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Content Strategy for Professionals: Engaging Audiences for Your Organization Learning Questions, Answers, and Explanations

*Note: Correct Answers in red Week 1 Q: The department in charge of Travel and Scheduling for a sizeable South American non-profit recently sent the following email to all of their 107 employees who have traveled in the past two years -- "As you may recall from our earlier Travel Notices, #226-#234, staff who are traveling over night to our offices in Argentina and Chile must fill out in advance the Travel and Safety Departments forms #103 and #104. These forms are required so we can find you if there is a problem and so we can monitor and pre-approve your travel expenses. Thank you. The Travel and Scheduling Staff." -- Is it an example of Content Strategy in organizations? Yes // No E: This is a functional message that needs to reach some staff members, but its not a strategic matter. It will not enhance the organizations forward movement. If you waste the audience's time with notices like this, they are likely to pay no attention to anything the organization sends out. Of course, messages like this have to go to some specific people; in this case those who go to Argentina and Chile. The organization can remind those individuals by a variety of means such as: sending only those who take them this message with the subject Your travel to Argentina/Chile or by having the person who authorizes their travel tell them to fill out the form before authorization is given or by having the travel agency not issue their tickets until the forms are submitted. The point is that messages that are valuable to the people who receive them and the organization should go only to those people; not everyone, and as much as possible they should be individualized so the person who receives the message knows it is in their self-interest.

Week 2 Q1: In Professor Merseys interview with Professor Lavine, she discussed the importance of creating personas to better understand your target audiences. Which of the following examples do you think would give an organization the best chance to understand the people they want to engage with their content? Various stakeholders are given an anonymous survey to complete with questions provided by the organization. Use raw census data to target specific demographic groups that the organization wants to engage. 1

A staff member from the organization goes out and physically follows around various stakeholders over the course of a day.

E1: This is one of the better ways to create a persona. This way, you are observing people the way they naturally interact with content. They are not reacting to a prompt; they are doing what they would normally do. While census data or a questionnaire may help flesh out a more complete picture about a target audience segment, understanding how people naturally interact with content with no external influence is essential in identifying their needs and wants and how you can design content to maximize its impact with minimal time and intrusion. There are now some technologies that also allow for eye-tracking along with studies of brain waves; both are reported while people are taking in content.

Q2: In their discussion, Professors Malthouse and Calder gave you three defining characteristics that you need to take into account when you develop a brand for your strategic content. A brand must have an explicit central concept; it should make clear what people should believe about any of the services or products put forth with the content and why the message about them is believable. Your brand for your content should also distinguish itself from your competitors. With that in mind, which of the following examples clearly demonstrates a fully-realized brand positioning statement? For people who want to enjoy candy or desserts but are health conscious, Brand Y Cookies are a tasty, all-natural, low-fat alternative that will give you all the benefits of a health bar with the pleasure of dessert. In a blind taste test, Brand Y Cookies matched other market leaders in taste while keeping each serving to a reasonable 100 calories. Brand Z Bananas are plentiful, ripe and available today at a store near you. These bananas are reduced in price due to availability so hurry to get them now.

E2: This example addresses all three important elements of a full-fledged brand positioning statement. It tells you why the audience should believe the statement and provides a clear differentiation from others on the market.

Week 3 Q1: Content creators have the power to shape the experiences the audience has with their content. True or False? True // False E1: Experiences matter for three reasons: First, all content creates user experiences. Second, experiences are linked to usage. Third, you, the creator of the content, can shape those experiences.

Q2: Does the writers voice make any difference to the reader? Yes // No E2: In order to hold the attention and interest of an audience, the writer needs to speak in a voice the audience will recognize as someone like them. Your voice conveys your personality and authority. Your tone conveys emotion, attitude. And remember what Janice taught us: "Be yourself. Be direct. Be specific."

Week 4 Q1: All content should be the same across all devices. True or false? True // False E1: It should all be the same story, but it should be changed to suit the delivery mechanism and the way, time, and place that the audience uses the platform and the content.

Q2: Evaluating content is most effective once the content and design are complete and in place. True or false? True // False E2: Early on, involving co-workers, including those outside of the design team, can help to bring up issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Week 5 Q: Please look at the following example of a virtual community: "CopTalk is a community of Law Enforcement professionals from around the world sharing information and resources that make them better able to protect their districts and stay safer on the streets. It provides a secure, trusted, and reliable online space for officers and departments around the world to connect." Does this represent a passion community or a trigger event community? Passion Community // Trigger Event Community E: Law Enforcement is a profession and therefore a passion for those interested in the topics surrounding it. Remember, Passion communities are internally driven and can move between passion levels with permanent communities and stable members. Trigger Event communities are both externally and internally driven by lifestyle changes or some specific event. Their members tend to be more temporary. 3

Week 6 Q: In the US, a patent application must show all parts of the concept that is under review. Yet, a trade secret is another form of intellectual property that is not disclosed. True or false? True // False A: In order to apply for a US patent, you must publicly disclose the information that is deemed worthy of a patent. However, trade secrets are confidential to an organization; they do not have to be disclosed, but they are not as protected as is a patent from reverse engineering.

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