Training on content creation - ideas?

[Amy Knox]

I'm putting together a training session on content creation for a client and am looking for tips on critical themes & ideas for delivery.

The client is an organization with about 50 integrated subsites run by members and the training is to help the member authors adopt org-wide writing style as well as general best practices for web writing & SEO.

A fun catch, participants will be at various locations during the 2 hour session and the trainer will be remote as well.

Thoughts?

Amy Knox
@amyk1203


Sent from my iPad

[jen rotman]

Amy,

Exciting and challenging all rolled into one! What about an infographic that visually inspires a content creation process. There are a number of free infographic sites that offer pre-made templates, icons, and a lot of other visual elements thatt you can quickly drag and drop into place creating a totally unique piece. Could end up being something they could print and keep for quick handy reference

Any chance there is an editor or two who will provide overall strategic content oversight? Good luck. Would love to hear how it all goes.

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[Rachel McAlpine]

Hi Amy

Sounds like fun! 

Delivery method? The flipped training room was invented for this situation.

Before getting together for your training, all staff spend a few hours online, individually getting basic knowledge.  The Contented Diploma in Web Content is ideal for this stage. It was designed for busy professionals, and is used and loved by university and government staff in particular. 

Then your training session or sessions start with everyone prepared, enthusiastic and interested, saving a tremendous lot of time. 

You might use an interactive webinar to reach all your staff writers. This is where you can customize and personalize learning. Some suggestions:

• direct participants to resources such as a style guide and social media policies
• show good examples of company content
• show some web pages before-and-after editing 
• ask participants to share their own web content in progress.
• answer questions
• give support and generate confidence and a group spirit.

We recommend setting up a discussion forum to maintain learning, motivation and morale after your training.

By using online self-study as the foundation, you also future-proof your training: new staff can do the same diploma any time. This makes ongoing staff development both affordable and sustainable. 

http://contented.com/courses/diploma/diploma-in-web-content/

Very happy to chat if you have questions. Best of luck!

Rachel

Contented.com

Awesome courses for content authors

rac...@contented.com

[Ginny Redish]

Hi Amy,

Do you know my book, Letting Go of the Words -- Writing Web Content that Works? 

It's all about content creation. 

It's the basis of the many workshops that I give. You can use it for that, too. (Many other instructors use it in short online courses as well as workshops and regular college classes.)

The 2012 second edition has a section on content strategy that Kristina Halvorson reviewed. It also has a ton of new examples, including some from mobile sites and apps. 

You can see more about it and download two sample chapters at

http://redish.net/books/letting-go-of-the-words

Best,

Ginny

Janice (Ginny) Redish, Ph.D.
Redish & Associates, Inc.
Bethesda, MD 20817

301 229 3039
www.redish.net
Twitter: @GinnyRedish 

LinkedIn: Ginny Redish

Author of Letting Go of the Words -- Writing Web Content that Works

second edition,  2012

[Malcolm Davison]

Ami, in my view, elearning lends itself to training remote international teams. I am just discussing my elearning course with a large client in Germany who has exactly the same problem as you have at the moment.

I personally believe that practical-based elearning is much better than webcasting as it is so difficult to get a rapport and engagement with a large group of individuals for extended periods of time. Although a short motivational introductory webcast supporting elearning is a productive combination.

You may care to check out my writing for the web elearning course on my website (look for the heading elearning) on writingfortheweb.co.uk. This elearning course can take as little as five hours and has been extensively used by freelancers, small businesses and large corporates, universities and government departments in the UK and beyond. Feedback from users over the last three years has helped me to refine this course to the high standard that people now say (see the testimonials).

You can sign up now, pay by credit card online and get started - it's as simple as that. For corporate communicators there's even a feature for my clients to monitor their own students' progress and enrol them when they are ready.

I think your problem is increasingly being faced my global companies wanting to set and maintain high internal communication standards. And coupled with UK's universities (and other countries) launching MOOCs (massive open online courses) we are going to see a lot more of this type of training.

regards

Malcolm Davison
managing director
www.writingfortheweb.co.uk

[Hilary Marsh]

Hi Amy,

In addition to the suggestions you've already gotten from the group, I'd like to contribute a few more:

It's often useful to give participants exercises to do before the class -- such as reviewing existing content from their site or another one. They can then compare notes about what they think works and doesn't work, and it should spark good conversation whether participants are the same room or not. This can be a great way to set up a group to be interactive, which is sometimes a challenge with people in multiple locations.

Of course, you'll want to have a shared screen so everyone sees the same visuals

It's useful to have talk sessions (lessons) interspersed with hands-on exercises -- and again, lots of conversation.

Structure it with lessons that build on one another -- start with overall goals for content, then writing dos and don't, then specific style.

I hope that helps!

Best,

Hilary

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Content strategy for associations, nonprofits, corporations:
websites, blogs, social media, e-newsletters
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