Issue 7

Structure

Quick thoughts about how content lives in systems

Note: A couple of months ago, Deane Barker shared some principles of content management, and I can’t get it out of my head. Beginning with the last issue (Issue 6), I am sharing pieces of what Barker wrote along with a few thoughts of my own.

I think when someone is new to content modeling, they envision taking a single webpage mockup and decomposing it into the content model that would be needed to create that single page. (I did, so maybe I’m projecting a bit. Sorry.)

Or maybe, a slightly more advanced take on content modeling would be to think of a certain type of content and identify the common pieces of content that make up that content type.

And both of these understandings are content modeling, but content modeling is so much more than that. I certainly couldn’t nerd out about content modeling as much as I do if content modeling was only defining the structure of a webpage or a type of content.

What Barker hits on with this principle is that the power of content modeling comes from how content relates to other content. On a web page, you may have multiple smaller pieces of content that are, in fact, their own content types with inherent relationships.

For example, if you have a product listing webpage, you might (your mileage may vary) have separate content types for product description, product hero image, additional product images, product specifications,which may connect outside the content management system (CMS) to user reviews and ratings. And then surrounding that product listing on the webpage may be other content types powering other content, including site navigation.

For me, I nerd out about the reality that content should be connected to other content, and it’s my mission to help find and systematize those connections.

Style

Quick thoughts about how to improve your content

One of the things that is seen the most in business writing is passive voice. (Yes, that was passive voice.)

Let’s try again: Passive voice pervades business writing.

One of the easiest steps you can take to make your content more direct, succinct, and clear is to use active voice. Forgive a slight grammar lesson here …

Passive voice focuses on the pairing of the verb and the object of the sentence and not on the subject—the actor. In a passive sentence, the subject gets the action, usually with the help of some form of a “to be” verb.

In an active sentence, the subject is performing the action. Sometimes, there’s just a subject and a verb, but often there’s a subject, a verb, and a direct object.

If you’re not familiar with subjects and direct objects, in the example above, “Janet” is the subject, and the direct object is “report.” Those two do not mean the same thing.

In a passive sentence, technically there is no direct object, but something called a predicate nominative. (Sometimes there’s a predicate adjective instead of a nominative, but ... 🤓)

Again, you don’t really have to know that much grammar. Just look to see if the subject and the object equate to the same thing.

In the sentence “Janet is the recipient of the late report,” the subject is again “Janet” but the predicate nominative (the object, if you will) is “recipient.” So you have “Janet” = “recipient” and you know the sentence is passive.

If you see any form of “is” (e.g. was, were) or “to be” in your sentence, be on high alert for passive voice and try to rewrite it more to be more action based.

If you look up when it’s acceptable to use passive voice, some AI bot might tell you some scenarios, but even for most of those, I’d challenge you to use active voice. I might concede that avoiding blame would be one of the few times I’d use passive voice (e.g. “mistakes were made”).

Strategy

Quick thoughts about the importance of thinking strategically about content

There’s a really scary word to a lot of content creators. It’s the word governance.

To those folks, governance means rules and restrictions and limits placed on their creativity.

Of course, we know that limits or constraints are where creativity can actually thrive, but that’s maybe an item for a future newsletter. For now, we need to understand that rules are a necessary part of managing content and achieving consistency for users, but also in paving the way for building automated content experiences or content that an AI bot can understand and use.

Maybe we’d do well to look to the data world where people across the business recognize the need for data governance.

Generally, I tend to think of content governance as part of what is known as content operations. However, it’s a key piece of the consideration when creating a content strategy. What guidelines are needed? Who can do what to content? How often is content reviewed? And so on.

If you’re implementing a CMS, have you thought about what rules and limitations come directly from the CMS tool? Have you thought about how you can implement the CMS to support the rules and limitations that your business needs?

Soft skills

A look at the less-tangible characteristics and skills that can expand your influence

A couple of decades ago, I was a newspaper editor in a couple small communities. I frequently fielded calls from people upset (and I mean UPSET!) about something in the newspaper—a story about them, a story that omitted them, some current events or shenanigans in local government, or (in an era before widespread social media) some conspiracy theory.

How can you deal with someone who is upset—either with you or just generally upset?

My father gave me some advice that I used to great effect many, many times. “Sometimes you just need to let people talk it out.”

Sometimes that meant interjecting “yes, sir” repeatedly while the person ranted. Other times it meant asking them questions to keep them talking. Rarely did it involve me conceding anything.

Occasionally, the person complaining would thank me for listening and we’d move on. Other times, they’d lose their steam and draw the call to an end. Either way, they felt heard, the tension was diffused, and everyone went on with life.

If you have to respond to someone who is upset, instead of putting up your defenses (because you may be in the right!), try letting them just talk it out.

Top of mind

Things that are bouncing around in my head as I synthesize a range of ideas

If you saw the scuttlebutt section above, you may have a sense for what’s top of mind for me right now. I’m at the end of almost 10 years with my employer, on the verge of diving into entrepreneurship more thoroughly. This last decade has been one which I could have hardly imagined with crazy professional growth, personal growth, new experiences, and so, so many great colleagues. Leaving the environment in which all of that happened is bittersweet, but the potential of what may lie ahead has me really excited! (Check back in a few months …) Lastly, for fun, I thought I’d leave you with a photo I made while recently attending the NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix with my younger son earlier this month. I never imagined myself at a NASCAR event, but it gave me the chance to try to tell some stories visually, something that hearkens back to my journalism days and still brings me enjoyment (in addition to the father/son time).

John Collins

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