Content Planning Self Assessment - Building a Working Content Plan and Map by Doyle Buehler

The Online Empire Project

Content Discovery, Development & Planning

Building Online Influence For Business Growth The Online Empire Project Content Discovery, Development & Planning Assessment

Prepared by: Doyle Buehler doyle@thedigitaldelusion.com June 2014 1 300 681 911 doyle@TheDigitalDelusion.com www.TheDigitalDelusion.com

Find me online: Twitter http://twitter.com/doylebuehler Facebook http://www.facebook.com/doyle.buehler Google+ http://plus.google.com/101726301477581347234 Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/in/doylebuehler Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/doylebuehler Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/doylebuehler/ Flickr: http://www.fllickr.com/photos/61555869@N03/ Skype: doyle_buehler Doyle Buehler Content Development Strategies

Table of Contents Content Assessment Overview

Developing a Content Plan

Underlying Content Structure Principles

What’s Next?

Part 1: Content Review Questionnaire

Part 2: Additional Supporting Questions To Create a Deeper Understanding of Your Content Needs for You & Your Audience 13 Part 3: Self-Assessment General Content Understanding

Initial Content Management Scorecard Assessment

The 7 Frame Online Empire Project (#ROImethod)

What Do You Need to do Next?

Would You Like Your Answers Reviewed?

Questions About Your Content Self-Assessment?

About Doyle Buehler

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Content Self Assessment Introductory Questionnaire

Content Assessment Overview Content can be defined as all of the information or knowledge base of your business that is used in all of the online and offline worlds, whether that is using social media, SEO, general marketing, etc. Content can be videos, social media posts, html for SEO, advertisements, etc. – basically anything that is used to show the customer whom we are, in whatever channel, or medium that they are. Content is not just about having a blog, either. It is much much more than that. The outcome of this self-assessment is to develop a clearer understanding of the content within your organisation, and how you can specifically use it more effectively in your day to day activities, in the online environment. This will allow you easier ways to fulfill some of your roles, as well as improved methods of distribution, management, and of course enhance visitor and user interactions, and sales and leads generation. It will help you focus on the core content that your customers and audience are responding to, and allow you to make effective changes to increase the level of engagement with your audiences. This questionnaire is part of the “Discovery” process, so that you can gauge how you personally deal with your business content on a regular basis. There is no right or wrong answer; just look for your insights, ideas, and feelings about how you currently are dealing with the information. Additionally, the more people that are involved with this discovery process, the broader we will be able to define your content foundation; implementation then becomes more effective.

Developing a Content Plan Content is one of the biggest components of your business; content is utilised in all areas of your business, and is the primary contact tool for clients and customers, marketing and promotions, and of course search engine optimisation and search engine ranking. Hence, it is critical for the overall success that it is managed and implemented correctly and efficiently. The reasons for a content assessment and review are multifold, including:

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• • • • •

Obtaining a thorough analysis of the specific content within your organization Defining a clear strategy and understanding of how to operate more efficiently. To provide a review of the existing processes and structure; to define the baseline for future improvements To implement a clear and articulated content strategy that allows for the more efficient and utilization of content across the board. Involve the various stakeholders to provide different levels of input and insight into the content configuration.

Underlying Content Structure Principles The following components form the basis for developing a complete content plan specific to your business, as part of the Content Strategy Matrix.

a. Channel Organisation The core channels are the various avenues or mediums in which the variety of content is managed. This can include: i. ii. iii. iv.

Social media sites Video & Images Community areas Special content delivery mechanisms

b. Topics of Core Content In order to be effective, content needs to be segregated into modules that allows for succinct distribution and organisation. These will be based on the activities of your business; these are the major groupings of content that is significant to your audience:

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i. Ideas – content that is based on the integral message of your business ii. Value – content that is based upon the overall value proposition of your business iii. Credibility – Content that is based upon the authority that you have in your industry iv. Personalised – Content that is focused on the intimate user experience and lifestyle of your audience v. Entertainment – Content that is fun, light hearted, and that sends this message to your audience

c. Audience Buy-in Stages It is critical to ensuring that each customer/persona, is brought through all of the necessary stages of information in order to better be able to understand and act upon the information and knowledge itself. 1. Information acknowledgment – the information or knowledge based is initially accessed, with no real relevance to the audience. 2. Information attachment & understanding – the information is then associated with a key component or reticular activation that then creates the relevance directly to the audience. 3. Information action – the information is acted upon; a purchase made, or an application completed, etc.

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4. Information relay – the audience is able to properly and effectively share and distribute relevant information/knowledge about the organization. Understanding these steps is critical in being able to apply the proper level of information and knowledge, at the appropriate time. Conversely, it allows these different stages to coincide with the audience and the corresponding category of information (segregation of content).

d. Personas/Customers In order to further complete a content plan, it is imperative that we understand the personas or profiles in order that we can then direct the content at; who is your “customer”? These personas will further allow us to structure, direct and mobilize the content appropriately in the next phases of the project. e. Timing & Schedules The development and usage of Content calendars and schedules is critical in order to be able to manage and properly utilise content. The creation of Content schedules provides the baseline of information and ideas to be distributed in an efficient and effective manner. The act of actually planning out this type of structure also creates a “reason” for the posts, and correlates with the underlying strategy that is being attempted.

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What’s Next? The Audit/Discovery is a simple 3 step process; a typical content strategy implementation project should take on the following framework: • • •

Phase 1: Conduct this comprehensive content audit on your business to be used for further content management and development. Phase 2: Implement and action specific content-based activities for the further promotion and development of your brand. Phase 3: The ongoing stage of the project involves the set-up for future continuation, as well as optimisation of the existing content. This will allow the content to be self-generating where applicable and self-propagating through all channels of distribution, through the effective engagement of our audience.

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Part 1: Content Review Questionnaire

Company & Name

Role and/or Position in Company

Key Tasks & Activities

What content do you think your company does well?

What content do you think your company could improve or add (and how)?

What are your competitors using? Documents? Reports?

What new content would you like to see about your company? (as many suggestions as you like!)

What types of online content do you have experience in? .e.g. blogs, social media, SEO, programming, marketing, etc.)

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What content records do you keep, if any? These can be content based, accounts and logins based, distribution records, etc.

In your mind, what is the single most important piece of information or knowledge about your company? What tools, if any, do you currently use for the management and distribution of content?

How often do you deal with content? i.e. All of the time Most of the time Several times per day Several times per week

What problems or roadblocks do you feel currently exist in finding and sourcing content, dealing with content, or distributing, sharing and managing content. Please detail and explain.

What types of content do you currently deal with? i.e. printed, social media, SEO, programming, marketing, etc.)

How do you personally access content and access the “knowledge base”?

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Do you follow a specific process or methodology in either gaining, acquiring or distributing content? Please explain.

Do you have or know of any specific key performance indicators that you use in relation to your business?

What categories of information do you regularly encounter? What questions do people ask or look for? Internal/External

Special topics/special events throughout the year & Timings

Jan Feb Mar April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

Current Resources available

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(EDMs, written reports, book synopsis, monthly reports, dashboard reports, client reports

(please supply samples) What are the top 5 “Hot Button” issues that are relevant to your clients and prospects? What are the top 5 keywords or phrases that you would be able to describe your business?

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Part 2: Additional Supporting Questions To Create a Deeper Understanding of Your Content Needs for You & Your Audience

What are you passionate about in your industry? Is there a certain angle or approach that gets you excited? What’s your greatest skill? What do you prefer to spend most of your time on? Rather than answer these questions directly, think of article angles that you can derive from them. For example, I’m passionate about content marketing. It’s what inspires me, and I’m convinced it’s the key to online marketing success. But I’m not just going to write an article on “Why I’m Passionate about Content Marketing.” Instead, I’m going to channel that enthusiasm into a major work that I can get excited about, like an advanced guide to content marketing.

How did you get started in your industry? Everyone enters their niche in a different way. How did you get interested in your area? What training did you have? Don’t be afraid of getting personal here. The best content is stuff that is personal, while still actionable and oriented to your audience. People love to hear about others’ experiences and to read things from a first-person perspective. Again, use your answer to this question as an article topic. For example, if I started as an online marketing professional by facing a traffic challenge on a small-time ecommerce site, I can tell that story, while providing a lot of great advice. Maybe it can be something like, “Five SEO Lessons I Learned While Working on a Struggling Ecommerce Site.”

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Why is your product the best? If you sell a product, you are hopefully convinced of its value. Why does it rock?

What are some mistakes that people make in your industry? Every industry has its pitfalls. What are some in your industry? What makes people go out of business, experience a slump, or lose interest?

What is the greatest challenge in your industry? If you tell people how to overcome common industry challenges, they will eat your content up. Jot down the biggest challenges, and just write “solve it!” beside them. You’ve got an idea that can transform into a powerful article.

What does success look like in your industry? What does it mean to get to the top or to dominate? How do you get there?

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Who is the most successful person in your industry? Write down their names and the word “interview.” Later on, you can call them up to request an interview, or read other interviews that they’ve participated in. From published interviews, you can pick up on a salient point and tease it out into an article or two

What is the biggest news in your industry? One of the richest sources of articles is contemporary industry news. Turn your mind to the breaking news, and jot down a couple ideas.

What is a success story from your business? Biggest failure? Stories of personal experience are perfect for article topics. Want to write an article that gets read and shared? Discuss how and why you failed at first, or what factors led to some huge success.

What personal skills help someone become successful in your industry? This is easily a top 10 list -- several of them, actually. From time-management tips to email ninja advice, you can bust out a bunch of practical and tactical advice that will really appeal to your audience. Everyone wants to become successful. This series of topic ideas tells them exactly how to get there.

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What tools do you use to get your job done? This is another list or top 10 article. What kind of things do you use -- a desk, a Macbook, an iPhone, a Bluetooth device? What about mobile apps? Web apps? Data storage? Coffee? Write it down.

Where, when, and how do you do your best work? Each industry is going to have its own take on getting stuff done -- the hows and whys. You can become the authoritative voice in your industry for how to do it. Think about tips like avoiding burnout, maximizing productivity, and accomplishing major tasks.

Why do you enjoy being in your industry? There may be some days when your work is a chore, but what about those bright moments? How do you stay motivated in your industry? How do specific challenges motivate you? How do the experiences intrigue you?

What is changing in your industry? Every industry has its developments, technological innovations, and major shakeups. These are great current topics that will fuel search queries and drive traffic. Jot down a few of these changes, and pull out some article topics. Most of the time, you won’t be able to posture yourself as a breaking news provider. Rather, you should take the position of providing opinion, commentary, response, or advice based on the developments.

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What are some processes or practices that you have perfected? If you’ve achieved some level of expertise in a specific area, describe how you did it. Advanced guides and detailed topics are best. I’ve done this with SEO and content marketing and seen some really strong returns from it.

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Part 3: Self-Assessment General Content Understanding Q1. Do you know how much content you have on your current site? YES: Good start. You are already thinking about content and probably considering its impact on the project. NO: Alarm bells. Commissioning a website project without considering how much content currently exists is not a good start. Quickly get that answer, and share it. Q2. Have you (or will you) audit the content on your current site? YES: Excellent. You understand the value of auditing content and the whole project will benefit from the insights. NO: You may be thinking: “We don’t like our old content, we’ll just start again.” That is a serious case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater and should be investigated.

Q3. Are you archiving outdated or poor quality content on the current site? YES: Great. You already respect content as a finite resource that has a life-cycle and they understand that a new site is the perfect opportunity for a spring clean. NO: Warning. You may be expecting all the old content to be “lifted and shifted” into the shiny new site. Nip that assumption in the bud. Q4. Do you know who is going to (re)write all the content for the new site? YES: Good. You aren’t assuming that improved content will magically appear in the new site. Enquire who is lined up and assess their skill level and availability. NO: Big risk. You’re failing to think about one of the most resource intensive work streams in the project. They may assume the content can be easily migrated from the old site to the new. Set expectations now! Do you have a budget for hiring writers?

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Q5. Does someone have overall responsibility for content quality during the project and beyond launch? YES: Good. There is someone with a lot riding on the new site and will be (in theory) working hard to produce good content. Start building a strong working relationship ASAP. NO: Alarm bells. If such a person does not exist and is not considered necessary, then the content beyond the project is rudderless. Q6. Do you know (roughly) how many hours per week will be dedicated to maintaining content on the new site? YES: Good. You are thinking ahead and not seeing the launch of the new site as the finish (but as the beginning). You will also be more realistic about how much content is sustainable and prioritise harder throughout the project. NO: You are being short-sighted and dangerously missing the point that a website is a living and evolving medium that needs continuous attention. Set expectations with yourself. Q7. Does the current site have dedicated (subject expert) content owners? YES: Good. You appreciate that good content needs ownership and are more likely to work smoothly with the content owners during the project for better results. NO: Indicates that content is unloved and probably in a state of neglect. The project will need to (re)build ownership between subject experts and the new site’s content. This takes time. Q8. Do you know if any current content is syndicated from other systems? YES: Good. You seem to know their own content eco-system. You need to look at any syndicated content ASAP because you can guarantee it is going to add functional requirements to the new CMS. NO: Warning sign. What else don’t you know and failed to include in the brief? Conduct a content eco-system audit ASAP before an old legacy content feed catches everyone out. Q9. Will you have a (digital) content style guide?

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YES: Somebody cares about content quality and consistency and probably understands the difficulty of producing good digital content. NO: Have you started to think about a content production process to deliver consistent, good quality content? Potentially not. Q10. Do you have analytics running on your current site? YES: Good. Some value is placed on evaluation (even if little has been done with the data). NO: Warning sign. So nobody really knows how the content on the existing site is performing or shown any interest in finding out. The project needs to change that. Q11. Can content be published in phases after the site launches? YES: Good. You appreciate the true effort of producing good content and are anticipating ways to ensure the content doesn’t delay launch, including prioritising content. NO: You may be being unrealistic about the content challenge ahead or approaching the project with a print-publication mentality, i.e. it must all be published together. Closely examine the reasons why content can’t be rolled out in phases and challenge yourself.

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Initial Content Management Scorecard Assessment The Content Management scorecard allows us to understand your current situation, but also further develop and enhance the overall content program through development and refinement of your content plan. At the end of this complete project, along with future checkpoints, a reassessment needs to be conducted to ensure that strategies are being met.

Item Relevance of information at audience stages Command and control of content information Coordination of content with strategy

Curation and Utilisation of content with audience Distribution and monitoring methodologies

Details How information is conveyed at the various stages of knowledge within the existing structure. How information is controlled throughout entire process. How information is passed on. How information works hand in hand with the overall strategy. How clear is the strategy detailed and understood. How the content matches the strategy. How the content is relevant to audience. How it is curated and captured. How information is reutilised The tools and toolsets that are used throughout.

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Score

The 7 Frame Online Empire Project (#ROImethod)

What exactly is the online empire project (#ROImethod)? It is a step-by-step framework that helps businesses rediscover and redefine their business online. It combines all of the needed aspects for proper and sound digital management, including social media, websites, advertising, search engine optimisation, and everything else for the digital business. These 7 core steps create the framework for successful businesses to properly manage their online ecosystem. Frame

Focal Point

Theme

Discovery

Content Strategy

Content Planning, Creation and Development. Words still “Rock”

Social & Sharing

Social Networking and Sharing. There’s more than just ‘The’ Facebook.

Online Empire Building “Disco” Discovery and Strategic Alignment

Video & Visual Content

Video & Visuals. Hollywood & the Paparazzi goes online

Website Alignment

Website Alignment & Congruency. Create and evolve your web presence

Online Lead &

Online Lead Strategies. How to create the sales

Core Criteria and General Activities To Complete • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Audit and Understanding of Current Capabilities Establishing a strategic architecture Social media strategy review and questionnaire Social Media workshop review Customer identification and discovery Building Your Story online Designing your content Scheduling, Timing & Delivery Concurrent Needs of SEO Press Releases and Media development Channel Prioritization and Selection Channel set-up and establishing your foundation Channel strategies to get maximum value for your business Cross channel propagation Coordinating and scheduling your content. The importance and ease of video How to create video content Creation & Production Key Performance factors Webinars to successful businesses Placement of video channels and cross promotion Setting up your SEO Requirements Usage and placement of images Technical requirements of images Importance of image types Creation and sizes Development of images and sharing Understand and implement website goals Restructure site as needed for “gifts” and “product for prospects” Create congruency Embodiment of proper sales funnel Back-end SEO Content Development Lead Development – Ascending Transaction Model Webinars as lead generators Product development in the online environment

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Traffic Strategies

funnel that works.

Advanced Online Strategies

Advanced Online Empire business building strategies and tactics. Advertising, Analytics and Dashboards

• • • • • • • • •

Social Networking advanced lead generating strategies EDM activities and list building Content distribution in your lead generation Effective Online Sales funnels Online media buying and advertising on Google adwords, Linkedin & Facebook Content channels to expand your reach and your control Online Response strategies Analytics & Measurement Measurement, Tools & Dashboards to use to control your online influence and response

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What Do You Need to do Next? The scores that you create here really are just "relative". They merely serve as a guideline to help focus your efforts as you build your online content blueprint. As a simple “first step”, take a look at implementing the 7 simple steps into your digital journey, with the “actions” listed above, for each step. This starting point will help you manage and grow your business. Where you go from there is completely up to you! They are in fact the 7 simple steps to: Free your mind Build your customer desire Engage your audience passion online Imagine if you could further develop your audience, your leads, and of course your sales. How would your business grow? Visit http://www.thedigitaldelusion.com to discover some of the unique tools and techniques to master your online blueprint. When you are ready to grow engagement, audience and sales, we offer a number of packages that fit for building your complete and comprehensive digital platform for your business.

Would You Like Your Answers Reviewed? If you would like your answers reviewed to help you in your digital discovery journey, please email your answers to me. There is no cost, and no obligation, and full confidentially is always delivered. Email your document to doyle@thedigitaldelusion.com

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Questions About Your Content Self-Assessment? Please contact me: Doyle Buehler doyle@thedigitaldelusion.com +61 (0) 413 106 880 1300 681 911 Australia

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About Doyle Buehler Doyle is an author, entrepreneur, speaker and online business strategist. From several successful start-ups and retail franchise businesses in Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia, to helping other companies succeed with their ideas and strategies, he has spent over 12 years in the business world making things happen – both online and off. He is a Leading innovator in the online, ecommerce worlds, and at the intersections of entrepreneurship and digital innovation. His experience has been utilised in various global industries, including travel, insurance, pharmaceuticals, banking, investment, hospitality, finance, events and learning domains. His newest book, "The Digital Delusion", discusses the reality of the online industry, and what business leaders can do to get beyond the clutter, confusion and distraction of the online world. Find more information on the book here: http://www.digitaldelusion.info He now runs the world's first "anti-agency", The Digital Delusion, helping entrepreneurs and business leaders become less reliant on "guru's", and "experts", and getting rid of the bullsh*t online, by empowering and enabling them to become awesome online.

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Additional Notes, Considerations and Ideas For Me To Consider For My Business:

Please send me an email! doyle@thedigitaldelusion.com Questions I Still Need to Get Answers for, when talking with Doyle Buehler:

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Thank you for reading our latest Business Building Success Series.

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