Our post last week on some exciting upcoming resources in content strategy got us thinking about a topic we discuss fairly often here: What’s in the essential content strategy library?
We spend a lot of time educating ourselves and our clients on the latest tools and techniques that content strategy brings to projects. Because the holistic way of thinking about content strategy is still gaining traction in many quarters, many people we talk to would consider themselves learners instead of experts. And with the holidays around the corner, you might be working on your wish list.
So we’ll share our picks for the best resources on content strategy — both now and in 2012. And we’re going to send a full set of our content strategy library to one reader! Keep reading for the details….
Laura’s Picks:
- Content Strategy for the Web
— Buy it now, or pre-order the 2nd edition coming in 2012! This is the book that defined the discipline of content strategy. - Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works — The seminal classic on writing for the web. If Ginny Redish hasn’t taught you how to write yet, don’t miss the opportunity to learn from a master.
- The Elements of Content Strategy — Erin Kissane wrote this great how-to book earlier this year. Great companion to the Halvorson book.
— Buy it now, or 
! This is the book that defined the discipline of content strategy.
— The seminal classic on writing for the web. If Ginny Redish hasn’t taught you how to write yet, don’t miss the opportunity to learn from a master.Summer’s Picks:
- The Content Marketing Institute Blog was one of the first that I ever added to my RSS reader. Posts are written by leaders in the content marketing and strategy world — all people that I trust, many that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in person. They stay on top of trends in the industry, offer case studies on best practices and let us all learn lessons from their mistakes, and provide a one-stop shop for resources.
- Content Rules by Anne Handley and C.C. Chapman is about much more than creating quality website content. This little book packs quite a punch and covers content formats such as ebooks, videos, podcasts and webinars. It’s an easy-to-read reference that has a little something for first-time content creators and veterans alike.
by Anne Handley and C.C. Chapman is about much more than creating quality website content. This little book packs quite a punch and covers content formats such as ebooks, videos, podcasts and webinars. It’s an easy-to-read reference that has a little something for first-time content creators and veterans alike.To get the library:
In the comments below, share your favorite content strategy resource or tell us which book above you’re looking most forward to reading. We’ll randomly select one commenter on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, and send you the four books in the library. [Shipping free to any U.S. location; if you’re not U.S.-based, we’ll talk.]
James Callan says
One straight-up content strategy choice, and one that’s not actually about content strategy but that I’ve found useful for ages:
1) Leen Jones’ Clout: The Art and Science of Influential Web Content. Terrific blend of rhetoric, marketing, and content strategy.
2) Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, which has a content-specific chapter but is all about how multiple content formats work together to create a single message. Fantastic and fun to read.
Kristina Mausser says
I really like Colleen Jones’ book as well. While it isn’t straight Content Strategy it bridges the gap nicely between the various departmental silos that can exist within an organization (Marketing, Content Strategy and Rhetoric), making this book a great resource for those who wear multiple hats in their roles.
The other book that I’ve found to be very helpful in referring to clients is Curation Nation by Steven Rosenbaum. It’s chock full of real world examples of curation and speaks to the print versus online world of journalism.
laurie kalmanson says
great idea
“living with complexity” — donald norman: sets the framework for thinking about users, and thinking about meaning
Timothy Nobles says
In addition to the main library, and Clout, I enjoyed several books this year that have done wonders to support my dealings with content strategy. They are (in no particular order)…
1) Mental Models, by Indi Young, has provided me a ton of insights on how to consider the user’s job to be done
2) Google Analytics, by Justin Cutroni, offered a great crash course for understanding just what can be tracked, how to track it, and know to bake the data collection implementation concerns into the content publishing plan.
3) Audience, Relevance, and Search Targeting Web Audience with Relevant Content, by James Mathewson, – Well the title kind of says it all.
4) Storytelling for the User Experience, by Whitney Quesenbery, has been helpful to me in better planning client and stakeholder meetings in terms of helping them clearly understand and being willing to support, what needs to happen for the user, the types of content that needs to be there, and what the results might be.
I’ll definitely have to check out Understanding Comics. It sounds like it would have some fun multi-channel experience underpinnings.