CHAPTER 10 The Two Faces of Content Strategy: Balancing the Needs of Users and Editors
We know this editorial trigger takes five days maximum, and we know
who is involved in the process. A new product like this requires immediate
action, so we know it becomes a priority over any existing work.
What’s more, because this trigger is only pulled when necessary, we
don’t have to watch a deadline come and go because we expected to work
on new product content despite there not being a new product to work on.
This is not to say that the editorial calendar is dead; on the contrary,
the editorial calendar is necessary to check for editorial triggers. Instead
of focusing on publishing on a specific date, the calendar is repurposed to
handle both scheduling content and content review, the most overlooked
portion of any governance workflow.
What this gives us is a balance between editorial needs and editorial
resources. We’re able to keep up on content, and plan for future editorial
initiatives as they arise. Editors are happy. The website content is being
updated. And now we’re diving head first into an editor-centric content
workflow.Content Strategy for the People, by the People
Websites are made up of code, design and messages, all three of which are
created to serve a purpose. And while those purposes differ from compa-
ny to company and project to project, they all have one thing in common:
they are made of people. People behind the scenes, pulling the levers and
writing copy. People responsible for creating new products and new brand
standards. People making corporate-level decisions and people handling
the grunt work of daily change.
So while it’s logical to focus on keeping our website users happy — to
acknowledge their needs, context and the demands on their time — it also
makes sense to keep website editors happy. Keep them in the loop, helping
them understand the content process, and make a smoother Web work-
flow to make better websites.