Content strategy
42 bites tagged Content strategy: interview questions with model answers, and 60-second explainers.
Test yourself: Top 30 Content strategy interview questions →Multiple choice, with the correct answer and why it is correct on every question. Free, no sign-in.Voice and Tone: One Voice, Many Moods
Voice is your product's personality; tone is its mood in the moment. Guidelines keep every button and error message from feeling written by different teams. The footgun is documenting voice but skipping tone, so a cheerful brand still sends terrifying alerts.
Voice and Tone in Design Systems
Voice is personality; tone is the mood for the moment. Lock both in your design system so UI text feels like one product. The footgun is documenting voice while letting teams pick their own tone, breaking consistency when users are stressed.
How does scriptwriting differ for live webinars versus pre-recorded tutorials?
Live uses modular chunks and 20-30% Q&A padding; recorded uses tight arcs and cuts to one concept per 2-3 minutes.
Cut a 15-minute demo script to 10 minutes without losing technical depth
Tests ruthless prioritization. Strong answers: define the single audience outcome; audit sections against it; prioritize clarity over volume; structure around the 10-minute attention reset. Red flag: talking faster or randomly cutting content.
What techniques make complex technical topics understandable in audio-only podcasts?
Great answers cite relatable analogies, vocal signposting, and narrative framing without visual references.
Differentiate informational, navigational, and transactional intent and classify keywords programmatically
Define three intents by user goal; regex-match modifiers like what/how vs buy/near; check SERP features.
How would you technically approach building a related articles feature?
Tests decomposition of a content recommender into data, similarity, and serving layers. Strong answers use TF-IDF, embeddings, or tag overlap with caching and cold-start fallbacks.
COPE: Structured Content for Every Channel
COPE stores content as structured chunks so one asset feeds web, app, and social without rewriting. It pays off when publishing across three or more platforms. The footgun is identical copy everywhere: your tweet and white paper both sound generic.
Dwell Time: The Metric for Post-Click Satisfaction
Dwell time is a search engine's proxy for content quality, measuring how long you stay on a page after clicking. It's a key ranking signal for Google and a recommendation driver for YouTube.
Content Repurposing: Create Less, Impact More
Treat your content like a base ingredient, not a finished meal. Repurposing recycles one strong piece into multiple formats, like turning a blog post into a video script or social media carousel.
Hiring Writers: Freelance vs. In-House
Choosing between freelance and in-house writers is a strategic trade-off. Freelancers offer cost-effective, specialized talent on demand, while in-house writers provide deep brand knowledge and consistent availability.
Defamation in Writing (Libel)
Defamation is any written communication that harms a third party's reputation, honor, or dignity, potentially leading to legal action. This applies to all published content, from articles to social media. The footgun is assuming truth is an absolute defense.
Teleprompter Scripts: Format for Speaking, Not Reading
A teleprompter script is a performance guide, not a document. For professional video, use large sans-serif fonts, double spacing, and short sentences to help presenters sound natural. The footgun is writing dense paragraphs, which causes stilted delivery.
Table Read: Hear Your Words Before You Ship Them
A table read is a dress rehearsal for your words. You gather stakeholders and read text aloud to catch awkward phrasing and unclear flow before it goes live. Use it for high-stakes content like API docs. The footgun is reading it yourself—you need fresh ears.
Podcast Show Notes: Your Episode's Clickable Companion
Podcast show notes are the clickable, searchable companion to your audio, turning passive listening into action. They house affiliate links, guest bios, and resources, boosting SEO and monetization.
Information Scent: Guiding Users to Their Goal
Users hunt for information like animals forage for food, following a trail of cues. This applies to website navigation, headlines, and link text, where clear 'scents' guide users to their goal. The footgun is using vague labels that weaken the scent.
Content-First Design: Build the Page Around the Message
Content-first design means creating your interface around the actual text and media, not forcing content into a pre-made template. It prevents layouts from breaking when real data replaces placeholders.
Accessible Writing: Structure is Meaning
Accessible writing structures content for both humans and assistive tech. It applies to page titles, headings, and link text. The footgun is faking structure with visual styles instead of using semantic HTML, which leaves screen reader users lost.
Hashtag Strategy: Metadata, Not Magic
Hashtags are metadata, not magic. A good strategy uses a few targeted tags to categorize content for search, signal relevance to algorithms, and connect with communities. The footgun is "spray and pray"—modern platforms favor 3-5 relevant tags over volume.
Dynamic Email Content: One Campaign, Many Messages
Dynamic email content swaps out blocks of a single email based on who's reading it, like mail merge on steroids. Use it for local events or product recommendations based on past purchases. The footgun: it fails with bad data, sending nonsensical messages.
Cornerstone Content: Your Site's SEO Foundation
Think of cornerstone content as your site's SEO pillar: your single most comprehensive article on a competitive topic. It helps you rank for high-value keywords by consolidating authority from related posts.
Content Brief: The Blueprint for Your Content
A content brief is a short blueprint for a piece of content, ensuring the writer knows exactly what to create. It's essential when working with freelancers or team members to align on goals and format before work begins. Skipping it invites costly rewrites.
Keyword Cannibalization: When Your Pages Compete Against Each Other
Keyword cannibalization is when your own pages fight for the same search rankings, splitting your authority. This happens when multiple articles target the same keyword and user intent.
Topical Authority: Proving Your Expertise to Google
Prove you're an expert on a whole subject, not just a keyword. Google uses this 'topical authority' system to rank news in health or finance, but the principle applies to any site aiming for credibility. The footgun is thinking it's only for news sites.
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