© 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

How to create a first-class content audit What Lara Croft and the Super Mario Brothers can teach you about auditing and analyzing content, and amazing your clients

March 2, 2012

2 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Confession

3 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Achievements

4 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Achievements

5 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Achievements

6 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Achievements

7 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Achievements

Discovery Performance

8 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

My Goal

9 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

My Goal

10 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

My Goal

11 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Our Goal

A content audit is more than a spreadsheet. ·  Determine criteria ·  Analyze content ·  Find patterns, examples · Make it presentable · Make it actionable

12 © 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Lara Croft

13 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

What is a Content Audit?

Definition: The assessment of existing content assets.

14 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

What is a Content Audit?

Definition: The assessment of existing content assets.

15 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements

16 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Current Hierarchy

*Universal

17 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: ID Code

*Universal

18 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Page Name

*Universal

19 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: URL

*Universal

20 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Page Type

*Universal

21 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Comments, Edit Effort

*Universal

22 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Comment Criteria

*Universal

23 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: CTAs

*Dependent

24 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Categories

*Dependent

25 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Non-Text Elements: Functionality (Tools)

*Dependent

26 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Non-Text Elements: Format, Length

*Dependent

27 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Optional Elements: Campaign-Specific Messaging

*Dependent

28 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Optional Elements: Rich Media/Repeating Assets

*Dependent

29 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements: Additional Columns

Additional content elements to consider: ·  Sidebar content ·  Cross-sell opportunities ·  Business/page owner ·  Revision frequency ·  UGC

Personalize the audit to your client or site

30 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Analysis

31 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements

Is that it?

32 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Audit Elements

Is that it?

33 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Our Goal

A content audit is more than a spreadsheet. ·  Determine criteria ·  Analyze content ·  Find patterns, examples · Make it presentable · Make it actionable

34 © 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Mario

35 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Finding Isn’t Enough

36 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Finding Isn’t Enough

Knowing the mechanics of jumping won’t help you stomp Goombas

37 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Find Patterns, Examples: Outdated

38 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Find Patterns, Examples: Text Reliance

39 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Find Patterns, Examples: Text Reliance

40 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Presentation

41 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Content Ecosystem by Topic

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

Percentage of Content

42 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Presentation

Don’t be satisfied with bar charts ·  These are a great start…but they’re just a start ·  Design and analytics are tough to reconcile ·  As a content strategy community, we will improve by

sharing our great examples

43 © 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

So what?

44 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Lessons from Lara and Mario

What have we learned today? ·  A content audit is more than a spreadsheet ·  An audit consists of both discovery and performance ·  Discovery: determine criteria, analyze content ·  Performance: Find patterns, make it presentable and

actionable

45 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Lessons from Lara and Mario

What have we learned today? ·  A content audit is more than a spreadsheet ·  An audit consists of both discovery and performance ·  Discovery: determine criteria, analyze content ·  Performance: Find patterns, make it presentable and

actionable

A great audit will help: ·  Inform content ideation, prioritization, creation &

governance ·  Inform content priorities in wireframes ·  Allow for repurposing ·  Set stage for content calendars ·  Inform multi-channel campaigns

46 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

What’s Next?

The future of content audits ·  Clients: Content is channel agnostic ·  Agencies: Content is medium agnostic ·  Dynamic = Disruption

47 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

What’s Next?

The future of content audits ·  Clients: Content is channel agnostic ·  Agencies: Content is medium agnostic ·  Dynamic = Disruption ·  CS: niche agency discipline è just as important as

interaction design.

48 © 2012 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved #CSApplied_Audits @MarketerBlog

Congratulations: Course Clear

Achievement Unlocked How to create a first-class content audit

49 © 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Thank You!

DJ Francis Content Director

Inspired by Hal Moore, Hal Jordan and Hal 9000.

dfrancis@criticalmass.com

+001 p 312 660 6350 c 773 633 1354

225 North Michigan Avenue

Suite 2050, Chicago, IL, USA 60601

f 312 288 2501

criticalmass.com

5 full-service offices and 11+ digital publishing experts / content strategists.

50 © 2011 Critical Mass, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Twitter:

Meet-up:

Smart Folks:

#ContentStrategy @LondonCSMeetup

List: @BrainTraffic/ ContentStrategy

For more…