Content dominates every user’s web experience, but not often do we consider what planning went into the content we interact with . By schematizing the production, organization and delivery of high quality web content, this dynamic field of technical communication seeks to set standards at an organizational level in order to ensure consistency and streamline user experience.
Like many other fields of technical communication, content strategy’s definition is still being honed as the web writing arena constantly evolves. Kristina Halverson, CEO of Brain Traffic, defines content strategy as a guide to “the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content” (Halvorson, 2019, para. 1).
Activities including goal-oriented content creation, quality control, content lifecycle management and task delegation all make up content strategy. As technical communicators, content strategists are the roots on the tree of content delivery, providing structure and systematic source for organizational function and user experience. A successful content strategy can manage high quantities of information, create templates for the organization of that data, and deliver consistent, quality content both within their organization and as representatives of their organization.
Content strategy is imperative in the digital age, as users have endless options to choose from right at their fingertips. For a new project, content strategy provides a roadmap for success. For development at an organizational level, a complete overhaul of current processes may realistically be required in order for content preparers to know what is expected of them, allowing web users to easily meet their goals with their material.
Content strategy asks and answers the foundational questions concerning the direct relationship between organization and user. What does the organization want to accomplish? Is it public relations of an existing business, or do they need to break through into the popular market? What does the user want to accomplish? Will they want to speak with a representative who is familiar with the content, or will they prefer to browse the content available to them and make decisions on their own? What will the content look like? How is it stored? How does it pop up on the website’s internal search engine? How is the content managed? These questions and more guide content strategy as a requirement for web design and successful technical communication.
Summary of Research on Content Strategy
References for Content Strategy