Dovetail: Caitlin Burns on the "how and why" of content at scale
Dec 18, 2023
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Caitlin Burns, the Content and SEO lead at Dovetail, reveals how she scaled content production to an impressive 50 articles per month. She shares her strategic approach of collaborating with subject matter experts to ensure quality. Caitlin also discusses the phased rollout of her content strategy, highlights the importance of data-driven insights for customer engagement, and explains best practices for creating authentic content, especially in sensitive areas like finance and health, ensuring compliance and reliability.
Caitlin Burns scaled Dovetail's content production to 50 articles per month, establishing topical authority and effective keyword insights.
The phased content strategy emphasizes transitioning from traffic generation to conversion optimization, driven by comprehensive data analysis and user behavior understanding.
Deep dives
Rapid Content Creation Strategy
The initial phase of Caitlin Burns’s content strategy involved an aggressive approach to content production, resulting in about 50 articles being published each month. This high output allowed Dovetail to quickly establish topical authority and gain insights into keywords that not only ranked well but also converted effectively. By generating a large volume of content, the team was able to learn rapidly what topics resonated with their audience, ultimately creating a foundation for future content efforts. This strategy focused on leveraging data to determine which keywords to prioritize, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their SEO efforts.
Phased Approach to Content Strategy
Caitlin is currently transitioning into a phased approach for her content strategy, having successfully completed the first phase centered around generating traffic. The second phase is focused on conversion alongside data analysis, emphasizing the importance of understanding user behavior and what drives them toward taking action. By systematically analyzing data, Caitlin aims to refine their content to guide visitors from simply browsing to engaging with the product. This structured methodology highlights the shift from mere traffic generation to strategic conversion optimization as the content program matures.
Utilization of Community Insights
The concept of leveraging community insights plays a significant role in Dovetail's content strategy, especially through the use of their product for analyzing employee engagement survey results. Caitlin noticed that the content on analyzing survey results gained traction and was able to convert visitors effectively, leading her to expand this area of focus into a more comprehensive content pillar. By aligning content topics with user needs and feedback, the strategy aims to engage specifically with audiences who may directly benefit from Dovetail's offerings. This approach of responding to organic insights from the community exemplifies a user-centered methodology in content creation.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Caitlin emphasizes the importance of data in shaping the content strategy at Dovetail, not only for tracking traffic but also for conversion rates. In the first year, the primary metric was organic traffic, ensuring the content was ranking and attracting visitors. As the strategy evolved, the focus shifted to converting that traffic into free trials and eventual sales, incorporating elements of experimentation and testing to determine effective tactics. This data-driven mindset aims to enhance the overall content quality and effectiveness, ensuring it resonates with users and meets business goals.
On episode #37, Jimmy speaks with Caitlin Burns from Dovetail. They discuss:
- How Caitlin scaled content production to 50 articles/month - Her process for making sure every piece is reviewed by an SME - Why she's rolling our her content strategy in distinct phases