Website design, and especially responsive design, should be built from the content out. Use these strategies to ensure that you have all the information you need to deliver the best possible project.
These pages will explain
- importance of content
- how you can get started
- some content strategy techniques
- how to implement a content strategy when no one wants to/thinks you need to implement a content strategy.
The importance of content
Content is the cornerstone of the web. It is the number one reason why people browse the internet.
Unfortunately many website projects, whether they be new websites or redesigns, do not put enough effort in to getting their content strategy developed and actioned. Without an understanding of the content and it’s structure it is impossible to provide designers with the information they need to produce
a design that puts your sites number one asset under the spotlight that it deserves. Just incase your not with me your number one asset is the content.
Getting started on content strategy
The first step is to get your website project sponsors on board. The project sponsors are usually MD’s, CEO’s, CFO’s, CIO’s or any other management acronym that means they answer to the board or the owner.
You might be fortunate and the project sponsor will listen to your recommendations and invest time and resources into a content audit, however you may also find yourself in the situation where the redesign is a knee-jerk reaction to something that has happened in the business and the sponsor will push
to jump straight into the design stage.
If you find yourself in that latter situation you can direct these sponsors to a few of the following articles and presentations from extremely smart and reputable people, and also some very successful CEO’s themselves. If they still won’t listen, we’ve got some plans on <link #howtoimplement >how
to implement a content strategy when no one wants to/thinks you need to implement a content strategy</link>
##### YOU NEED TO FIND ARTICLES. LOOK FOR ARTICLES BY KAREN MCGUIRE, SARA BOETCHER WATTER, ERIN KISSANE, AND ANY CEO’S THAT BASE THEMSELVES ON CONTENT (LOOK FOR MICROSOFT, APPLE, NEWYORK TIMES, BOSTON GLOBE, 37 SIGNALS ETC)
Content Strategy Techniques
Hopefully you are now in the situation where the project will allow you to start off with the content strategy. Hooray and lets rejoice!
Enough rejoicing, time for work.
Still looking for more? Well you should definitely check out the following leaders in content strategy
