Are you a content hoarder? Time to declutter! (part 1)
You may watch the reality show “Hoarders” or the news stories about these extreme collectors — lots of folks do. Many of us have basements or attics with too many mementos or too much stuff, but hoarders take this to the extreme. They can’t bear to throw anything away — even trash — and their homes become so filled with junk that they can no longer live there...
Read MoreContent strategy: What is it, and why do you need one?
What is a content strategy? Think about your website: What content is currently present? What information do your audiences need, but does not appear on your site? When and how often is each type of content updated? Does your content have a consistent voice and tone, no matter what section/department of your organization it comes from? Is each piece of information factually consistent, both with...
Read MoreCreate a smart publishing process for your website
What do we mean by “publishing process”? Content doesn’t just appear on a site by magic. At a minimum, it has to be written and it has to be posted. Between those two steps, it is usually checked for its writing quality and correctness. Legal and compliance may need to review it. And ideally, it will be reviewed by a high-level editor or editorial board to make sure that it is...
Read MoreContent management is not the same as a content management system
Content management is the means to ensure that the information an organization issues is accurate, on-target, legally compliant compliant, and consistent. True content management, then, encompasses Web content, call center scripts, direct marketing materials, sales presentations, press information, advertising, product information, executive speeches, etc. Imagine if your information was...
Read MoreWriting for the web: Building a website from the outside in
1. What does it mean to build a website from the outside in? 2. Why should writers be part of a Web team? The Web is fundamentally a medium about communication (and functionality too). Basic sites only communicate TO an audience. Sophisticated sites communicate WITH an audience. As communicators, writers are accustomed to putting themselves in the reader’s shoes. A website is likely to...
Read MoreIntranet management and governance today: still a work in progress
These days, almost every organization has an intranet, a website that provides information and, sometimes, business tools for employees. Many organizations’ intranets are decentralized, containing hundreds or thousands of files and documents, with inadequate organization, few guidelines for updating or removing information, and little attention paid to the strategic and cultural...
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