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Text versions of diagrams for the content toolkit
Content Toolkit - Content Creation Process Cycle
- Identify the need for new content
- Detail content
- Acquire content
- Create content
- Stakeholders review content
- Modify content
- Publish content
- Measure content performance
- Repeat from step one
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Why you need an audit – Audit Types Table
| Audit type | Description | Why | When |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Quantitative Inventory |
A list of all the content you have – just like the inventory of the products in a warehouse or store |
Demonstrate magnitude and complexity of your existing content |
Before content strategy work begins (right now) |
|
Qualitative audit: Best practices assessment |
A comparison of your content against industry best practices, usually done by a third party, unbiased assessor |
Prioritize content efforts (usually by identifying the lowest quality content and gaping holes) |
Before strategy begins or in the early stages of strategy development |
|
Qualitative audit: Strategic assessment |
An invaluable, indepth look at how your content measures up to your strategic goals (business or user) |
Identify gaps between where you are and where you want to go; get insight into what resources you’ll need to get there |
Works best after your core strategy and key strategic recommendations are complete |
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Core content strategy – Core Strategy Diagram
The Core Strategy diagram illustrates the 4 key components of an effective core strategy: Substance, Structure, Workflow, and Governance. “Substance” and “Structure” are emphasized.
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Core content strategy – Content Structure
This diagram shows an example of the global information architecture of a page. Lines linking different elements together show the links and navigational paths between them. This diagram uses an example of a sports clothing shop, where different products such as t-shirts, shorts, and rain jackets are placed under larger categories, such as shirts, summer wear, and jackets. These are all elements branching from the home page. A separate “Header links” section includes the elements “Search”, “Basket”, and “Help”.
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Core content strategy – Product, User, Content
A Venn-diagram with three overlapping circles individually labeled: “Product or Service”, “User”, and “Content” to illustrate the necessity of balance in the three.
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Core content strategy - Content Planning Table
| ID | Page name |
What must users do? The core purpose of the page |
What support do they need? Include quotes from research. |
Required elements and suggestions Existing, new or amended assets. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homepage |
Easily be able to locate and select the dresses category |
If users have been to the site before they want to get straight into the category listing, however in testing it was noted that users “may get side-tracked by other products on the homepage”. New users will want to get a sense that the brand offers the types of clothes they would buy. |
Images of the latest seasons clothing. Sale and offer information. Clear navigation into the product categories. |
| 2 | Category listing |
Easily select a product they like the look of. |
Colour, price and style are all necessary. An indication of available sizes is useful at this stage, but can be omitted as long as it’s clear on the product page. ”I just like looking through everything available and clicking through to the dresses I like.” |
Photos that show the front and back of garments: (In the table is shown an image of the front and back of a dress.) Price and discount information. Alternate color, if applicable. |
| 3 | Product page |
Add the dress to their basket |
Further images including details and model shots. Sizing and availability. Delivery and returns information. ”I often buy two different sizes to try both, so I need to make sure it’s easy to send the one I don’t want back”. |
Large (fullscreen) photos both on and off models. Detailed sizing guide with stock levels for each size and colour. Delivery and returns information. Quantity and add to basket. Product description including material, detailing information and the designer. |
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Write for the Web – Duplicate Content
This figure depicts one of the aspects of SEO optimization and how duplicate content is moderated. This process is personified as a robot trying to figure out which of the duplicate pieces of content is original, since not all of them will be listed in the search results.
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Write for the Web – Inverted Pyramid
This figure shows an inverted pyramid listing the ideal hierarchy of information on a website in terms of importance from top to bottom in 4 levels: “Most important information”, “Important details”, “Less important details”, “Technical details for advanced users”.
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Write for the Web - Text Formatting
| Site Version | Sample Paragraph | Usability Improvement (Relative to the Control Condition) |
|---|---|---|
|
Promotional writing (control condition) Uses the “market-ese” found on many commercial websites |
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446). |
0% better (this was the control condition) |
|
Concise text About half the word count as the control condition |
In 1996, six of the bestattended attractions in Nebraska were Fort Robinson State Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. |
58% better |
|
Scanable layout Uses the same text as the control condition in a layout that facilitated scanning |
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were:
|
47% better |
|
Objective language Uses neutral rather than subjective, boastful, or exaggerated language (otherwise, the same as the control condition) |
Nebraska has several attractions. In 1996, some of the most visited places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446). |
27% better |
|
Combined version Uses all three improvements in writing style: concise text, scanable layout, and objective language |
In 1996, six of the most visited places in Nebraska were:
|
124% better |
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Write for the Web – Meaning Presentation
This diagram is an example of a website layout and structure in terms of different types of content. Different sections such as “<article>” have content within them that uses the semantically correct tags for the content inside of the sections. For example: headers use the <h1> and <h2> tags in order of importance, and lists are made with the <ol> or <ul> tags.
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Content Positioning – Optimize Positioning
This image provides a visual layout of where to place the most important information of a page to optimize the positioning and performance of content on a site. The highest priority section is the top-left side of the content area, and the further away from the top left, the lower the priority of the content. Eventually the lower priority content will ideally be placed in the bottom-right corner of the content area.
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Limit Design, Images and Colours – Angry Fruit Salad
This is a stock illustration of an “Angry Fruit Salad” with “wildly contrasting, highly saturated colors”, an example of how a website should not look.