Content & editorial strategy
Despite all the wonderful things that the internet can do, the web is essentially a publishing medium; and for the most part, what we’re publishing is written content. To succeed on the web, we need to think like a publisher: we need content strategy.
Content is notorious for being the last thing considered in web projects: it’s treated as an afterthought, when it’s the one thing your audience actually wants from your site. That sounds crazy, but it’s probably happening in your organisation right now. Who’s responsible for the content on your website?
Editorial strategy
To keep people coming back to your website, you need an editorial strategy. What should we publish, how often, where will we get it from, how much will it cost, and who’s going to write it? And most important: who’s going to read it, and why will they care?
Copywriter or content strategist?
When most people want professional help with writing, they’ll go to a copywriter: someone who can write great copy. We love copywriters, and they’re important to have on a team. But often, hiring a content strategist first makes more sense.
As we argue in our take on web design, you’re the one who writes the content. A content strategist can carry out a content audit, identify subject matter experts, write style guides, and commission writing and editing; in short, take ownership of the content.