Disqus - Latest Comments for DanHaley

Re: How to Plan for Exceptional, Engaging Video Content

DanHaley — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:54:00 -0000

Great post, Shelly. Thanks for the tips.

I mostly have a text background, but just completed a pilot video project for health care, using a videographer. I'd add two things:

If you work for an org and occasionally hire videographers, have a small package of guidelines prepared for them, including any graphic components (logos, title cards, etc.) that you'd like to include. That way, your videos feel relatively consistent, no matter who shoots and edits them.

Second, and this may seem like a no-brainer: if you're preparing any interview prompts or coaching the subjects, think about ways to inflect the video content with key brand messaging, in an authentic way.

Thanks again!

Re: News flash: Social media won’t fix your content problems

DanHaley — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:10:56 -0000

In the spirit of working more closely with our social technologies colleagues, here's a similar challenge content profs. share with them: effective social media work demands a long-term relationship, just like good content strategy. We can help each other by stressing this point to clients and supervisors/execs.

Neither communities nor good content appear overnight.

Re: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/30/exercise-leads-way-among-local-resolutions/

DanHaley — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:41:25 -0000

For the full story, and practical weight loss advice, see: http://scrps.org/healthgoals

Re: Be your own content expert

DanHaley — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:23:07 -0000

Yes, but there's a risk in getting too comfortable with our own skewed perspectives. After sitting in on usability sessions, it's clear that users don't always approach websites the way "we" do.

Sure, maintain a firm commitment to web publishing fundamentals, but also leap nimbly in and out of your users' skins, given what you know about them.

Re: 5 Tips on Working with a Style Guide

DanHaley — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:07:27 -0000

Nice post, Elizabeth. I've longed for a discussion of style guides as more than in-house supplements to the AP Stylebook. Specific voice, tone, and language guidelines should be absolutely essential in today's brand-conscious environment.

Re: Kristina finished her book!

DanHaley — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:34:48 -0000

Thanks for your hard work on the book, Kristina. I'm awaiting mine, too. :)

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

DanHaley — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:09:17 -0000

We absolutely have to hammer home your first point: “The simplest sentences and websites take the most thought,” because the KISS mantra has actually done a disservice to content.

After hearing “keep it simple” and “users don’t read on the web” ad nauseam from so many “experts,” clients and design firms have taken this to mean that content is easy to produce. Thus all the 13th-hour (if at all) content deliveries, and general content disrespect.

So, yes: good content is simple, smart, and strategic. KISSS. (Or KISSAS.)

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

DanHaley — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:53:09 -0000

We absolutely have to hammer home your first point: “The simplest sentences and websites take the most thought,” because the KISS mantra has actually done a disservice to content.

So, yes: good content is simple, smart, and strategic. KISSS. (Or KISSAS.)

Re: Nitpicky Style Guide Item: The Internet is the internet

DanHaley — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:25:11 -0000

I have an aversion to capitalization, too. (See "Against Capitalization".)
Unfortunately, the org. I work for follows AP style, which dictates "Web site." Every time I write or read that phrase, I feel briefly transported back in time.

Re: Web Content Style Guides that Don’t Suck

DanHaley — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:39:16 -0000

Thanks for this post, Kristina.
A question: for those of you working for/with orgs that do print as well as online marketing and communications, do you have one style guide for all channels, or does the web style guide differ from the print counterpart, if only slightly?
We have one house style guide (supplementing AP) that was written primarily with print in mind, or at least under the assumption that print pubs. are the same as web pubs. I want to make a case for some web style exceptions.

Re: Bangalore, we have a problem.

DanHaley — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:20:57 -0000

It's like a lolcats content agency.
Thanks for a good Friday morning laugh. :)

Re: Your Web Content Is Out of (Your) Control

DanHaley — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:18:12 -0000

The article, and your framing of it, underscore 2 points for me:
1. Content folk need to be very careful with every piece of content posted. Users are no longer funneling through a home page to access your content — they're coming into your site from the sides via search and links, or encountering your content elsewhere online.
One should never adopt the mindset: "This page isn't that important; it's buried." Submit each piece to your content strategy, and treat each piece as if it could be a user's lasting impression of you.
2. Also, content has to be authentic, transparent, and human. Otherwise, the user community will put you in your place in a very public, potentially costly manner. :)

Re: Cut!

DanHaley — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:52:36 -0000

The problem for me — no doubt everyone — is getting clients to see that careful editing enhances their message. They feel like I'm excising part of their personality or trimming away their identity, dignity and accomplishments when I cut the fluff. They keep wanting to put it back in.
It's hard to get them to see that good content is about distilling their message into something palpable that users can immediately grasp, and take away from their visit. Fluff only gets in the way.

Re: Get to the Exclamation Point Online

DanHaley — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:54:45 -0000

Sure; why not use the exclamation point‽ A caveat, though: in our cynical modern times, the e.p. is freighted with irony more often than enthusiasm.
By the way: thanks for the blog, Brain Traffic folks! [No irony intended in that particular mark.]