Selling Content
How to sell high-value content services to grow your agency
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If you’re an agency owner or a stakeholder and decision maker within an agency, this book is for you.
We’ve created this book to help agencies adopt a content-first approach to website projects that will allow them to introduce content strategy as a billable service. If you’re already offering some level of content strategy and want to improve that service, this book is for you too.
We'll cover:
Introducing a new service is challenging but there’s a strong business case for going content-first. As well as helping you see the opportunity, this book will help you to seize it.
Content is hard. It can delay projects, blow budgets, cause tension with clients and result in final invoices not being sent. This isn’t good for morale or the bottom-line!
But here’s the thing: It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, content can be an asset that will help to grow your agency
By emphasising content at every stage of a typical website project, from as early on as possible, it ensures content isn’t an afterthought. Instead, content is placed at the heart of the process and increases a team’s ability to make good design decisions and help a website achieve the business and user goals required.
Why is content hard? Well to start, it usually involves a lot of people, and that means different priorities, expectations and opinions. Content is political and takes a lot of planning, management and patience!
Content also needs resource. Time, money, and people (again), so that can be a barrier for many agencies. But this is because when we talk about ‘content for websites’ we don’t just mean copying and pasting from an existing website or Word doc into a Content Management System (CMS).
Rather we refer to the planning, organisation, management, production, publishing and governance of content. And that takes resource. Lots of it.
Enter, content strategy. Offering content strategy as a service will allow your agency to put content-first (more on that later) which means content stops being a negative aspect of website projects and becomes an asset (more on that later too).
In The Content Strategy Toolkit, Meghan Casey’s working definition of content strategy is:
Content strategy helps organisations provide the right content, to the right people, at the right times, for the right reasons.
If you’re thinking, well that sounds like hard work, you’d be right. But the benefits to your agency, your clients and their customers are worth the investment in content.
We design and build websites with a controlled set of page templates to give clients scalable and consistent sites they can quickly add to. Makes sense.
But we’ve fallen into a bad habit of designing and building the template layouts first, and only then considering the content. Usually when time and budgets are already too exhausted to iterate and improve them.
If you take the time to understand your content’s goals, target audience, format, source, structure, volume, frequency, quality, ownership ...
... you will make smarter strategic, functional, user experience, visual design, and business decisions.
Think about some recent website projects your agency has worked on, how many of these common issues have you experienced?
None of those are good for an agencies reputation, or bottom-line, but all are avoidable. It will take dedication to put content first and embed certain practices into your process to define the way you work on projects, rather than content being an optional extra that clients are likely to say no to.
When introducing a new service it usually requires changes for an agency, particularly in the way that they work. Buy-in from the top is essential to make this work. The agency have to be aligned on why they are putting content first and what that means for individual roles as well as the team as a whole. And the impact and changes this will have for clients too.
Whilst so much upfront effort can seem daunting, investing in content can actually save time, money and stress, keeps projects on track and have a positive impact on the bottom line.
What do you go to a website for? To find information, to make a booking, to buy something? You can’t do any of those things without content yet the focus is often on visuals and functionality at the expense of the content.
It is important for websites to look good, be accessible, work on multiple devices, be secure and offer a nice user experience (and so much more!). But at the heart of all successful websites is accurate, useful and purposeful content.
Yet time and time again content isn’t given the attention it deserves it can cause a lot of issues.
There is a lot of content being published on a daily basis. An article from MarketingProfs says that 2 million blog posts are written every day and that excludes all other channels and formats where content can be published and shared!
So by putting content first and offering content strategy as a (billable) service to your clients, you can ensure the content you and they produce will allow their customers to achieve what they need when they visit the website.
Content-first doesn’t mean having all final and approved content upfront before any design work starts. Now that would be something! Rather it is about considering content early in your projects and asking the right questions up-front so you can work with clients to successfully deliver content on time and in budget.
With that overview of content strategy and content-first in mind, let’s explore how content strategy as a service looks in practice for an agency.
In a nutshell, rather than wait for clients to send pages of unstructured content as the launch date for a website quickly approaches, content strategy means content is considered much earlier in the website project process, at every stage and has a clear lifecycle:
Those five stages make for a very simplified content lifecycle but content strategy means an agency will adopt different processes and techniques to put (and keep) content front if mind, from the discovery phase/kickoff, right through to post-launch when you can work with clients on governance plans for their content.
There are tools and techniques that can be introduced across the content lifecycle and project process to help you collaborate with your clients to successfully deliver content.
Here are some content strategy deliverables to help your agency deliver this new service:
Content inventory
Content audit
Competitive analysis
User stories
Personas
Messaging statements
Content creation guide
Customer maps
Content model
SEO Recommendations
Sitemaps
Governance model
Taxonomy
Workflow template
Content migration plan
CMS requirements
Style guide
Metadata strategy
Voice and tone guide
Social media strategy
That’s a fairly intense list! And it doesn’t include everything. But don’t feel daunted because chances are:
Content strategy can seem a little wishy-washy to some, it’s an ambiguous term and not always clear what it actually means for an agency. The outcome of content strategy isn’t always something tangible like a deck or document.
Don’t feel you have to do all things for all clients. Figure out client constraints - time and budget. How much time and money do they have to invest? Then work within these constraints by solving a smaller set of problems if needs be such as as inconsistent voice and tone. Create a voice and tone guide and then audit their content. For larger budgets a guide won’t fix all the content so dig into their process, governance, roles and responsibilities.
Thinking about your current process for website projects, there are likely to be patterns in challenges faced. How many of those challenges are due to content, or a lack of?
Website projects always start with great enthusiasm, perhaps in a discovery workshop or via a kickoff meeting. Everyone is excited to get going. (Capitalise on your client’s eagerness and get them excited about content too).
As projects progress enthusiasm can be hard to maintain, especially when your team is waiting for content, or designs have to be refined to accommodate late and unstructured content that the client supplies. There are lots of reasons for enthusiasm to dwindle but content is a key perpetrator, because the longer projects go on, that harder it is to retain focus and energy. If content is delaying a project then of course it will have a negative affect
Here are two typical processes for website projects, one where content isn’t given the attention it deserves, and one where a content-first approach has been adopted.
Which one do you relate to most?
These processes have been simplified but where content isn’t put first, the website gets left in limbo. For the content-first process, design and content happen in parallel which means designs are contextual and can be approved with the content in mind before development starts. It also means that content is structured ready for the CMS so the migration process is smoother, the website is launched on time and the final invoice can be issued. Better for your client, their content and your bottom line.
Still need convincing? Well the benefits don’t stop there. Content-first agencies will also:
If you take control of the content delivery process and seize the opportunity to make content an asset for your agency, these pains can actually be turned into positive outcomes, such as:
All of these positive outcomes make for a more successful agency and happier clients. Let’s take a look at what it takes to make your agency content-first.
You want to put content first and charge for content strategy services. But your clients don’t, and they don’t understand how they (and their customers) can benefit from this.
At GatherContent we speak to dozens of agencies each week and the same fundamental problems are shared time and time again:
Budget: this is already squeezed and can’t justify investing in content
Resource: there’s nobody client-side to deliver the content
Time: clients want to get to seeing visuals quickly, and they need the site live NOW
It’s no surprise that budget, resource and time can all be prefixed here with ‘a lack of’. But when content is seen as an asset and actually put first, these three variables can actually be spoken of in different terms:
Budget: investing in content upfront can save money in the long-term due to fewer amends and changes post-launch because the website is meeting business goals and user needs.
Resource: having someone client-side who takes ownership of the content is a valuable resource going forward, ensures a smoother project and better process for future and ongoing content requirements.
Time: hurrying to visuals and launch may seem desirable but those same visuals may need to be changed to accommodate the content when it’s finally delivered. And without content there’s no context to design with. It’s one thing to understand the business goals and their customers, but what about understanding their content requirements? Taking the time upfront to put content first will save time in the long term.
There are often lots of stakeholders involved in website projects, client-side and they have differing demands, expectations and priorities. This can mean time is of the essence and getting content is seen as daunting and a distraction. Be prepared for clients to push-back. The following chapters will arm you with arguments and reasons as to why a content-first approach will benefit them.
It’s one thing for your agency to be ready, it’s another for clients to be on board. Clients won’t always care about their content as much as you would like This is where the hardest work may be needed.
Be prepared to hear objections such as:
These objections are common. Clients are often under pressure and also have other priorities. It’s not a case of blaming them for not understanding the need to invest in content upfront, but rather this is an opportunity for you to educate them and lead them through the process.
If you offer content strategy as an optional service, it’ll come as no surprise that clients will decline this service. They won’t spend money they don’t see the benefit of. Rather, make content-first the way you work and therefore a standard practice such as wireframing, prototyping and other billable processes you follow.
The better prepared you are for handling client objections, the easier it should be to convince them to go content-first and to trust you to show them the way.
Rather than wait for your client to mention content, take the initiative and schedule time with them to specifically discuss content They may want to tangent to design and branding but keep the focus on the content. This can really help to gauge the content challenges ahead and agree on investing in content to avoid those obstacles.
First, start by dealing with their objections. Let’s revisit the examples from earlier:
Investing in content can actually save time and money as it will mean fewer changes later in the project and content will be formatted and structured as needed. It also means the final content will be more useful and purposeful for your customers.
Tip - Tie it back to business goals where possible
Sometimes that content is ok, but don’t assume that. There are reasons why the client wants to redesign their website. It won’t be working for them in some way, so why would their content still be accurate? This is the perfect time to assess the content and give it the attention it deserves so the new website offers optimum return on investment.
This may be ok in some circumstances where the client has a dedicated copywriter or content person to deliver content. However, don’t assume this either. Content takes a lot of time and the client may be underestimating the effort required. Encourage them to collaborate with you on the content as needed and even if they do write it themselves, at the very least they should allow you to help them determine what content they need.
No. This one is where you need to be firm. If you storm ahead with design and content hasn’t even been discussed then any designs will be using placeholder content that doesn’t offer any context at all. Talk to your client about the benefits of putting content first and how that will result in a better user experience, fewer design amends and feedback rounds and also allows for more time to deliver the content needed which in turn means fewer delays and shifting schedules.
Once you’ve had an initial chat to try and convince the client that they must invest in their content, strengthen your case by asking the following content questions (you may choose to include these as part of a discovery phase or kickoff meeting too).
Good start. It means you’re already thinking about content and probably considering its impact on the project.
Alarm bells. Commissioning / starting a website project without considering how much content currently exists is not a good start. Quickly get that answer, and share it with the project team.
Excellent. You understand the value of auditing content and the whole project will benefit from the insights. Get your hands on the audit / inventory ASAP to see how good it is.
You may be thinking: “We don’t like our old content, we’ll just start again.” That should be confronted as this may not be necessary as some existing content could still be accurate and purposeful.
At this point you may be able to convince the project team to include a content audit activity into the project. It is always worth doing.
Great. You already respect content as a finite resource that has a life-cycle and understand that a new site is the perfect opportunity for a spring clean.
Warning. There may be an expectation that all the old content is to be “lifted and shifted” into the shiny new site.
Good. Don’t assume that improved content will magically appear in the new site. Enquire who is lined up and assess their skill level and availability.
Big risk. Don’t fail to think about one of the most resource intensive work streams in the project. And don’t assume the content can be easily migrated from the old site to the new. Set expectations now!
Good. There is someone with a lot riding on the new site and will be (in theory) working hard to produce good content. Start building a strong working relationship ASAP.
Alarm bells. If such a person does not exist and is not considered necessary, then the content beyond the project is rudderless.
Good. Think ahead and don’t see the launch of the new site as the finish (but as the beginning). Be more realistic about how much content is sustainable and prioritise harder throughout the project.
Don’t be short-sighted and dangerously miss the point that a website is a living and evolving medium that needs continuous attention. Set expectations with all those involved in the project.
Great, and well done. Defining a workflow and determining who is responsible for what, and by when, is key to ensuring communication about content is efficient throughout the project lifespan.
Yikes! This will reveal a lot of potential pitfalls. People on the team may not know what they need to do, what has to happen before and after they do it, who is responsible for sign off and generally how content will get from idea to published efficiently.
Good. It pays to appreciate that good content needs ownership. Make sure content owners are included during the project for better results.
Indicates that content is unloved and probably in a state of neglect. The project will need to (re)build ownership between subject experts and the new site’s content. This takes time.
Good. It’s important to know the content ecosystem. You need to look at any syndicated content ASAP because you can guarantee it is going to add functional requirements to the new CMS.
Warning sign. What else isn’t known and failed to be included in the brief? Conduct a content eco-system audit ASAP before an old legacy content feed catches everyone out.
You’re on the ball. Knowing all types of content that you have or need is vital to efficient planning. It will also ensure you have the resource you need to obtain this content, especially if third parties are involved like film crews, illustrators, freelancers etc
Content is more than the words on the page. It is imagery, video, infographics, printed materials. And you likely need to map all of this to appropriate platforms. Start by listing all possible content types and you’ll start to see exactly what you’re dealing with, who is needed and how this needs to be built into an overall strategy.
Somebody cares about content quality and consistency and probably understands the difficulty of producing good digital content. Get a copy of the guide to see if it’s up to the job.
Have you started to think about a content production process to deliver consistent, good quality content? Potentially not.
Good. Some value is placed on evaluation (even if little has been done with the data). Get full access to the analytics tool.
Warning sign. So nobody really knows how the content on the existing site is performing or shown any interest in finding out. The project needs to change that.
Good. This shows an appreciation for the true effort of producing good content and are understanding of ways to ensure the content doesn’t delay launch, including prioritising content.
There may be unrealistic expectations about the content challenge ahead or approaching the project with a print-publication mentality, i.e. it must all be published together. Closely examine the reasons why content can’t be rolled out in phases and challenge them.
The answers will give you a clear understanding of the current content landscape and the challenges ahead. If the client can’t answer any of the questions this is the time to reiterate why they need to consider these things from the get-go (and how you can help them do so).
Hopefully this discussion will also help the client to understand this too. It’s not about scaring them, but rather getting them on your side to collaborate on content together.
Need to argue the case for going content-first with your clients? This handy cheat sheet covers what content-first means and what the benefits are.
Focus on the business cases that will resonate with them:
This can be one of the most effective ways to get them on side because they will have goals and metrics that the website will need to achieve. Where possible, tie any content focused tasks, processes and deliverables back to their business goals.
A final consideration for both your agency and for you to discuss with clients, is how much effort it takes to actually get content done.
Here’s a typical content production workflow:
Those 10 stages represent ‘typical’ processes and when thinking of your own workflow, you may have additional stages, fewer stages, or call them something else.
In our Content Strategy Masterclass we ask attendees to estimate the time it takes to get a 750 word web page through this typical workflow. The mean average for delivering this single page of content is 20 hours.
Scale that up to an entire website and you can begin to understand the time needed to deliver content. So if you plan for this with clients it makes an insurmountable challenge somewhat more achievable.
There’s nothing like an example to help argue your case for going content-first.
Designing without any real content is high risk Whilst your client probably wants to jump to something tangible like a wireframe, prototype or design concepts, without content what will your team actually be designing?
‘We’ll use placeholder content!’
Don’t! Here’s why:
Stuffing Lorem Ipsum into wireframes and prototypes is not a content-first approach. It is the opposite because it is inert, meaningless, lacks context and structure, revealing very little about the relationship between the design and the content.
We don’t need perfect content to design and validate our imperfect prototypes, but we do need something better than gibberish
In the absence of signed off content, there is still a better way: proto-content. Proto-content can be:
All of these provide some context, whereas placeholder does not. Let’s use this scenario as an example:
You are working on the UX design for upcoming international student events which will be promoted on the homepage. Nothing too special on first inspection: each event will have a title, a summary extract, time details, location details, etc.
You take five minutes to write some realistic proto-content for your wireframes for the upcoming event panels on the new homepage:
Upcoming events
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc eleifend urna nec tempus suscipit. Proin eu venenatis ante. Nam fringilla ut justo fringilla interdum. Donec volutpat ipsum faucibus suscipit dignissim.
Time | DateUpcoming events
The University's international students are coming to an evening of networking opportunities with other students and professionals from various leading UK and international companies. It will be excellent fun
The Great Hall7pm - 9pm, Thursday 10 April 2014Upcoming events
The University's annual international students fair is back with over 1000 representatives from leading UK and international companies plus talks and clinics to help you find the perfect job.
The Charles Darwin Centre, Westgate campus9am - 5pm, Thursday 10th April - Friday 11th AprilExample 1 No real content, placeholder Lorem text
Example 2 Real content, typical case
Example 3 Real content, edge case
The proto-content (examples 2&3) immediately reveals important insights that you don’t get from the Lorem Ipsum example:
Because you have caught these insights early you can immediately iterate on your design, rather than realising when it is too late to easily change the built template
This is just one way in which a content-first approach to projects can help you work with clients to consider content upfront, plan for content, produce what’s needed and structure content ready for the design and CMS. Fewer challenges, fewer headaches, smoother projects.
Ok so we’ve convinced you and you’re ready to go content-first. Well, there’s no point in pretending that introducing any new service is going to be easy. There’ll be mistakes made, plenty of lessons to learn and perhaps even cultural changes needed. It’s going to take patience, perseverance and dedication and perhaps you’ve already introduced a new service before, so understand the investment required.
To be a content-first agency you have to believe in the value and importance of content. Outline some rules that your agency will adhere to, such as, at our agency we:
Introducing content strategy as a service may require changing the way you currently work. In fact, it will. But this isn’t a bad thing. It means your content person can work with clients to figure out their content needs and determine how those needs will be met.
Consequently, your content person will also be able to work with your designers and developers with content that is contextual, reducing amends and feedback loops.
The key to the success of becoming content-first is that you, the agency owner, understand the positive impact these changes can have on your agency and are able to distil this in your entire team.
Once you’ve committed to taking your agency content-first it is time to start implementing a content-first approach.
For a more robust content operations, the following resources will help you, your team and your clients learn more about content strategy and taking a content-first approach to projects.
Start by asking the questions in this book to get content onto the agenda and to encourage clients to think about content from the beginning.
That in itself will prove valuable.
Check out these articles to get you underway with different elements of your content operations:
This free 2 hour online class will help you take website projects content-first. Learn how to design a content production process to deliver content on time. Overcoming common content challenges means you can launch website projects on time.
This free book is packed with techniques and know-how to deliver content on time. From upfront planning, to getting a team and process in place and implementing your plan, this book shares advice for every step of the way.
This book is for those who are responsible for websites with dozens, hundreds, or thousands of content items. It’s a good next step to stop content from delaying and derailing your website projects.
GatherContent is a Content Operations Platform that helps agencies painlessly manage client projects and web content workflow.
Are you suffering from content challenges and inefficient processes that result in bad outcomes for your agency’s projects, letting down clients, delaying projects and losing you money?
Turn these challenges into opportunities and make content an asset for your agency.
Use GatherContent to:
Gathering content from clients doesn’t have to be painful. In fact, we’ve made it simple.