The Content Strategy Scoop with Irene Michl
Have you ever wondered about how someone’s journey into content strategy began? I certainly have. In fact, I was eager to pick the brains of an experienced content strategist to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives.
Allow me to introduce Irene Michl, a senior Content Strategy lecturer at FH Joanneum and the author of Think Content!
Here are the questions Irene answered for us in what we call, The Content Strategy Scoop.
How did you get interested in the field of content strategy? What drew you to this career path?
I saw on Facebook from an acquaintance that she applied for the Content Strategy course in 2014. I was also very interested in that, but I had just started as a self employed social media consultant, so I waited for 2015 and applied. During my studies, I became more and more enthusiastic about content, how content strategy works together with other disciplines and what you can do. As a result, I shifted my consulting focus towards content strategy during my studies. And then there was the opportunity to collaborate on the book “Think Content!”. I immersed myself in the topic for another 2 years in order to be able to write a comprehensive book on the topic of content strategy with current approaches. Then came more and more consulting projects, lectures and workshops on the topic of content strategy with my favourite topics persona and content audits.
Before that, I studied economics and worked in marketing for years. So I’ve always had to do with communication and content.
What is your definition of content strategy?
The most common definition I use: Provide the right content at the right time in the right place. In addition, there are the processes in the background and effective and efficient content production. So that we make content usable and reusable. And with content strategy, we try to solve business problems and make companies successful.
And with content strategy, we try to solve business problems and make companies successful.
What are some of the biggest challenges or projects you’ve tackled in your content strategy work?
Working with top-tier brands was exhilarating for sure. I conducted a content audit workshop for a prominent German football club and provided one-on-one coaching for the newly hired content strategist of a major German telecommunications company.
It is always challenging, when a company opts out of participating in defining personas. This can often make planned initiatives feel like navigating blindly.
What are the key elements that should be included in a comprehensive content strategy?
It’s crucial to have a well-defined objective for the content strategy, along with a thorough understanding of the target audience. This should include a clear understanding of their needs and a well-defined brand identity to create valuable and relevant content. Clearly outlining processes and responsibilities is essential, and having adequate budget and resources in place is equally important.
What metrics or KPIs do you recommend for measuring the success of a content strategy?
The answer to that question varies depending on the objective. It’s key to ensure that the key performance indicators are aligned with each other. Simply having a KPI is not sufficient; it’s important to provide context for them.
What new trends or technologies are impacting how we approach content strategy?
Without a doubt, AI is making waves in both production and the processes and analyses we use. We can look forward to even more innovative tools on the horizon. It’s important for us to consider the sustainability of our content and monitor the environmental impact, particularly in terms of CO2 emissions.
What is your favourite content strategy tool?
It’s not a tool in the traditional sense, but I find interviews very powerful for persona creation.
Find Irene on LinkedIn here.