Through my work with IBM, I was recently part of discussion on something called content strategy. One of the first things we did was to define exactly what that meant. It was eye-opening for me, because I realized I've been doing content strategy for years... I just didn't know it.

Clients come to us in hopes that a web site will help build their business. We pepper them with questions about style and graphics and functionality. We also ask about copy. And I've lamented that copy is the red-headed stepchild of the interactive world before. (My apologies to redheaded stepchildren. I have nothing against you.) But this isn't so much about copy or the content, but about that other word: strategy.

A strategy is when you have a plan. And if you have no strategy for your content, you have no plan. A content strategy is something that content strategists themselves struggle to define. Not because we (and I count myself among them with pride) don't know what it is, but we have a hard time finding terms others will value. But here's a great starter definition I like:

A content strategy is what you intend to say, and when and how to say it, in order to connect and interact constructively and efficiently with the people you need to help you achieve your goals.

A good content strategy would help many small businesses who launch web sites and then say, "now what?"

How will you update the content?

Who are the stakeholders?

What are your specific goals?

What measurement tools will you use?

How will you monitor reactions/sentiment?

Overall, content needs to sit in the front seat of web design, not be thrown in the back with the other random elements. If your content isn't driving the bus, then it had better at least be holding the map.

Because it IS the map.