Agile Content Strategy: developing and implementing a content strategy with few resources

Babak Zand & Helen Schrader

Agile Content Strategy: developing and

implementing a content strategy with few

resources

Hey there. We are...

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Babak Zand; Content Strategist & SCRUM Master@bazakom

Helen Schrader; Product Owner Content Marketing & SEO@helenschrader19

A few words about Pixum

3@bazakom | @helenschrader19

What is currently the biggest challenge in Content Marketing?*

4* Survey among n = 132 content marketing decision makers and employees of agencies and companies in Germany.

How can we - without

neglecting our daily

business and with a

small team -

● ...methodically develop

a solid and documented

Content Strategy?

● ...implement, measure

and control a

cross-departmental

Content Strategy within

the company?

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Develop a Content Strategy methodically by

using agile Project Management Methods

within an pilot project with the help of

Performance Measurement Systems.

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WTF?7

Structure

What? Content Strategy● Introduction of the Content Strategy Framework● Content Strategy @PIXUM

How? Agile Management● Introduction of the SCRUM Framework ● Iterative Approach @PIXUM

Is it Working? Performance Measurement● Controlling with the help of the Balanced Scorecard● The Objective and Key Results System @PIXUM

8@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Content Strategy Framework

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A birds perspective – The Content Strategy Framework10

Preparation Phase – The Kick-Off11

The Preparation Phase - The Kick-Off

• One of the most important phases regarding later agile management.

• Project vision is defined; Setting up a Business Case

• Getting Support of C-Level for the Pilot Project.

• Team members are selected.

• Planning for internal trainings (e.g. workshops) for future team members without prior agile

experiences.

12@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Looking for data - The Research Phase13

Looking for data - The Research Phase

• Collect meaningful data with the help of strategic analysis.

• Used for making the important decisions.

• Various strategic analytic instruments; data relevant to structures and processes.

14@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Draft of a first battle plan – the Content Marketing Strategy15

• With enough data collected, a battle plan is developed.

• Several Content Marketing Strategies for multiple target audiences.

• Workshop results are planned on a high level, confirmed and then processed in further sprints.

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Draft of a first battle plan - The Content Marketing Strategy

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Helen

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The Preparation Phase - How to start?

What is necessary to start your strategy?

● Set the stage● C-Level management support● Casting call● Pioneers, characters

We had our framework, but what now?

● Get everyone together● Set goals● Get help

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CEO

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

The Research Phase: Learn to love your numbers

Our questions:

● Do we have best practices? ● What has worked in the past?● Where can we achieve the biggest growth?

Our to-do’s

● Content Audit ● Customer Surveys● Data, data & tools

19@bazakom | @helenschrader19

The Battle Plan: First Discoveries

Findings

● The best channels: Social Media, CRM & Service● Daily business vs. Content Strategy● Northern star vs. team goals vs. private goals

Revelations

● Who is your stakeholder?● Find supporters!● Find a framework that works for you

20@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Agile Management with the SCRUM Framework

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"(...) Eisenhower once observed that

planning for combat is important, but as

soon as the first shot is fired, your plans go

up in smoke." - Jeff Sutherland, Co-Creator

of SCRUM.

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SCRUM Model23

BACKLOGREFINEMENT

DAILY

RETRO

REVIEW

SPRINTPLANNING

Backlog©

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BACKLOG

Requirements

Prioritisation

User Stories

Refinement

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REFINEMENT

Complexity

Effort

Planning Poker

Sprintplanung©

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SPRINT PLANNING

User Stories

Sprint Scope

Tasks

Daily©

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DAILY

Updates

Progress

Challenges

Review

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REVIEW

Results

Transparency

Feedback

Retro

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RETROSPECTIVE

Self reflection

Potential

Strategies

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Heroes of SCRUM

● Team consists of specialists

● Solve tasks self-sufficiently

● Team members gain more experience with every sprint, which improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the entire team.

The Tuckman-Model

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Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Helen

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How did we become a great team? - Storming

How to jump into your storming phase?

● Think about your favourite childhood movie● What was great about it?

That’s why agile is great!

● You win some, you lose some● Friendship goals● The Nerd, The Princess, The Jock, The Basket Case, The

Criminal :-)

33@bazakom | @helenschrader19

How to build self-esteem? - Norming

Agile can support change

● Transparency● Communication● Prioritization● Goals & Achievements

Every member becomes

● More self-aware● Hungrier

34@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Data, again…! - The Performing Phase

Agile & SCRUM thrive on data...

● as do most businesses● consistent delivery● increased efficiency

This data has different manifestations

● KPIs (hard & soft)● Sprint Velocity● Turnover & Sales● Prosperity & Success

35@bazakom | @helenschrader19

As you can see… it works! Best Marketing Organization Award 201636

Measuring and Controlling a Content Strategy as a continuous task

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The concept of the BSC in under 3 Minutes

Concept of the Balanced Scorecard

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Strategy

Vision

Financial Perspective

Internal Perspective

Learning & Growth Perspective

Customer PerspectiveScorecard

Dashboard of all

relevant KPIs

Strategy Map

Visual cause & effect

chain

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Clear and easy to understand - The Strategy Map

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Just like a cockpit - the Scorecard

How to find the correct key figures - it’s the mixture that counts

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Performing Measures Leading Measures

Helen

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Explanation OKR-System

Objectives & Key Results

● Relevant KPIs for the Company● Your company’s focal point● Increase transparency & communication● Company goals, divisional goals, team goals● Set quarterly targets

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Pixum Company Objectives

CS BMIT PM Ad

SEACRMSEO

@bazakom | @helenschrader19

My practical OKR-Example @PIXUM

How does it work for me?

● Third quarter goals in 2016● Four objectives, twelve key results● They pay into the company goals● They pay into the team goals● They are agile and complementary● They structure your work

45@bazakom | @helenschrader19

Why did we choose SCRUM for our Content Strategy?

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● Struggle with various tasks, priorities and teams

● It works well with the OKR Systemthat we already had

● Lack of documented content strategy● Developing, implementing & controlling a

solid content strategy without neglecting daily business

Questions?

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Contact

Babak ZandContent-Strategist & SCRUM-Master

www.babak-zand.deinfo@babak-zand.de+49 177/368 20 98

Helen SchraderProduct Owner Content Marketing

www.pixum.co.uk / www.pixum.de hes@pixum.com+49 2236 886 422

48@bazakom | @helenschrader19

SourcesPage 38: Stormtroopers; Name: Robert McGoldrick; Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobsfever/6747750655/

Page 41: Cockpit; Name: Byron Sterk; https://unsplash.com/@byronsterk

Page 42a: Performance Measures; Name: Clem Onojeghuo; https://unsplash.com/@clemono2

Page 42b: Leading Measures; Name: averie woodard; https://unsplash.com/@averieclaire

All other pictures by Nadine Kuhn Fotografie or Pixum.

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