Managing the politics of content - #PSUweb 2015

Managing the Politics of Content Hilary Marsh

PSU Web Conference 2015

Marketing Product Line

EveryoneElse

Web Team

What Politics Look Like

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/11/entertainment/10-things-you-should-know-about-your-job-interviewer/

http://www.georgiancollege.ca/academics/full-time-programs/electrical-engineering-technology-co-op-eety/

http://www.qwhn.asn.au/managementcommittee.htm

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/travel/how-to-pack-your-backpack/

2004

2007

2010

http://www.technologist.eu/the-mindfulness-movement-connecting-body-and-mind/

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

http://www.scag.gov/

“We have a carousel on our website because politics.”

– Dave Olsen, www.dmolsen.com/ Confab Higher Ed 2014

Content is…

Event ProductClass ProgramResearch

Content strategy is…

Event Strategy Product Strategy Class Strategy Program Strategy Research Strategy

Content is

political

Content is…

Event ProductClass ProgramResearch

Content is…

My Event My ProductMy Class My ProgramMy Research

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“Every pixel has an owner.”

– Paul Ford, former web editor at Harper’s magazine Confab 2013

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.”

– Upton Sinclair, 1935

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http://www.amazon.com/Have-Always-Done-That-Way/dp/184728857X/

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Department

Message

Audience

Old thinking

Organization: Programs, offerings

Audience

Messages

Audience Audience Audience

New thinking

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Content strategy is

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

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User experience is

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

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Digital is

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

What Doesn’t Work

http://wrcofsanford.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=121493706

Real-Life Solutions

“Be transparent, help people prep while they’re waiting for

their project to start.”

—Amanda Costello, University of Minnesota

“Be an evanglist for others’ work, and help people

realize that you are their champion and making way for them to do what they

do best.”

—Matthew Grocki, Grassfed Content

“Pre-sell your ideas. Pull someone aside and get

their input on a draft, so by the time you officially

reveal it, you’ve gotten their buy-in.”

—Sara Zailskas Walsh, Motorola.com

“Build strong relationships. Remember that everyone is trying to do a good job but don’t always have the

resources or skills they need.”

—Claire Helme and Mary Sabotoski, a university in Australia

“Employ “strategic nagging:”

patient but persistent repetition of a message.

—Carrie Hane Dennison, @carriehd, American

Society of Civil Engineers

What has worked for me

47http://www.slideshare.net/est3ban/empathybased-personas-gaining-a-deeper-understanding-of-your-audience-presen

Shared focus on the audience

Empathy-Based Personas

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Anthony Susan Allen Maggie

Show, don’t tell

• Useful

• Relevant

• Timely

• Org-focused

• Narrow interest

• Not actionable

53http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_twohttp://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/four_models_for_organizing_digital_work_part_two

Get your governance in order

Offering online

content

Platform(project

mgmt/prioritization, reliability)

Presentation(self, light,

medium, deluxe)

EditorialQuestions/ feedback

Promotion

Analytics

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/telachhe/3342173731/

Your agenda

1. Show what’s broken and why

2. Show solutions and potential, and what it will take to get there

3. Talk about the pilot efforts and the lessons learned

4. Anticipate roadblocks – raise “what if” scenarios, talk them through in advance

5. Determine follow-up frequency

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Respect the Depth

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http://bit.ly/1jntVcJ

Be patient

Show them how

http://ashram.yogasatsang.org/yoga-classes

Foster collaboration

• Form a cross-departmental editorial board to review major requests together

• Most impactful stories require information from multiple sources

• Facilitate, then gradually pass on ownership

Motivate and recognize

I put the information up online –now I also need

to know how many people have used it???

Redefine success

Educate and remind

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Operationalize and socialize

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Offer options for creativity

68http://oxendo.com/

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Be there for your colleagues

70http://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Review-Gold-examines-Jewish-mother-stereotype-3291210.php

Look, if it were up to me, I would leave that

content on the site, but the decision is out of

my hands

Solid rationales and alternatives

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72http://www.enterprisenews.com/article/20140614/SPORTS/140617308

Report on progress

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Working together for customer satisfaction

Empowerment

Accountability

Convenience

Thank you

@hilarymarsh

www.slideshare.net/hilarymarsh