it can be overwhelming.
These 5 questions will help you get your content strategy audit rolling:
- Where is the focus of your content? On the customer or on the brand’s goals?
- Is there a team in place to revisit and revise content after a certain amount of time?
- How does your information relate to your UX? Is it anticipatory of what they would want to know, or are you telling them what you think they need to hear?
- Who (if anyone) is monitoring and researching market trends within your industry to remain competitive?
- What is the content development strategy currently in place and what is the main purpose of that process?
By asking these 5 questions, the puzzle pieces will begin to put themselves together. Get your team into the same room and start to look at your website objectively, as if you’d just seen it for the first time.
What is your first impression? Are you talking to your audience, or at your audience?
It is easy to get tunnel vision when you’re so close to something. This is especially true when you’ve been slaving over and sweating into your web content. The ability to step back and analyze what’s in front of you will not only help you get clear, it will also show you what your customers are seeing.
Your new content development strategy should help your team and customers navigating the website more smoothly. Without a thoughtful strategy you’ll have frustrated customers which makes for a frustrated team.
When everyone and everything is working in the same direction, along the rails of a thoroughly considered strategy, your content vehicle can really begin pick up speed.
Get your team together. Hash it all out. Approach the audit with a “GSD” (get sh*t done) mindset and don’t stop until you’re satisfied.
