Strategy
A website depends on content, design, and functionality — strategic planning helps make sure all three work in concert.
Giving your site definition, guidance, and direction.
Knowing what your customers want is not the same as putting it into action.
This is where the strategic content, architecture, and design process comes into play: turning site requirements — and user needs — into an action plan for engagement, editorial process, and organization.
The strategic process.
At Blend, we know there’s a wide spectrum — and with it, a balance — of granularity in regards to how a site is put together. Every “what” needs to include a “why,” and every feature must tie to actionable user goals.
This means developing a strategic web plan that takes into account:
- Content strategy
- Information architecture
- Technical and integration planning
- CMS selection
- Governance guidance
What does strategy include?
The strategy phase of any project is focused on planning for design and development through iterative user-focused consultation. These are the steps we take to save time, energy, and money later on.
CONTENT
- Discovery and user research
- Content strategy and design
- Site message architecture
- Web style guides and writing guidance
ARCHITECTURE
- Site mapping
- Content and template modeling
- Taxonomies and ontologies
- Wireframes and visual models
- Technical scoping
CONSULTATION
- Annual and quarterly roadmapping
- Accessibility audits
- Governance and operations analysis
- Performance audits
- Workshops
Related work.
Check out some of the work we’ve done in the field of strategy.
From Design System to Final Launch
Icertis needed more than a new design — they needed a full design system, and they needed it built in a robust tool. Blend and Optimizely stepped up to help them out.
Partnering Toward a Fresh New Credit Union Design
Relationships matter, especially in the world of federal credit unions. Thankfully, partnerships are what we specialize in at Blend — and it was a partnership with SELCO that led to a fresh, beautiful new site.
Our thoughts on web strategy.
Read articles on web strategy.
When is Headless the Right Solution: A Guide to Going Headless
If you’ve looked into building or upgrading a website in the last few years, you may have heard about “headless” content management systems (CMS). But what is a "headless" system? And, more importantly, when is it the right solution?
ChatGPT, Bard, and the New Wave of AI: What it Means for the Web
The path to computer intelligence hasn't proven quite so direct. On the surface, brains and computers seem very similar, but it's clear that computers aren't thinking yet.
Corey Vilhauer Joins The Content Strategy Podcast Off-site link
Corey Vilhauer joins Kristina Halvorson on The Content Strategy Podcast to discuss his start in content strategy, his thoughts on communicating with clients and stakeholders, and his work toward demystifying the world of web projects.