I admit it: I’m not much for theories and strategies about content. I’m inclined to grab a shovel and start digging in right off the bat. So I’m sometimes tongue-tied when I try to explain what a content strategist actually does.
Unlike IA, content strategists don’t have a consistent set of practices and deliverables. We don’t produce site maps, or organizational models, or clickable wireframes, or any of that cool stuff. And we don’t create beautiful page layouts that finally—finally—look like a real website.
But—Lo!—I think I’ve found the answer.
The Content Strategist’s job is to ask a simple question: “What’s the point?”
We have to ask it about the website itself. We have to ask it about every bit of content. We have to ask it throughout the project. We have to ask it without looking like we don’t know what’s happening. And we have to ask it in such a way that our clients and colleagues don’t take offense.
Or perhaps we shouldn’t worry if anyone takes offense. “What’s the point?” isn’t a good question—it’s a great question. Maybe the only question.
OK, OK. Here’s my point: Content = Purpose
Most clients are quite accommodating when we ask for content. We usually get a lot more that we ask for—and a lot less of what we actually need. If we don’t ask the question, “What’s the point?”at the very beginning, it’s a lot harder (and time consuming and expensive) to extract the content that serves the purpose.
So we should stop asking FOR the content and start asking ABOUT the content. Right after we pop the big question.
Join the discussion: What’s the difference between “content” and “information?”
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 4:32 pm and is filed under Website design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.