The Digital Crown: Winning at Content on the Web

In 1997, Bill Gates famously said “Content is king.” Since then, the digital marketing world has been scrambling to fulfil this promise, as we finally shift our focus to what consumers really want from our brands: a conversation. The Digital Crown walks you through the essentials of crafting great content: the fundamentals of branding, messaging, business goal alignment, and creating portable, mobile content that is future-ready. Systems create freedom, and within this book you’ll learn the seven critical rules to align your internal and external content processes, including putting your audience first, involving stakeholders early and often, and creating multidisciplinary content teams.

Complete with cases studies and experience drawn directly from global content projects, you are invited to observe the inner workings of successful content engagements. You’ll learn how to juggle the demands of IT, design, and content teams, while acquiring all the practical tools you need to devise a roadmap for connecting and engaging with your customers.

This is your next step on the journey to creating and managing winning content to engage your audience and keep them coming back for more.

• Discover easy-to-follow, simple breakdowns of the major ideas behind engaging with your customer
• Learn both the theoretical and practical applications of content and communication on-line
• Maximize on the case studies and real-world examples, enabling you to find the best fit for your own business

Table of Contents

PART I: CONTENT IS A CONVERSATION
Chapter 1. Understanding Branding, Content Strategy, and Content Marketing
Rule 1. Start with Your Audience
Chapter 2. Making the Case for Content
Rule 2. Involve Stakeholders Early and Often

PART II: CONTENT FLOATS
Chapter 3. Constructing the Conversation
Rule 3. Keep It Iterative
Chapter 4. Publishing Content for Everywhere
Chapter 5. Engagement Strategies
Rule 4. Create Multidisciplinary Content Teams

PART III: EFFECTIVE CONTENT STRATEGY: PEOPLE, PROCESS, AND TECHNOLOGY
Chapter 6. Understand Your Customers
Chapter 7. Frame Your Content
Chapter 8. The Content Strategists’ Toolkit
Rule 5. Make Governance Central
Setting Up a Content Governance Program

PART IV: CREATING CONTENT: TALKING AND LISTENING
Chapter 9. Content Marketing Sustains the Conversation
Chapter 10. The Dream Digital Team
Rule 6. Workflow That Works
Chapter 11. Talking About Design
Rule 7. Invest in Professionals and Trust Them