“We don’t hire editors anymore,” zei Jack Griffin, baas van het grote mediabedrijf Meredith, onlangs op een conferentie. “We hire content strategists.”
Het is voor het eerst dat ik deze term in dit verband tegenkwam. Op Skillset.org wordt uitgebreid uitgelegd wat een content strateeg te doen staat:
The Content Strategist is responsible for deciding what content the product will contain and the personality it will convey. He or she typically liaises with the client to identify key messages, themes, and tone of voice for written content in order to develop a ‘house style’ that fits the client’s brand.
He or she may then need to brief copywriters and editors, or produce written publishing guidelines, to ensure the product’s content follows this style.
During product development, the Content Strategist is also responsible for specifying visual or other assets for inclusion (although in smaller teams, this may be handled by the Designer).
He or she may need to liaise with specialists such as Animators, Illustrators or Video Directors to ensure the right assets are produced in the appropriate style and format. He or she may also need to work with Designers and Developers to ensure assets are correctly incorporated into the product. In some cases, the Content Strategist may also be responsible for writing any instructional text – such as help screens – used within the product.
The Content Strategist may also need to liaise with intellectual property specialists to obtain rights to use material owned by other people, or to ensure that the product’s content does not breach copyright. They may also be involved in the selection or creation of systems for classifying content, usually in conjunction with an Information Architect.
