Content Strategy: Why it's like therapy

 

My good friend Virginia Hill Condon (@ginnyhill) used to be a social worker.

 

She has a great line. She says that content strategy has a lot in common with therapy. She explains, that in social work, you:

 

1. Meet the client where they are. Which is the same as trying to plan a website that answers a user's questions and anticipates their needs.

 

2. Travel with them on their journey. Again, great content strategists think about the entire user experience--navigation, searching, types of content, tone, style, literacy level, etc...And, we're also thinking about the business strategy, and how that aligns with users' goals.

 

More than anything else, this is where best practices from user experience design and usability come in. Great therapists try to understand:

• Where you came from
• Where you want to go
• How to help you get there

And great content strategists are thinking the same thing. Our couches are just so much cooler.