Content: It's not someone else's problem

Practically since the PC boom in the mid 1990s, individuals and organizations have been consumed - and even obsessed - with learning how to use available technology to deliver content.

But what about the content itself? Are we giving content the time and attention it deserves? After all, what good does it do to have a slick web site and to hold accounts on all the latest social media sites if no one cares about what you have to say?

The time and attention of members is at a premium, and as demands grow, time and attention will become more and more precious. If you want to add value and protect your relevance, getting in touch with members online is only part of the challenge - making sure you have something of value to offer is what will make them come back.

Good content that provides value in the right way to the right people at the right time doesn't just happen. It requires a solid content strategy. Kristina Halvorson is the founder and president of Brain Traffic, and she says that at its best, a content strategy defines:

• key themes and messages,


• recommended topics,


• content purpose (i.e., how content will bridge the space between audience needs and business requirements),


• content gap analysis,


• metadata frameworks and related content attributes,


• search engine optimization (SEO), and


• implications of strategic recommendations on content creation, publication, and governance.aving a solid content strategy in place requires

Read her article at A List Apart.

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