When we organize websites and determine what kind of content we're going to offer for subscription when communicating by email, there is a common question that needs to be answered. Do we give people what they want or let them tell us who they are so we can give them what we think they need?
I've been talking with a number of agencies and cities recently about this challenge.
In the email world (where GovDelivery's work is focused), I see two major categories of content. The problem is that I have a hard time categorizing them. I'm hoping this blog entry forces me to come up with some labels.
Here it goes:
1) "Give me what I want" content is content that the user finds on your website and determines is of value. The user says to you that she wants to know when a certain type or category of information is updated. Examples of this might include: "Diabetes Publications" "Updates to Park Hours" "City Council Minutes" "Federal Reserve Board Rulings" or "Tax-related Press Releases"
2) "Give me what you think I need" content is content where the user self identifies as being interested in a certain issue or as having certain characteristics. The user says to the content creator, "Please send me whatever you think will be useful to me."
The best example of this type of information is an e-newsletter. (A recent favorite for me that is this one targeted at e-government professionals: http://www.usa.gov/dotgovbuzz.html). The IRS e-newsletter for Tax Professionals is another good example.
Another example would be where a local government, like San Bernardino County, CA gathers zip code or neighborhood from subscribers and then sends messages to those subscribers on any topic affecting that zip code. We see this type of approach used for emergencies where it's hard for users to know ahead of time what the issue will be. The user wants to say to the content creator, "Look, I live in this particular area. If you ever think I need to know about something, please use your judgment about what to send me."
Both of these types of content play an important role. We recommend to clients that they offer as many "Give me what I want" options as possible and limit "Give me what you think I need" content to where there is a clear stakeholder group that you think will trust you to create targeted content of interest. The "Give me what you think I need" content takes more effort and requires that your audience trust your judgment (a diabetic might want to read the "top ten health tips" from the NIH, but not from a pharmaceutical company). This type of content allows you to help the user filter through the vast amount of content on your website to see what you as the content creator or manager thinks matters most.
If you use the proper cross-promotional techniques, offering both types of content has another benefit: You will actually get more people signed up to all of your updates. Why? Because just like shoppers on e-commerce sites are open to buying related products when cross-promotion occurs at the right time, citizens looking for content are open to signing up for different types of content during the initial subscription process.
A user who signs up for the "Monthly City Newsletter" might also sign up for updates on Park Hours and City Budget Announcements. A user who signs up for Mens Health Publications from the CDC might also sign-up for the Obesity Prevention Newsletter.
I've been talking with a number of agencies and cities recently about this challenge.
In the email world (where GovDelivery's work is focused), I see two major categories of content. The problem is that I have a hard time categorizing them. I'm hoping this blog entry forces me to come up with some labels.
Here it goes:
1) "Give me what I want" content is content that the user finds on your website and determines is of value. The user says to you that she wants to know when a certain type or category of information is updated. Examples of this might include: "Diabetes Publications" "Updates to Park Hours" "City Council Minutes" "Federal Reserve Board Rulings" or "Tax-related Press Releases"
2) "Give me what you think I need" content is content where the user self identifies as being interested in a certain issue or as having certain characteristics. The user says to the content creator, "Please send me whatever you think will be useful to me."
The best example of this type of information is an e-newsletter. (A recent favorite for me that is this one targeted at e-government professionals: http://www.usa.gov/dotgovbuzz.html). The IRS e-newsletter for Tax Professionals is another good example.
Another example would be where a local government, like San Bernardino County, CA gathers zip code or neighborhood from subscribers and then sends messages to those subscribers on any topic affecting that zip code. We see this type of approach used for emergencies where it's hard for users to know ahead of time what the issue will be. The user wants to say to the content creator, "Look, I live in this particular area. If you ever think I need to know about something, please use your judgment about what to send me."
Both of these types of content play an important role. We recommend to clients that they offer as many "Give me what I want" options as possible and limit "Give me what you think I need" content to where there is a clear stakeholder group that you think will trust you to create targeted content of interest. The "Give me what you think I need" content takes more effort and requires that your audience trust your judgment (a diabetic might want to read the "top ten health tips" from the NIH, but not from a pharmaceutical company). This type of content allows you to help the user filter through the vast amount of content on your website to see what you as the content creator or manager thinks matters most.
If you use the proper cross-promotional techniques, offering both types of content has another benefit: You will actually get more people signed up to all of your updates. Why? Because just like shoppers on e-commerce sites are open to buying related products when cross-promotion occurs at the right time, citizens looking for content are open to signing up for different types of content during the initial subscription process.
A user who signs up for the "Monthly City Newsletter" might also sign up for updates on Park Hours and City Budget Announcements. A user who signs up for Mens Health Publications from the CDC might also sign-up for the Obesity Prevention Newsletter.
