Streamlining Workflows, Cutting Inefficiencies, and Saving Costs

Content reigns supreme for many organizations. However, some companies need a more strategic content creation and management approach. Ad hoc content creation without a structured framework can lead to hidden costs and inefficiencies that hinder growth and innovation.

Content Operations come as a solution for organizations facing content-related challenges. Content Ops is a strategic and systematic approach to managing content creation, distribution, and governance. By automating and refining content-related processes, businesses can free up their subject matter experts from repetitive tasks, enabling them to focus on creating more impactful and high-quality content. This streamlines workflows and embeds governance and policy directly into the content lifecycle, facilitating the production of content that aligns with organizational standards. 

As we delve deeper into the transformative power of Content Operations, it's clear that this is not merely about adopting new tools or technologies. It's about reimagining how content is created, managed, and delivered—ensuring that every piece of content, from its inception to its deployment, works in harmony across the organization.

Real-world client examples: the Cost of Neglecting Content Operations

Examples [A] has seen throughout the years of helping clients escape the costly and painful historic approaches include:

Health Services Company was spending 1 day a week just manually tracing down content. No automation, just manual copy/pasting consumed 20% of the team’s time.


Global Pharmacy Company generated 80% of their content in separate formats at Agencies of Record (AORs). More than 50% of the content, and all source documents, are neither findable nor accessible. Before assistance from [A], this client was unable to even quantify how much is inaccessible, out of date, or at regulatory risk.

Global Financial Technology & Leading Global Medical Publishing spent 50-60% of authoring time spent on transformation rather than authoring and content creation. Authors were spending the majority of their time just moving content from system to system or format to format. These are efforts that can and should be automated.

 

Realizing the Benefits of a CCM-Powered Organization

Implementing a Core Content Model^® is not just about preventing these issues; it's about unlocking the full potential of an organization's content strategy. In essence, a CCM-powered organization has mastered the art of content operations, turning potential chaos into a strategic advantage. By fostering collaboration across business units, formalizing content rules, and optimizing workflows, businesses can improve the quality of their content and ensure it meets their audience's evolving needs and expectations.

   

Building a Successful Content Ops Strategy

A Content Operations strategy is the backbone of efficient and impactful content creation and management. Here's how to structure a Content Ops strategy that streamlines your content processes.

Pillar One: Content Governance
Content governance is at the heart of a successful Content Ops strategy. It involves setting up a structured framework that defines roles, responsibilities, and policies governing content across its lifecycle.
 

• Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Assign specific roles within the content lifecycle, from creators and editors to marketers and distributors, ensuring accountability and clarity in content creation.
• Digital Asset Management Policy: Implement guidelines for managing digital assets, covering usage rights, storage protocols, and version control to maintain content integrity and compliance.
• Content Style Guide: Develop a comprehensive style guide that establishes consistency in brand voice, tone, and formatting across all content, enhancing brand recognition and trust.
• Editorial Calendar: Utilize an editorial calendar to strategically plan content topics, deadlines, and responsible parties, facilitating a well-organized content production flow.

Pillar Two: Content Planning and Workflow Management
Content planning and workflow management align content with business goals and ensure timely and efficient production.
 

• Content Strategy: Develop a content strategy that aligns with your business objectives and meets the needs of your target audience, serving as the roadmap for all content initiatives.
• Workflow Management Tools: Implement project management tools to track content progress, streamline deadlines, and facilitate the approval process, ensuring a smooth workflow from concept to publication.
• Collaboration Tools: Leverage collaboration tools to enhance communication among content teams, enabling seamless coordination between creators, editors, and reviewers.

Pillar Three: Content Technology Stack 
The choice of technology plays a pivotal role in the efficiency and scalability of content operations, from creation and management to distribution and analysis.
 

• Content Management System (CMS): Adopt a CMS that enables seamless content creation, editing, and publishing, ensuring your content is up-to-date and aligned with user expectations.

   
 

• Digital Asset Management (DAM): Utilize a DAM system to centralize the storage and management of digital assets, facilitating easy access and reuse across multiple platforms and channels.
• Content Automation Tools: Implement automation tools to handle repetitive tasks efficiently, such as scheduling posts or optimizing content for search engines, freeing up time for strategic activities.

Pillar Four: Content Performance Measurement and Analytics
Measuring content performance lets you understand its impact, refine strategies, and drive continuous improvement.
 

• Define Success Metrics: Establish KPIs that reflect your content goals, such as website traffic, lead generation, or social media engagement, providing a precise measure of success.
• Content Analytics Tools: Utilize analytics tools to track and measure content performance against your KPIs, gaining insights into audience behavior and content effectiveness.
• Reporting and Analysis: Conduct regular reviews of content performance data to identify trends, successes, and areas for improvement for future content strategies.
• Content Iteration: Use insights from data analysis to continuously refine and optimize your content, ensuring it remains relevant and effective in achieving your goals.

Integrating these four pillars into your Content Ops strategy creates a dynamic framework that streamlines content production and management and enhances content quality and performance, ultimately contributing to the organization's success in the digital landscape.

The Power of Content Orchestration

Achieving harmony and coherence across platforms is akin to conducting an orchestra—each section must play in sync, following a carefully crafted score. This is where Content Orchestration comes into play, acting as the conductor to ensure that content flows seamlessly from creation to delivery across every channel and touchpoint. By automating workflows and optimizing content for diverse platforms, Content Orchestration empowers organizations to deliver a unified and impactful content experience.

The Mechanisms of Content Orchestration

1. Aggregating Content from Diverse Sources: Content Orchestration begins by gathering content spread across various systems—be it a CMS, a marketing automation platform, or cloud storage solutions. Serving as a central hub ensures all content pieces, regardless of origin, are accounted for and ready for the next steps.
2. Streamlining Workflows through Automation: The manual efforts of formatting and uploading content for each platform are replaced with automated workflows. Upon the publication of new content, for example, Content Orchestration systems can automatically adjust the format for optimal display across websites, social media, and email newsletters, schedule delivery at the most practical times, and even personalize content snippets to engage different audience segments better.
3. Seamless Content Delivery Across Platforms: With automation in place, content is flawlessly distributed to the intended platforms, ensuring that the audience receives a consistent message and a cohesive brand experience, whether they interact with your brand on social media, via email, or on your website.

Leadership Buy-In and Collaboration

Content Orchestration only works by securing buy-in from leadership and fostering a collaborative environment. This requires educating stakeholders on the value of a structured approach to content, allocating resources effectively, and championing a project that enjoys executive support. A collaborative approach ensures that cross-functional teams collaborate to deliver coherent and impactful content guided by the Core Content Model and supported by a unified Content Ops strategy.

By taking these steps, organizations can turn the chaos of disparate content pieces into a harmonious symphony of engaging, consistent, and effective digital experiences that resonate with audiences across all platforms.

Partnering with [A] for Content Excellence

The journey towards content excellence can be complex and challenging. This is where [A] steps in as a pivotal partner, offering Strategic Consulting Services designed to empower organizations to master their content strategy and operations.

[A] focuses on establishing and optimizing roles, procedures, and workflows that enhance your content supply chain. This strategic alignment streamlines content creation and management, boosts productivity, minimizes redundancies, and elevates content quality, propelling your organization towards content excellence.

Our seasoned consultants delve into your operations, strategy, and technology architecture, identifying areas of improvement and untapped opportunities. Our consultative approach gives you actionable insights and recommendations that drive your strategic initiatives, ensuring your organization remains competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
 
We also encourage readers seeking to revolutionize their content strategy and operations to explore further resources, partner with [A] to navigate the complexities of the digital world and implement a Content Operations strategy that promises innovation, efficiency, and content excellence.