On January 29th, I held a webinar together with GatherContent. The topic was how the core model and pair writing helps you create content that works for your clients, and their users - while still being friends with the people in your business, or even making some new ones!
3. #contentstrategy
Audun Rundberg
@audunru
Content Strategist
How come
our annual
report isn’t on
the home
page?
Why
isn’ t my
department
in the main
menu?
We need a
button on the
home page that
takes you to our
Facebook
profile.
I need a
banner for our
latest product
launch.
Somebody
called me last
week and couldn’t
find vacant
positions!
Our
competitors
have videos on
their website.
We should
too.
You
should
make more
room for
news.
I don’t like
purple!!
My son
could have
made a better
website.
14. Core workshop
People work in pairs,
and present their work
after each step
1. Identify core pages
2. Inward paths
3. Core content
4. Forward paths
5. Prioritizing core elements
15. 6–14 participants
No web, design or content skills
necessary!
• facilitator (you!)
• your team: design, UX, content, etc
• people with expert knowledge
• content owners
• people who should be collaborating, but
aren’t
• people with strong opinions about the
website
16. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
19. Step #1
Identify your core pages
This is done by matching business goals and user
needs.
20. Top task survey
«If you’re visiting The Cancer Society’s website, which
five tasks are the most important to you?»
21. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
22. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
24. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
their way to
this core
page?
25. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
How will
the user find
their way to
this core
page?
26. Step #3
Core content
What content elements do we need to make sure the
user solves their task (while respecting our objectives)
27. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s
the optimal
solution, for
the user and
for us?
28. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
What’s
the optimal
solution, for
the user and
for us?
29. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
31. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?
32. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?
33. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
Where
should we send
the user, after
they’ve solved
their primary
task?
34. Inward paths Forward pathsCore content
Core page:
Business goals (achieve at least one) User tasks
58. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Patient rights
Next of kin advice
Waiting times
Dietary prevention
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
59. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
Fundraising-
tasks were on
the bottom of
the list!
6 out of
79 tasks got
25% of the
votes
66. Treatment of cancer
Symptoms of cancer
Preventing cancer
Cancer types
Latest research
Choosing a hospital
Donate
Volunteer
Memory gift
Legacy gift
0 % 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 %
Top 25%
But
some
people are
actually
coming to
donate
92. Before writing, each
pair has to answer
these questions and
present before the
whole group.
• Which objectives will
this page help us achieve?
• What are the user tasks?
• What words do we need to
use for the users to
understand us?
• What are the forward
paths?
110. Takeaways
• Objectives and user tasks first
• Start with the core
• Get rid of dead ends
• Be creative about your forward
paths
• Home page last, not first
Slides and resources:
bit.ly/gather-core