Re-Branding Content During a Migration: Step 1 – Developing Your Story

What’s In a Story?

Marli Mesibov

January 23, 2014

Experience the DCL Difference

DCL blends years of conversion experience with cutting-edge technology and

the infrastructure to make the process easy and efficient.

• World-Class Services

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• Unparalleled Infrastructure

• US-Based Management

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Valuable Content Transformed

• Document Digitization

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• Harmonizer

We Serve a Very Broad Client Base . . .

. . . Spanning All Industries

• Aerospace

• Associations

• Defense

• Distribution

• Education

• Financial

• Government

• Libraries

• Life Sciences

• Manufacturing

• Medical

• Museums

• Periodicals

• Professional

• Publishing

• Reference

• Research

• Societies

• Software

• STM

• Technology

• Telecommunications

• Universities

• Utilities

• Boston is filled with stories

• Storytelling is enjoyable

• Content strategist, based out of Boston

My story

The Little Red Hen

“Who will help me plant the seeds?”

“Not I.”

So the little red hen planted the seeds all by herself.

“Who will help me take the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour?”

“Not I.”

So the little red hen brought the wheat to the mill, all by herself.

“Who will help me bake the bread?”

“Not I.”So the little red hen brought the wheat to the mill, all by herself.

So the little red hen baked the bread, all by herself.

“Who will help me eat the bread?”

Stories stick with us

Marketing takes care of branding updates

Development select a content management system

Content strategy does the content migration

The content migration story

Auditing the content

Creating new content

Archiving old content

Deleting unnecessary content

Updating old content

Designing responsive layouts

Writing adaptive copy



Don’t start by baking the bread. Start by planting the seeds.

Auditing the content – for what?

Creating new content – why?

Archiving old content – which pieces?

Deleting unnecessary content – when?

Updating old content – how?

Responsive layouts – for whom?

Writing adaptive copy – for what?


Why do stories stick?

History of storytelling



• Explains the origin of women.

• Explains human personality attributes.


• Explains why bad things happen.

• Explains hope.


• Storytelling as a peace offering.

• Storytelling as a means of engagement.


Emadeddin Baghi,Iranian Author

• Storytelling is influential.

• Storytelling is memorable.

Holiday Stories

NPR

In many cases, long copy has proven more effective than short copy.

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The long and the short of it

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It didn’t work because the content was longer.

It worked because the content was better.


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“In reality, you cannot have a page that’s too long – only one that’s too boring.”

-Conversion Rate Experts

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Stories are memorable

@marsinthestars

Basecamp organizes projects.

@marsinthestars

for thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects.

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when they need it, for thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects.

Like a mountaineer’s Sherpa when they need it, for thousands of companies, Basecamp organizes projects.

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We tell stories that can be READ. We:

Research

Establish the story

Add details

Distribute

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Research

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It’s EVERYONE’s job!

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Research

Good research = personalized content!

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• Have conversations, not interviews

• Pay attention to vocabulary

• Identify patterns

Research

The point of questions is to hear what users have to say. Their vocabulary is just as important as their answers.

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Research

Share your own stories – but only a few. Remember the main focus is on the user.

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Research

Identify patterns. Patterns are more valuable than outliers.

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Research

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Establish the story

Beginning:

Middle:

End:

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Little Red Riding Hood wants to visit her grandmother.

She meets the wolf, who eats her and her grandmother.

The huntsman kills the wolf, and they all live happily ever after.

Establish the story

Beginning:

Middle:

End:

@marsinthestars

Joe wants to spend more time with his family.

Joe buys the new Moto X phone. He can work anywhere!

Joe leaves the office early, to take his family on a picnic.

Establish the story

Beginning:

Middle:

End:

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Sally needs a recipe to make chicken.

On her recipe website, the chicken recipes are bookmarked.

Sally makes a wonderful dinner, everyone is happy.

Establish the story

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Add details

A person a girl Goldilocks

Strangers bears a family

A story a whole world a brand

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Add details

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Add details

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Add details

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Distribute

The goal: engage with the audience.

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• First, learn where the audience is.

• Participate in their conversations.

• Advertise your product or service where it helps.

Distribute

It doesn’t matter where you market your content, so long as you go where your audience spends time.

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Distribute

1. Create a story

2. Personalize a story

3. Use different mediums

4. Interact with your audience

5. Trust

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Next Steps

1. Create a story, and build the brand around that story. Tell a story that shows the value of your product.

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2. Personalize the story to your target audience, based on what you learn from what they say.

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3. Use different mediums to help grow the story. Go to the places where your users hang out.

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4. Interact with your audience. Bring them your content, and help them understand all of its value.

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5. Trust the story to pull in the audience.

Thank you!

Marli Mesibov

www.marli.us

@marsinthestars

Q&A

Linda Morone Cassola

SVP, Sales and Marketing

(718) 307-5728

[email protected]

Marli Mesibov

Content Strategist

www.marli.us

@marsinthestars