For the whole of December I've had a ton of tabs left open to read because they're too interesting to bookmark. I keep doing this. Why?! Whatever the reason, a new year is demanding that I clear them:
On journalism
Fact-checking, Wikipedia and basic journalistic credibility
Adam Tinworth on why reporters should check their facts, not rely on Wikipedia and, I would add, not rely on sub-editors to do all their fact-checking for them.
Who Cares About The Front Page?
Ditto on Adam's frustration of journalism being defined as stuff what is done by national newspapers. No no no. My own background is magazine journalism and sub-editing since 1987, then later client publishing and now blogging. All potential career avenues for J-schoolers. Journalism is not dying but national newspaper print may well be. Speaking of magazines…
On magazines and applying their thinking
Magazine Thinking – by Chris Brogan
"If you actually look at a magazine, there’s a formula for each of them. There’s a cover feature, a few larger stories, and a whole lot of bits and tidbits. There are columns (that’s what I do for Entrepreneur Magazine), and of course there are ads and all that. What do you have to think about to make a magazine? Content. Community. Marketplace. The point is this: if you look at this kind of framework for your projects, it becomes clear what kind of magazine you’ve created or not created with your content. It becomes obvious that you do or don’t have a community. Without the first two being fairly solid, there’ll never be a chance at the marketplace. "
Exploring Editorial Strategy
Your website is not a magazine – but it should be! Presentation plus video from Jeff McIntyre.
On editorial calendars
How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar for Content Marketing
A really good how-to for those in search of publishing production skills.
On KPIs
How should you measure the success of a digital team?
Agencies need to become more critical in reviewing what they offer. There's a nice list of KPIs to borrow from.
The right metrics for the right business objective
Interesting survey of marketing objectives (led by brand awareness) and the fundamental flaws in their measurement.
On SEO and keywords
Top SEOmoz Posts of 2010
I must brush up on my SEO, link building, etc. If only because good content deserves not to be let down by bad headlines and metadata fails. Many onward links here.
7 highly effective keyword research tactics – Step One: Start Broad
I have to do one of these as a blog I work on gets a rethink.
On personas
CMI on personas
Also have to create some of these for the first time.
On case studies
5 Steps to Craft a Case Study’s Content Strategy
In a nutshell: Define Target Audience; Conduct Discovery Work; Choose Relevant Subject Matter; Identify Objectives; Research Priority Keywords. Useful for some blog content I'm trying to make more interesting to the reader and more relevant to the client.
On content strategy
9 Must-Have Elements for Company Blogs
Thankfully, I've just completed a content strategy doc that encompasses just about all of these good points. Reassure yourself that you are on the right track with company blogs with this article.
The Two Career Paths of the Corporate Social Strategist. Be Proactive or Become ‘Social Media Help Desk’
Jeremiah Owyang helps put my career back on track…
All the content strategy presentations from CS Forum 10
Are here.
Content strategy templates to download
From the Google Knol.
Why WebContent2010 gets my conference budget
A designer with an eye of cutting down client copy-and-paste atrocities. "I have enough difficulty getting clients to pay for copywriting, so convincing them to pay for content strategy is a whole ‘nother hurdle. But it must be done at the beginning. It is always the first question you ask a new client anyway: Why do you want a website? The answer to that question lays down the foundation of your content strategy."
Content Strategy and the Dying Art of Execution
Junta Joe on why perfectly good content strategies die on the vine.
Interesting talks
The Do Lectures
Like TED talks, except with a British bent and based on a farm in Wales. 🙂
The Impact Of Strategic Storytelling
A 4min video by Professor Jay Conger.
And finally… to catch a thief!
Software that helps you recover your stolen Mac
Tech revenge is sweet for $49.