A curious tale: Building your team around a content-first approach

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2 A curious tale: Building your team around a content-first approach Andy Blair Director of Marketing, Student Recruitment & Admissions University for the Creative Arts

3 Strategy The art of planning and directing overall military operations and movements in a war or battle. 3. Oxford English Dictionary

4 This session: Gaining institutional buy in to move into a content-led position What are the challenges in resourcing your content strategies / plans? The problem with benchmarking Focusing on skills rather than shape.

5 What would be most useful to you?

6 When you prime someone with an idea, they are more likely to engage with your story. Ashley Budd, Cornell University, ContentEd 2017

7 Fledgling content-first team The initial brand development was hinged on the content story 1 Head of Brand, Content & Creative 1 Content Development Manager 5 Content Officers 1 Digital Media Officer* 4 Graphic Designers 1 Head of Communications & 3 Communications Staff

8 Fledgling content-first team We deliberately didn t look to hire journalists Skillset: Having a clear empathy for the audience, Ability to write, Experience of university life, Mixed authoring experience Story telling background Experience of working with online content / in social media Personalities that fitted together and could influence academic staff.

9 Content Team + Web Team Web Team: Head of Digital Digital Strategist (Contract) UX Designer (Contract) 2 4 Developers (2 permanent) 1 Web Officer (Closely working with Content Team) 1 very large brick wall.

10 ü Complete installation of Drupal and re-architecture of the core website from scratch in 4 months ü Complete redesign and repositioning in print at the same time (1 Nov - 1 Feb) including in-house printed personalised prospectus ü Content Development Manager & Digital Strategist developed content architecture under two themes. ü The entire top level navigation on launch day was Study or Discover. ü Discover (which became Explore) played to the brand position of curiosity and wonder and acted as a portal

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13 Part 2: Managing Content-First

14 What do you need to achieve and what skills do you need to achieve it?

15 There is no ideal structure.

16 Every institution is different Different strategies require a different mixture of skill sets Size doesn t necessarily equate to agility Thinkers vs Doers empower everyone to contribute Temptation to resource based on pressure to do more Linking use of content to outcomes / enrolments / income Think about language and tone

17 What structure do our competitors have?

18 The problem of fluidity Dynamic platforms / Multiple methods of engagement / User generation / Multi-channel management Using content strategically User Experience / Information Architecture / Content Management / Content Marketing / Communications Content Strategy Substance / Structure / Workflow / Governance

19 Institutional strategy Content Strategy Teaching & Learning Strategy Research & Enterprise Strategy Student Experience Strategy Public Engagement Strategy Internationalisation Strategy Marketing & Recruitment Strategy Communication Strategy Brand Strategy? Information Management Strategy

20 Job roles UX Designers Digital Development Specialists Web Editors Social Media Gurus Content Marketers Communications & PR Specialists Internal Communications Managers Media Relations Officers Project Officers Strategists International Comms & Marketing Officers Account Managers

21 Job roles Director of Content Strategy Head of Content Development Content Production Manager Content Producers x 7 (writing / social) Social Media Programmer Content Producers 4 (film / audio) Digital Development Manager UX Strategist Developers x3 Content Archivist / Asset Manager Creative Designers Head of Media Relations & PR Communications / Media Officers Internal Comms

22 Avoid building a Content Vending Machine Amanda Saunders

23 What I wish we d had A better workflow and asset management system (Assetbank / ProofHQ) Videographers/Digital Content Producers film the wonderful things Content Researcher/Analyst Control of the Social Media Officer Better understanding of Google Analytics Medium.com Time to test

24 What I wish we d had Ability to strongly influence the CRM system development Marketing Campaigns Team more focused on completing plans than content Integration of CRM and Website earlier Keep warm material was largely metrics driven Personalisation in print vs personal Rob Mills Embed something in to all JD s about participating in content workflow

25 What worked well? Great personalities Content / Editorial Calendar Staff understood the stories were part of the branding Other departments wanted to quickly evolve their content / web

26 Focus on Keeping the purpose of the team clear The top level outcome, application, enrolment, event attendance, cash Sentiment / likes of content is not as important as usefulness and relevant Metrics vs What has all the feels.

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