Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide

If your work is enterprise content strategy, solving content creation, management, and governance problems for complex clients and companies, then you need this book. I happily read a paper version, highlighting numerous pages and passages with yellow marker and sticky notes. I was speaking about the book so enthusiastically to a fellow content strategist that I just had to lend it to him. Content strategy is complicated – so many issues and questions to consider for every client, for every product, for every user. I always worry that I won’t ask the right question that might unlock the secret for a project. Fortunately, that’s a lot less likely now, thanks to this project guide. Nichols examines the steps of the content strategy project lifecycle and clearly lists the questions we need to ask in every one of these steps. He offers how-to insights from someone who has clearly been in the trenches. He knows the questions to ask -- who you need to collaborate with and what details to consider. As I read the book, I felt as if I was getting advice from a thoughtful manager, guiding me along to ask the right questions to guide me and my projects to success. Oh, by the way, my coworker hasn’t given my copy of the book back. I’m going to have to buy another one. You probably should have one too.

What I really appreciate about the book is how it guides you through a systematic end-to-end approach, with the emphasis on eight basic phases of work (plan, assess, define, design, build, publish, measure/optimize and govern). I can say from my own experience as a Senior Business Analyst how important it is that all of these phases be considered - especially when sometimes there is a tendency on projects to jump right into the design & build phase without first taking the initial phases into consideration. Additionally, I like how the book highlights the importance of continuous measurement & optimizing the performance of our content to ensure that it remains relevant for those who consume it. Moreover, it talks about properly wrapping governance around our content, systems & processes to help ensure that they remain stable and positioned to grow effectively. I am confident that Enterprise Content Strategy will serve me well on future initiatives.

This book was a disappointment. Way too high level with little practical, usable advice.

I was very interested in the topic of content strategy, as I am leading efforts at my company to make sure we have a clear strategy. At first the book was introducing concepts and telling a few stories, but once I got past that, the content was very useful. I'm all about the content experience because I create content that other people will hopefully experience if our strategy is correct and appropriate. Kevin clearly explains the importance of a content strategy with regards to the content experience, delivery, and governance. Without this strategy, the content will not get to the appropriate audience in the appropriate time. I consider the software user interface part of the content as well, as it is recorded information that other people will access. By getting information developers (aka technical writers) involved in this process, the company can have a common strategy for content that customers will access. If there is no content delivery strategy, will the customer even be able to access this information. It all ties in to the customer's perception of the company, content, branding, loyalty. I like how each chapter covers a phase in the content strategy process. I learned a lot about each phase from Planning to Governing the content. The glossary is especially helpful in understanding terminology. This is a great tool to present this information to management to persuade them to join you in creating a company-wide content strategy for a common goal. I especially like Kevin's infusion of humor into a book that would ordinarily be a bit dry for most people. I like the taxonomy definition in the glossary. I might have included a bit more white space and more examples or graphics, bulleted lists, something to break up all the text. My only criticism.

Are content projects getting you down? Do you find yourself constantly having to explain content strategy basics to clients to no avail? Does the thought of selling seashells by the seashore sound really good to you right now? Help is here for the harried content strategist. Kevin Nichols’ new book, Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide, offers sound advice on navigating through large content strategy projects. Clear project phases and tasks are spelled out, along with charts and lists to better explain what to do and when to do it. Kevin’s dry wit keeps the reading lively. The glossary is especially handy for getting clarity on the variety of terms – which are often described differently by content strategists and UX folk – we need to use on content strategy projects. If you are new to content strategy, you will learn a lot to get you started and keep you going. If you are experienced, you will definitely benefit from the information on omnichannel experiences. This book is a must-have addition to your UX/Content Strategy library. I have it in mine~

Kevin Nichols is a thought leader and advocate for thoughtful content strategy. He's a practitioner, lecturer, mentor and pioneer in the field. I've been studying his work for years and have used his inventory and stakeholder questionnaire templates as guidelines for many discovery phases. So few resources on Content Strategy truly elucidate each phase and its accompanying methodology of myriad projects -- redesigns, to content migrations, to content production and manintenance. Kevin outlines in sublime detail Omnichannel and multichannel strategy elements and considerations; governance processes, identifying content requirements, how to properly scope projects, a checklist of best pratices, advocacy for Content First, and a faceted taxonomy reference. As a true practitoner of the disclipine, I cannot recommend this book enough. You cannot call yourself a content strategist if you miss this comprehensive guidepost on every aspect of Enterprise Content Strategy.

This book by content strategist Kevin P. Nichol deserves 5 stars. This is a high level strategic book not as witty as Clout: Art & Science of Influential Web Content or Content Rules by Ann Handley but more detailed. Ideas from Omnichannel to Governance to Metadata are covered. Excellent on phases of content development. This is a good reference book that should be valuable for years to come. The Kindle edition production is good though some diagrams and headings needed more attention. The index is excellent as is the list of follow up resources. Good value for under 20 dollars.

Not what I hoped for. Little info about governance.