Mastering Digital Content Strategy for Associations
Summary: Your organization has invested a lot in content. Sadly, it’s often trapped in silos, difficult to find and share, and scattered across an ever-expanding internal digital universe. Knowing what you have means you can fully work those assets — reuse, reinforce, and redistribute them — saving time, money, and sanity. Content is the lifeblood of an association’s communications. As a vital tool to keep members informed, engaged, and knowledgeable, content can nurture and grow your community. It comes in many formats — articles, blogs, videos, whitepapers, case studies, podcasts, just to name a few — and is continuously produced throughout the organization.
The Hidden Costs of Disorganized Content
Often, digital assets are created by different teams without a streamlined content management process. Files are stored in personal drives, disparate servers, or isolated platforms, making it difficult for the entire organization to access and leverage existing content effectively. This disorganization leads to missed opportunities to engage members and stakeholders, increasing time and resource waste.
Step 1: Conduct a Comprehensive Content Audit
Recreating existing content is a costly mistake. Without a single source of truth, your messaging becomes inconsistent across websites, emails, and social media channels. Additionally, it’s challenging to repurpose high-value content into various formats like webinars, infographics, or email campaigns.
Start by conducting a content audit to identify existing assets. Determine what’s missing, what’s valuable, and what needs updating. This audit helps you maximize your content’s utility, delivering a unified experience for members and stakeholders.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Tech Stack
Disconnected systems lead to inefficiencies and inconsistencies. Ensure that key platforms like your Association Management System (AMS), Learning Management System (LMS), Digital Asset Management (DAM), and Content Management System (CMS) are integrated for seamless operations.
A DAM handles rich media assets, permissions, and rights management, while a CMS streamlines content creation and publishing. Newer Content-as-a-Service (CaaS) platforms offer a centralized, channel-agnostic approach. By integrating these systems, you create a unified repository where content is easily searchable and reusable.
Step 3: Establish a Single Source of Truth for Your Content
A single source of truth is essential for consistent messaging and up-to-date content across all channels. With a unified content platform, you can streamline content creation, minimize errors, and ensure that all stakeholders have access to the latest resources.
Step 4: Enhance Content Discoverability and Accessibility
Make your content more visible and easier to consume by optimizing it for both search engines and users. Develop clear taxonomies, implement schema markup, and use structured data to boost SEO. Effective tagging helps content appear in relevant searches, improving discoverability across your intranet, websites, and member portals.
Ensure your content is accessible to the broadest audience, including those with disabilities, by adhering to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards. Incorporate ALT text for images, use descriptive titles, and follow best practices for digital accessibility.
Step 5: Implement Strong Governance Practices
Content governance is key to maintaining quality and consistency. Establish clear guidelines for content creation, publication, and maintenance. Define roles and responsibilities to streamline processes and ensure accountability.
Remember: great content is ineffective if it’s hard to find. By cleaning up your digital library and optimizing content assets, your association can significantly increase member engagement and return on content investment.
Need Expert Help Optimizing Your Content?
Looking to revamp your content strategy or integrate your tech stack for better results? Contact Reason One to audit your content, implement the right CMS and AMS solutions, and seamlessly integrate your MarTech tools. Let’s transform your digital landscape!
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