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All Things Content with Kevin Nichols episodes
- Episode 13 - Content Audits at LavaCon 2023 with Paula Land
The AvenueCX team has been doing a bit of traveling! We recently attended LavaCon 2023 this year in sunny San Diego and had a wonderful time. It was a great opportunity to reconnect in person with many friends we haven’t been able to see for the past few years. One of those friends is the incredibly talented Paula Land. Kevin sat down with her to catch up, talk about her current projects, and learn about content audits and how to properly execute them within a diverse organization.
Paula Land is the founder and principal content strategist at Strategic Content, a Seattle-based consultancy offering various services in web content strategy, digital strategy, user experience, content management strategy and CMS implementation, and content development and marketing. She is also a Guest Lecturer at the University of Washington Information School, co-founder of Content Insight LLC, and author of the book "The Content Inventory and Audit Handbook". You can see her full resume and purchase her book here: https://strategiccontent.com/aboutPaula’s Info:Paula’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaland/Paula’s Email: [email protected]Kevin's Info:Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284lKevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNGKevin's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHGAvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR52 min - Episode 12 - Content with a Soul with Gina Balarin
Because of the competitive nature of the corporate world, it is incredibly easy to become cynical and jaded. This is especially true for those who work in marketing, as the entire practice is about getting the attention of potential customers before a rival grabs it up first. As a result, a mindset of “by any means necessary” becomes the norm. Manipulation and partial truths are often preferred over sincerity and honesty. This makes Marketing a field of study and practice many consider simply as a means to provide income and nothing to be passionate about.
Enter today’s guest: Gina Balarin. Gina is not only an accomplished marketer who has worked with countless prestigious brands but also has an excitement around marketing that is infectious. Her optimism and passion are shared with Kevin on this episode of “All Things Content”. In this installment, she talks about her idea of “Content with a Soul”. Instead of seeing content as just a way to sell a product or service, she views it as an opportunity to make viewers feel deep emotions that will affect them on a personal level. She shows this in action by discussing different campaigns that do this well and how they did it. Gina also goes into the power of words, and how words in content can have the power to better the world and help it strive towards a more egalitarian ideal.Gina Balarin is a passionate corporate storyteller with over 15 years of marketing and leadership experience. She is a marketing consultant, working primarily with B2B technology companies. Previously, Gina has worked as a content marketer and a Marketing Director. She is the author of hundreds of blog posts and too many B2B case studies to count. She speaks regularly on panel discussions and at marketing conferences and counts herself lucky to have spoken at TEDx. She blames her success on having been on stage in various guises over the years, doing everything from being a magician's assistant and performing lead roles in ballet and drama productions, to having worked with top C-level executives and entrepreneurs. She has a Master's Degree in Education in the subject of Management Communication, is a Chartered Marketer and Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, has a BA (Hons) in Linguistics and English Language, and a BA in Drama and Linguistics. Currently, she continues to help companies create soulful content as the Founder and Director of Verbalilistics, a B2B marketing communications agency.Gina's Info:Gina's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginabalarin/Gina's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/Gina.BalarinKevin's Info:Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284lKevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNGKevin's LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHGAvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR50 min - Episode 11 - Trends in Content 2023 and Beyond: Mark Yirrell Interviews Kevin P Nichols
On this episode of “All Things Content”, we’re trying something a little different. Instead of Kevin acting as the host and interviewer of the show, he is the guest! Join him and Mark Yirrell, Marketing and Sales Manager at AvenueCX as well as this week’s interviewer, as they discuss Kevin’s predictions for the content industry. They discuss everything from Web 3, the end of the third-party cookie, market adaptation to permacrisis, and more.
Kevin is an award-winning thought leader, digital industry expert, and author with over 25 years of experience in digital strategy, user experience, and content. He was a key contributor to creating MIT OpenCourseWare, grew one of the largest content strategy teams in the world at SapientNitro, and has worked on content for dozens of global brands. At AvenueCX, Kevin continues pursuing his passion for content, working with international enterprises to improve their content and customer experiences. This dedication to his field is exemplified through the writing of his book Enterprise Content Strategy: A Project Guide, and co-authoring of UX for Dummies. Besides being the host of this podcast, Kevin also hosts the webinar series “Let’s Talk Personalization” produced by The Content Wrangler, leading conversations on the latest trends in personalizing content. In addition to writing books and hosting videos, Kevin supports his colleagues by serving as the Chair of Content Strategy Alliance’s Best Practices initiative.Mark-Joseph Yirrell is a marketer fascinated with emerging technology and its influences on content. Since his freshman year at Bentley University, he has managed campaigns, both as a freelancer and while working at agencies. He has worked with countless startups and nonprofits in the local Boston area, including Moira Studio, The Video Creators Lounge, and The Cambridge Society for Early Music. After transferring and graduating from Emerson College with a BA in Media Production, Mark’s mission is to merge his passion for producing visual and audio content with his background in marketing. He has continued this mission to Los Angeles, where he continues to educate both individuals and organizations on how to improve their digital presence through content and social media.Mark’s Info:Mark’s Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mark-yirrell-0b967765Mark’s Email: [email protected]Kevin's Info:Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284lKevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNGKevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHGAvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR1 hr 8 min - Episode 10 - Unifying Knowledge Center Content with Scott Abel
Did you know that more people would rather clean a toilet than call customer support? Due to this, combined with the fact that employing a customer support team during a recession is an expensive luxury, many companies are opting to close down their support teams. Instead, they’re shifting their focus to developing knowledge-center content, where customers can find their own answers to their questions. However, does this turn meet all customer needs? How can you make the best knowledge center possible? Are there benefits in maintaining customer support teams?
Join Kevin as he interviews his longtime friend and content industry veteran Scott Abel. They discuss different forms of content that can be housed in knowledge centers, the different purposes that content can be used for, and the changes to knowledge-center content caused by the recent pandemic. They also discuss how personalization can be utilized for that content and how the knowledge centers fit within the entirety of the customer experience.
Known as "The Content Wrangler," Scott Abel is a content strategist who helps companies improve how they author, maintain and deliver information to those needing it. He's co-authored "Intelligent Content: A Primer" and "The Language of Content Strategy" and creator of the Content Strategy Series of books from XML Press. In addition, Scott hosts the most popular content-focused webinar show on BrightTALK, attracting tens of thousands of viewers annually. Scott co-produces several events including the annual Information Development World, Technical Documentation RoundUp, and Content Intelligence conferences, and is a presenter at content industry conferences including Intelligent Content Conference (an event he co-founded and later sold to Content Marketing Institute), Content Marketing World, Localization World (North America, Europe, Asia), Content Strategy Applied, and Society for Technical Communication Summit. His blog, TheContentWrangler.com, is a popular destination for communication pros seeking information about content management strategy and related topics.
Scott’s Info:
Scott’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottabel/
Scott’s Twitter: twitter.com/scottabel
Scott’s Blog: thecontentwrangler.com
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
43 min - Episode 9 - The Elements of Content Design with Sarah Johnson
In the current digital space, the field of content design remains a topic of fascination. What exactly is content design, and what is it not? As explained by content strategist and this episode’s guest Sarah Johnson, it can be described as “designing with words”. She talks with Kevin about how she discovered her calling in content design after a career as a novelist and a computer programmer. Later, she explains the difference between content design and content strategy, as well as between content first design and content design. Sarah then speaks about the process and framework she leverages for effective content design. Sarah and Kevin also discuss the importance of communication skills in the field, the role of empathy and conversation mapping, and the intersection of content design, user experience, and customer experience.
Sarah is an Associate Senior Manager of Content Strategy at CVS. She also teaches content strategy at Bentley University’s User Experience Center in Waltham, Massachusetts. She has twenty-five years of experience with companies such as CVS, TIAA, Fidelity Investments, and Bank of America. Sarah works with content teams to help them grow leadership and user experience skills, running content strategy summits within her UX teams. She also spearheaded a workshop entitled “The Art of the Difficult Conversation”, which she developed in conjunction with Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. The workshop went on to be offered corporate-wide at TIAA. Sarah is a graduate of the InnerMBA offered by SoundsTrue, LinkedIn, and NYU.
Sarah's Info:
Sarah's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajwriter/
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
45 min - Episode 8 - Augmented Realities, Design Fiction and Content with Heather Snyder Quinn
How can designers leverage content as a vehicle for social change? What legal ramifications will proceed from new forms of content like Augmented Reality and the Metaverse? These are just some of the questions Heather Snyder Quinn is asking. In this episode, Kevin sits down with Heather to inquire about her work on her project “Mariah: Acts of Resistance”. “Mariah”, co-designed by Adam DelMarcelle, tells the story of a young woman who overdosed on heroin that viewers experience as they tour the Sackler wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. They do this by holding up their cell phones to artifacts procured by the Sackler family, viewing pieces of Mariah’s story via the augmented reality app that Heather designed. Kevin and Heather talk about how art responds to authority before delving into the topics of speculative design and design fiction. Their conversation leads to further discussions around the future of freedom of speech, the power of Big Tech in modern society, and the impact the Metaverse and other emerging technologies will have on our conception of reality.
Heather is usually where she “isn’t supposed to be.” You will find her playing in unexpected places, physical or virtual, and collaborating with people from an array of backgrounds. She uses design fiction to empower communities to imagine possible futures and understand technology’s impact on human freedoms. Yale Law School, The World Economic Forum, MIT Press, The Washington Post, Hyperallergic, and NASA have recognized her work. Dedicated to improving society through the field of design, she serves as Director of Design Futures for Design Incubation, Co-chair of Speculative Futures Chicago, and was previously co-chair for AIGA Chicago’s Women Lead. She is an Assistant Professor of Design Futures at Washington University in Saint Louis, Director of the Parallel Futures Lab, and mother of two daughters.
Heather’s Info:
Heather’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathersnyderquinn/
Heather’s Email: [email protected]
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
46 min - Episode 7 - Content Strategy & Tech Docs for Grad Students with Dr. Kim Sydow Campbell
Is academia a potential career when working in content? Professor Kim Sydow Campbell is living proof that it is, but what is the typical course of action for someone looking to join her profession? Kevin discusses this topic with her, a valuable conversation for any student looking for a career in writing. They also talk about what technical communication is, the history of the field, its importance in various industries, and how she incorporates it into her courses. Professor Campbell describes the class projects that involve her students working with private companies to gain real-world experience.
Kim Sydow Campbell is a professor and Director of Corporate Relations at the University of North Texas. As the Director, she develops and maintains relations with corporate partners on behalf of the University’s Department of Technical Communication to increase the relevance of degree programs to the industry, sponsorships of course projects for students, access to industry data or sites for faculty research, and the quantity and quality of full-time and internship placements for students. She previously was a professor and associate dean at The University of Alabama. Before this latest period in academia, she was Editor of Transactions on Professional Communication at the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Professor Campbell originally got her BA and Ph.D. at Louisiana State University, first getting her degree in English Linguistics, and later her Ph.D. in Linguistics and Professional Writing.
Kim's Info:
Kim's Twitter: https://twitter.com/_dr_kim_?s=20&t=jTiXN6gHeD_Q6b0vKKsnRg
Kim's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimsydowcampbell/
Kim's Email: [email protected]
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
51 min - Episode 6 - Film, Narrative Codes, and Content with Robert Mills
What is the connection between media studies and content strategy? On this episode, Robert Mills, founder of Fourth Wall Content, explains how his background in narrative theory led him to working in content. Kevin and Robert discuss the many ways forms of media, particularly film, subconsciously convey information to observers. Using examples ranging from cinema to fairy tales, the two decipher media codes that storytellers and directors use to tell and create stories. In addition, Robert explains how an understanding of these covert and subtextual themes can apply to the world of marketing and branding across a customer journey, empowering content specialists with the knowledge needed to tell their client’s own stories.
Robert Mills is a content and communications strategist based in the UK. Having a track record at multiple agencies, he started his own in 2021 to work with clients on various content-focused projects. A writer with a diverse skill set, he graduated college with a journalism degree and has also worked as an Audience Research Executive at the BBC. He now runs his businesses out of the log cabin at the bottom of his garden.
Robert’s Info:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertMills
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertmills81/
Website: https://www.fourthwallcontent.com
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
57 min - Episode 5 - Convergence of Storytelling in Music and Film with Matt Geraghty
In this episode of “All Things Content”, Kevin is joined by content strategist, musician, and documentarian Matt Geraghty. Matt describes his journey growing up as a musician and becoming fascinated with the musical traditions of other cultures. He talks about how those interests led him to creating multiple documentaries highlighting the untold stories of many artists and communities in Latin America. In addition, he and Kevin discuss the intersection of content and art, and how Matt’s work in the corporate world and artistic landscape supplement each other.
Matt Geraghty is a multi-instrumentalist, music producer and filmmaker best known for his cross cultural and inclusive music collaborations across New York City, Chicago, Europe and Latin America.
Matt founded JUST PLAY in 2013, a music and documentary project developed from meetings and improvisations with musicians from New York, New Orleans, Havana, San Juan and Peru. Matt created the project to increase the visibility of artists across the African Diaspora in the Americas. JUST PLAY, now with 275 artists, is a traveling artist collaboration project based on 3 central pillars: creativity, freedom, and global unity.
For news about upcoming performances, news and ongoing projects follow Matt through the links below:
Matt’s Info:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattgeraghty
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-geraghty/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattgeraghtyproject
Website: http://www.mattgeraghty.com
Just Play Project: http://www.justplay.world
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
46 min - Episode 4 - Content Operations: The Fundamentals with Rahel Bailie
In this episode, Kevin is honored to interview his good friend and content pioneer, Rahel Bailie. Listen in as Rahel describes her journey developing the very fields of content strategy and content operations during the early stages of the internet. In addition, learn how content operations are a necessity for growing organizations looking to scale their content libraries and processes.
Rahel Ann Bailie is Chief Knowledge Officer at Scroll, an STC Fellow, an industry author, and a results-driven content strategist. She has a strong track record of developing successful digital content projects, tackling the complexities of managing content for clients globally. Her strength is diagnostics: calculating how to use content to deliver compelling experiences and to increase ROI of product lifecycle content. She is also a supporter of content structure and standards.
Rahel is the co-author of Content Strategy: Connecting the dots between business, brand, and benefits (XML Press, 2013) with Noz Urbina, and co-editor of The Language of Content Strategy (XML Press, 2014) with Scott Abel. She has contributed to a number of other industry books. Rahel also teaches in the first-ever Content Strategy Master’s Program at FH-Joanneum in Austria.
Rahel's Info:
Book: https://contentstrategy-thebook.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rahelab
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rahelanneb...
Website: https://www.scroll.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScrollLondon/
Kevin's Info:
Kevin's Website and Blog: https://bit.ly/3in284l
Kevin's Twitter: https://bit.ly/3jhscNG
Kevin's Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3xn9SHG
AvenueCX Website: https://bit.ly/3lsSFdR
47 min
About All Things Content with Kevin Nichols
From the publisher's feed
Join Kevin P Nichols, co-founder and Executive Director of Experience at AvenueCX, as he discusses the past, present, and future trends of all things related to content. On the show, he invites the…
most talented leaders in the industry to discuss the future of personalization, user experience, and all other content matters. Subscribe to find out the most cutting-edge info from the best professionals in the field of content.