All these years of drum-thumping, and we still run into people who don’t know what content strategists do. Who are you guys again? You’re the copy people, right? I’m desperate for some wordsmithing!

I want very badly to blame it on our name. Content strategist. It’s bitter on the tongue. It sticks to the roof of your mouth. It’s opaque and inelegant, like UX designer or information architect.

It’s easy to find fault with our inscrutable moniker, which unapologetically defies its own golden rule: Speak plainly, dammit.

But I don’t think our name is the problem. Our work is the problem. It’s kaleidoscopic, varied and changing rapidly— alongside the web and the publishing industry. Our work, I imagine, is simply not yet specialized or old enough to enjoy a little black dress of a name like designer.

Might as well forget about the little black dress, then. At least for now. Might as well get comfortable with our patchwork pants, which I’ll try to define here.

Content strategists are kind of like:

A boss

Know how CEOs and COOs look at their companies from way high up and think of ways they can be more profitable in the future? How this may mean changing their offerings, how they bundle products, what they emphasize, how they operate or who they hire?

Some content strategists are like this too, but with a focus on content. They can take a look at your content, decide what’s not working for your business, come up with a plan for what might work better, and help you see that plan through. They may suggest that you hire people or use different technology to help this process along.

A managing editor

Know how managing editors at magazines help decide what will go in the magazine, which content will be featured, how it should be written and ordered, who will write it, etc.? How doing this requires a curatorial sense, a great style guide, an editorial calendar, and incredibly well honed editing and proofreading skills?

Some content strategists are like this. Except pretend the magazine is a web app, website, blog or whatever else.

A designer

Know how designers get to know your business and goals, work with art directors to come up with concepts, create wireframes and mocks and prototypes, then iterate a bunch until they’ve got something good?

Content strategists are like this. They create content concepts (messaging and hierarchies), content mocks (wireframes, decks, Word docs, etc) and interactive flows (content as the user experiences it while traversing your website or app). All based on your goals.

A copywriter

Know how copywriters drink Manhattans and smoke cigarettes and come up with 800 newfangly billboard slogans, only two of which will ever make it to press?

Content strategists are like this, except sometimes the billboard slogans are bits of microcopy, error messages and landing pages.

A therapist

Know how therapists talk you out of making self-destructive decisions and help you get in touch with your authentic purpose? Sometimes content strategists do this, too.

A developer and engineer

Know how developers and engineers create systems to help structure and deliver design and content? Technical content strategists do this too. (Note: Tiffani is not an expert at this kind of content strategy, and can probably not do it justice in one metaphor.)

And more

I’m sure I’ve failed to refract some part of what we do. Let me know if I’ve missed a spot.

Image credit: http://butdoesitfloat.com/Mysterious-patterns-reveal-true-nature-of-reality