mind mapping
DESCRIPTION
We will be looking at the importance of planning your site and content before you get going. If you are running a site that goes beyond the occasional blog post you'll need to consider how you are going to manage your content. Maybe some things can be done today, but other things may need weeks or months of forward planning. I'll be talking about: Demographics: who is your audience and why it is important to focus on market segments. Mind mapping: where does your content fit within your site. Planning your content in detail: does it fit the expectations of your audience? Tracking your content: who will write it, what is its expected life span? Time lines - how long will it take to: create the content, get permissions and clearances, does it need to coincide with another event? - Andrew RenautTRANSCRIPT
Wordpress Melbourne MeetupAndrew Renaut - April 2014 Mind mapping your Wordpress site.
Overview
Who am I?
Knowing your audience.
Mind mapping.
Planning your site.
Content management.
Who am I?
Andrew Renaut
50 Lux magazine and associated web site 50lux.org
Small time Wordpress developer.
Who am I?Photographer
Trainer
Curator
Photography, Media, and Info Technology teacher
Board member
Publisher / Photographer / Designer
Knowing your audience
Brief or Production Design Plan
Audience, Intention, Synopsis
Knowing your audience
Demographics
Age group
Income/Employment Status
Education
Location
Knowing your audience
You don’t make Hip Hop movies for someone who needs a hip op!
Knowing your audience
Demographics
Cleo
Women
Top Gear
Men
Knowing your audience
Demographics
Knowing your audience
Demographics
Cleo
Top Gear
Planning your content
Mind mapping vs. Concept mapping.
Planning your content
What is mind mapping?
Simply a way of organising your thoughts on a particular subject in a physical dimension.
A visual form of note taking that can simplify a topic containing complex information.
Planning your contentMind mapping tools.
Pen and paper
Post-it Notes / Flash cards
Whyte board
tablet
desktop
Planning your content
Key concepts
Specific thoughts and ideas.
Key words
Important words that describe your thoughts and ideas.
Planning your content
Mind mapping tools - graphic organisers -software.
Free
FreeMind
Popplet - iOS (iPad only)
Mindmondo (Free to a point)
Planning your contentMind mapping tools - graphic organisers - software.
Paid
Inspiration
MyThoughts
Mashable has a good article that list’s over 24 mind mapping tools.
Planning your content
Concept mapping.
Links different concepts and ideas using words and phrases that explain relationships.
Planning your contentConcept mapping.
Example.
Different areas of your site relate to different topics or product groups. A concept map gives an overview of the site and links the different areas together.
You may do multiple mind maps and use a concept map to pull those mind maps together.
Planning your content
Use Excel or another spreadsheet to keep track of content on each page or article.
Use a new tab for each page article.
Use programmes such as Evernote to sync details across platforms.
Structures
Map out the structure of your site before you start to build it!
Mind mapping software is also useful for this.
Don’t forget Post-it Notes and flash cards.
Structures
Tools such as Microsoft Word can be used for basic site map structures.
(Example)
Structures
Think about your audience and how they may move (navigate) around the site.
Is the structure logical?
Will people be able to find the information easily?
Content structureOutlining.
An outline is a preliminary summary of written work, typically organised in headings and subheadings, and it is often in a hierarchical structure. It is used to organise one’s thoughts and information related to a longer piece of writing. Outlining helps to clarify your ideas and demonstrate the thinking process behind a structured piece of writing. Structuring and organising large amounts of information in an outline is the first step in the writing process.
Content structure
An outline can often look like the contents of an academic book.
It may contain main headings, and subheadings, or like this presentation be a series of dot points.
Microsoft Word is particularly good at creating and managing outlines.
Timing
Lead times: content.
How long do you have until launch?
Is the material on hand and ready to go?
Remember clearances and copyright.
Timing
Construction times.
How long do you have until launch?
Are all pages going to be ready or will they be staggered?
Timing
Content life.
How long is the content intended to last?
How often will it need to be changed and updated?
Keep a spreadsheet of each article.
Timing
Content life.
Use scheduling plugin’s such as:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/editorial-calendar/
Set up reminders in iCal or Outlook.
Colour code different calendars.
Summary
Know who you are aiming your content at.
Audience demographics.
Summary
Plan ahead.
Mind map and track changes.
Summary
Plan the site.
How will people navigate and find the information they are looking for?
Summary
Plan the content.
How long will the content take to create, do you have clearances and copyright?
Summary
Plan the life of the content.
How long will it need to stay on the site, will it need to be updated regularly, or is it “static”.
