'Content that works' - Report Outline

Folks
Pls see below - the Outline for the 'Content that works' report I am producing on behalf of e-consultancy. I need feedback by end today - a bit last-minute, I know, but we are all meeting tonight.
In partic, I need suggested sites to study, contacts to interview and issues/views to incorporate. We will be discussing it later.
Thanks - good thinking...
Sam

‘Content that works’ Report – Outline v1 15.01.01

1. Introduction – to cover:
a. Aims and content (no pun intended…) of the report
b. Who e-consultancy.com and netdefinition are
circa 1 page

2. ‘What is Content’ overview – to cover:
a. concise explanation of what ‘content’ is [see Note 2 below]
b. introduction of ‘Entertainment vs Information vs Commerce’ concept, including ‘overlapping circles’ graphic
circa 2 pages

3. ‘Content Value Chain’ (not the correct title for it yet) – to cover:
a. flowchart featuring c. 10 key issues (eg Creation, Technology, Channels, Syndication, eCRM/Customisation, Localisation) & how they interact as a process with inputs & outputs to/from one another
b. Explanations of these c. 10 key issues (1-3 paras on each & including good vs bad practice bulletpoints)
circa 10 pages

4. 5x Case Studies – to cover:
a. say, 3-4 web sites – including one strong on Entertainment (suggestions???), one on Information (eg ifyouski.com) & one on Commerce (eg easyJet.com)
b. one broadband offering (& possibly one mobile)
c. each case study to:
i. follow consistent structure/headings (enabling comparison) and address the c. 10 key issues already listed under Section 3.
ii. include further info on eg. target audiences, resource deployed, sales generated, usage stats, frequency of updating, language/design style
iii. include at-a-glance table of analysis (under agreed headings)
iv. incorporate interview quotes with company concerned, their predictions & plans
v. include screengrab(s)
circa 10 pages

5. ‘10 steps you can take to make your content work’ – to cover:
a. say, 10 recommendations of how a person/company can improve their own content offering, eg properly understand your target audiences and what they want; take time to select an appropriate content management system; create your content in a way that enables easy syndication; consider how your content offering could work in broadband/wireless environments; ‘5 Easy Content Wins’ eg Newsletters, polls, use of speech marks
circa 5 pages

6. Credits etc
circa 1 page

Notes

Note 1

I would also propose to intersperse the report with ‘boxed snippets’, eg ‘Top tips’, ‘An interview with…’ and a spoof bad practice case study. This would provide a contrast to the lengthier, more considered content of the report itself and allow readers to dip in for at-a-glance info.

Note 2 – to give an idea of concise explanation of content

On a simple level, successful content boils down to telling (and often selling) somebody something. Whether you’re communicating to someone verbally, visually or aurally, you’ve got a message you’re trying to get across. And you’ll usually make use of several means simultaneously to communicate that message – consider the use of words, eye contact and body language when having a face-to-face conversation. Exactly the same is true in the Wild West of online media.

Irritatingly, things rarely remain that simple. With online content, you’ve got to consider technological possibilities, specific editorial techniques, information design and flow, user/viewer customisation, revenue generation through content distribution, overseas localisation – and much else. Consider how a decent content management database can allow you to maintain one central repository of material and serve it in an infinite number of ways. Remember that online users/viewers are fickle and have short attention spans: so keep them interested, engaged – keep them there. Don’t ignore the revenue generation possibilities of serving content real-time to 3rd parties.

And the approach you take for one medium will need adapting for another. Consider how you access information via a PC screen versus how you do it via a TV or a mobile phone. The technologies are different – so are the styles of viewing. This means different content strategies are required.

But present your offering in the right way, to the right audiences – and the rewards are there for the taking.

Note 3

I would aim to introduce vertical concepts such as ‘Entertainment vs Information vs Commerce’ and vertical issues such as Technology, Channels, Syndication early in the report. I would then maintain a high level of consistency throughout the remainder of the document, enabling readers to place as much of the overall material in context. As an example, if I’ve raised Syndication as a key issue, it would be one of the headings we examine the case studies under.

Note 4

I will almost certainly require some design/DTP input in order to lay the report out optimally, especially where there are boxes, tables, flowcharts and graphics.

Note 5

I could also produce an Executive Summary document – for inclusion in the main report after, say, the Introduction.

Note 6

As agreed between AF and STRO on 27 Dec 2000, I propose the following timetable. Note that I am away in S Africa until Mon 29 Jan 2001, though will be contactable by email/mobile most of the time.

- feedback from e-consultancy.com team on this Report Outline by end Mon 15 Jan – esp. suggested sites to study, contacts to interview and issues/views to incorporate
- first draft produced by STRO by end Fri 16 Feb [not Mon 12 Feb, as originally agreed]
- written and verbal feedback from e-consultancy.com team to STRO by end Wed 21 Feb – and preferably before
- final report ready for publication by end Wed 28 Feb

Murray
Thanks for that. Will have a look through in next couple of weeks - perhaps from a beach in CT... Look forward to any input you have on the report outline below.
Later
STRO

On 9:14:21 16 January 2001 murray wrote:
>Sam,
>
>Will go through this carefully and give some detailed
>comment. In the mean time, check out the Deutsche bank
>white paper (on the database) called: Broadband
>E-Battle....pages: 55-72
>On 14:44:39 15 January 2001 Sam wrote:
>>Folks
>>Pls see below - the Outline for the 'Content that
>works'
>>report I am producing on behalf of e-consultancy. I
>need
>>feedback by end today - a bit last-minute, I know, but
>we
>>are all meeting tonight.
>>In partic, I need suggested sites to study, contacts
>to
>>interview and issues/views to incorporate. We will be
>>discussing it later.
>>Thanks - good thinking...
>>Sam
>>
>>
>>‘Content that works’ Report –
>Outline v1
>>15.01.01
>>
>>
>>1. Introduction – to cover:
>>a. Aims and content (no pun intended…) of the
>report
>>b. Who e-consultancy.com and netdefinition are
>>circa 1 page
>>
>>2. ‘What is Content’ overview – to
>>cover:
>>a. concise explanation of what ‘content’
>is
>>[see Note 2 below]
>>b. introduction of ‘Entertainment vs Information
>vs
>>Commerce’ concept, including ‘overlapping
>>circles’ graphic
>>circa 2 pages
>>
>>3. ‘Content Value Chain’ (not the correct
>>title for it yet) – to cover:
>>a. flowchart featuring c. 10 key issues (eg Creation,
>>Technology, Channels, Syndication, eCRM/Customisation,
>>Localisation) & how they interact as a process
>with
>>inputs & outputs to/from one another
>>b. Explanations of these c. 10 key issues (1-3 paras
>on
>>each & including good vs bad practice
>bulletpoints)
>>circa 10 pages
>>
>>4. 5x Case Studies – to cover:
>>a. say, 3-4 web sites – including one strong on
>>Entertainment (suggestions???), one on Information (eg
>>ifyouski.com) & one on Commerce (eg easyJet.com)
>>b. one broadband offering (& possibly one mobile)
>>c. each case study to:
>>i. follow consistent structure/headings (enabling
>>comparison) and address the c. 10 key issues already
>>listed under Section 3.
>>ii. include further info on eg. target audiences,
>resource
>>deployed, sales generated, usage stats, frequency of
>>updating, language/design style
>>iii. include at-a-glance table of analysis (under
>agreed
>>headings)
>>iv. incorporate interview quotes with company
>concerned,
>>their predictions & plans
>>v. include screengrab(s)
>>circa 10 pages
>>
>>5. ‘10 steps you can take to make your content
>>work’ – to cover:
>>a. say, 10 recommendations of how a person/company can
>>improve their own content offering, eg properly
>understand
>>your target audiences and what they want; take time to
>>select an appropriate content management system;
>create
>>your content in a way that enables easy syndication;
>>consider how your content offering could work in
>>broadband/wireless environments; ‘5 Easy Content
>>Wins’ eg Newsletters, polls, use of speech marks
>>circa 5 pages
>>
>>6. Credits etc
>>circa 1 page
>>
>>
>>Notes
>>
>>Note 1
>>
>>I would also propose to intersperse the report with
>>‘boxed snippets’, eg ‘Top
>tips’,
>>‘An interview with…’ and a spoof bad
>>practice case study. This would provide a contrast to
>the
>>lengthier, more considered content of the report
>itself
>>and allow readers to dip in for at-a-glance info.
>>
>>Note 2 – to give an idea of concise explanation
>of
>>content
>>
>>On a simple level, successful content boils down to
>>telling (and often selling) somebody something.
>Whether
>>you’re communicating to someone verbally,
>visually
>>or aurally, you’ve got a message you’re
>trying
>>to get across. And you’ll usually make use of
>>several means simultaneously to communicate that
>message
>>– consider the use of words, eye contact and
>body
>>language when having a face-to-face conversation.
>Exactly
>>the same is true in the Wild West of online media.
>>
>>Irritatingly, things rarely remain that simple. With
>>online content, you’ve got to consider
>technological
>>possibilities, specific editorial techniques,
>information
>>design and flow, user/viewer customisation, revenue
>>generation through content distribution, overseas
>>localisation – and much else. Consider how a
>decent
>>content management database can allow you to maintain
>one
>>central repository of material and serve it in an
>infinite
>>number of ways. Remember that online users/viewers are
>>fickle and have short attention spans: so keep them
>>interested, engaged – keep them there.
>Don’t
>>ignore the revenue generation possibilities of serving
>>content real-time to 3rd parties.
>>
>>And the approach you take for one medium will need
>>adapting for another. Consider how you access
>information
>>via a PC screen versus how you do it via a TV or a
>mobile
>>phone. The technologies are different – so are
>the
>>styles of viewing. This means different content
>strategies
>>are required.
>>
>>But present your offering in the right way, to the
>right
>>audiences – and the rewards are there for the
>>taking.
>>
>>Note 3
>>
>>I would aim to introduce vertical concepts such as
>>‘Entertainment vs Information vs Commerce’
>and
>>vertical issues such as Technology, Channels,
>Syndication
>>early in the report. I would then maintain a high
>level of
>>consistency throughout the remainder of the document,
>>enabling readers to place as much of the overall
>material
>>in context. As an example, if I’ve raised
>>Syndication as a key issue, it would be one of the
>>headings we examine the case studies under.
>>
>>Note 4
>>
>>I will almost certainly require some design/DTP input
>in
>>order to lay the report out optimally, especially
>where
>>there are boxes, tables, flowcharts and graphics.
>>
>>Note 5
>>
>>I could also produce an Executive Summary document
>–
>>for inclusion in the main report after, say, the
>>Introduction.
>>
>>Note 6
>>
>>As agreed between AF and STRO on 27 Dec 2000, I
>propose
>>the following timetable. Note that I am away in S
>Africa
>>until Mon 29 Jan 2001, though will be contactable by
>>email/mobile most of the time.
>>
>>- feedback from e-consultancy.com team on this Report
>>Outline by end Mon 15 Jan – esp. suggested sites
>to
>>study, contacts to interview and issues/views to
>>incorporate
>>- first draft produced by STRO by end Fri 16 Feb [not
>Mon
>>12 Feb, as originally agreed]
>>- written and verbal feedback from e-consultancy.com
>team
>>to STRO by end Wed 21 Feb – and preferably
>before
>>- final report ready for publication by end Wed 28 Feb
>>