{"id":4899,"date":"2013-12-03T08:48:29","date_gmt":"2013-12-03T13:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meetcontent.com\/?p=4899"},"modified":"2017-04-20T00:26:11","modified_gmt":"2017-04-20T04:26:11","slug":"make-change-host-your-own-content-strategy-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meetcontent.com\/blog\/make-change-host-your-own-content-strategy-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Change: Host Your Own Content Strategy Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"York<\/a>
Make your campus a conference venue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The following guest post was written by Laura D’Amelio, senior content developer for the Division of Students at York University, in Toronto, Canada<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you ever listen in to someone else\u2019s conversation at lunch or while in line to grab a coffee on campus? Maybe you\u2019ve heard the phrases \u201cdo more with less\u201d and \u201cwear multiple hats\u201d often, like I do.<\/p>\n

My job hasn\u2019t been so different \u2013 although originally hired as a writer, my content team and I now create publications from writing to design, produce videos and arrange photo shoots, manage social media and more. <\/p>\n

With budget cuts that many of us are familiar with, we\u2019ve had to weigh the benefits of print pieces, manage a growing number of websites with less staff and, generally be more creative with our projects and time. Implementing content strategy, that is having less content and more strategy, has meant we\u2019ve been able to stretch our talents further, including sharing and comparing our strategies with others on campus as we continue to refine our processes.<\/p>\n

Better Living Through Content Strategy<\/h2>\n

Faced with these challenges, we\u2019ve found content strategy to be a helpful framework for doing more with less. The processes, audits, and guidance on governance that comprise content strategy have yielded solutions for reaching more prospective students but printing fewer viewbooks, or providing more online resources or services with fewer staff.<\/p>\n

Constantly searching for \u201cbest practices\u201d for content strategy, particularly as it pertains to our University environment, got me to thinking: why not hold a content strategy conference here at our University? I pitched the idea to my director and vice-provost, who were both supportive and acknowledged the importance of this topic in helping meet our staff and student needs. <\/p>\n

This past August, we held our event<\/a>, inviting colleagues from student service and academic offices. For our small start, the turn-out and reception was great, as were the many ideas shared and techniques learned. We will most likely be expanding the event next year. <\/p>\n

Go Your Own Way<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s why you should consider holding your own internal content strategy conference:<\/p>\n

Your experts are in-house<\/h3>\n

At York, it\u2019s our going theory that many of us are already using elements of content strategy in our jobs, though we may not call it \u201ccontent strategy.\u201d We\u2019ve heard stories from colleagues about managing web redesigns or adding new social media channels to meet our audience needs. We\u2019ve performed audits, analysis, ROI calculations, rewrites, process redesigns and more. <\/p>\n

By putting these tactics and pieces together, and gradually building them into our day-to-day processes, our content strategy can become complete without having to wait for a web overhaul or a major budget crisis to reconsider our content processes. We just need to share what we are doing now. So we invited communicators from across campus to share their stories.<\/p>\n

Our sessions included:<\/p>\n