I just returned from Confab 2013 in beautiful (rainy) Minneapolis. Confab: The Content Strategy Conference brings together a lot of really smart people to talk about the critical intersection of content, usability, UI, and marketing on the Web. (“On the Web” is meant broadly — encompassing virtually everything.)
I’ll be unearthing brilliant takeaways for months, but here are a few critical things I heard:
1. Be helpful, even during a fail. Clients need your honesty and your honest help. Every company falls somewhere on the spectrum of dysfunction. Try “Help me understand why…?” instead of “WTF?” when reviewing the client’s current site. (Stephanie Hay, 500 Startups)
2. Mapping the customer journey (online and off) shows that the customer does not experience the brand in one channel. Personalize their experience at every point. (Kevin Nichols, SapientNitro)
3. Rethink the bounce rate. It is a stupid measurement. (I’m paraphrasing, barely.) (Jonathon Colman, REI) Note to self: Apparently it is possible to get through 183 slides in an hour.
4. Content is whatever the user needs at that moment. A refund policy is content. We need to move from just making the Web suck less to making content delightful. (Jared Spool, UIE) Disturbing: If you don’t pay for the product, you ARE the product.
5. “Social” is not a strategy. Social care (customer care in the social media environment) can be part of a strategy. (CC Holland) Note to self: CC likes Google+. It might be worth another look.
6. SEO done right is kind of like poetry. (Mike King, I Pull Rank)
7. When working with clients on customer strategy, you inevitably hear variations on the same theme. My favorite: “Legal won’t let us say that.” (Kristina Halvorson, Brain Traffic) Other key take-aways from Kristina’s talk: she told her parents the wrong time to come see her speak and she (gracefully) spaces out on stage. This comforts me.
8. Apparently the appropriate metaphor for the proliferation of devices is “zombie apocalypse.” And Karen McGrane is really funny. However, there was some Twitter conversation about an undead monkey in her backyard. She was “asking for a friend.” I’m a little creeped out.
9. These people are serious about food. Mac and cheese, sliders (not for me!), and a crazy amount of sugar. Confab is worth it for the food alone.
10. Confab presenters swear more during presentations than at any other conference. Ever. I felt right at home.