I’ve collected over two hundred of the best content strategy resources below. My goal is to make it easy for you to learn about the field of content strategy, find content strategists and blogs to follow, and, hopefully, start contributing to our community.

The people I mention are experts in the field of content strategy—I’m so grateful to them for sharing their ideas and experiences with us. But I’m even more excited for you to join our conversation. Let’s get started!

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

A Definition of Content Strategy

What is “content strategy”? Is content strategy the same as content marketing? No, never. Is content strategy just a weak, watered-down form of design or information architecture? No, not at all.



Graphic © The core components that Brain Traffic considers for every content strategy.Graphic © Brain Traffic

Kristina Halvorson (@Halvorson), founder/CEO of Brain Traffic, states in A List Apart that “Content strategy plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.”

I think the word plans plays a key role in that definition. Planning is an essential skill for content strategists, who often do quite a bit of research within organizations to examine workflow, standards, governance, process design, publishing systems, and several other factors that go into the second part of Kristina’s definition: “…the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content.”

But content strategists do more than just plan. That’s why I love Kristina’s distinction between the words useful and usable. A content experience must be both in order to be truly successful. Making content (and content systems) both useful and usable is where content strategy turns to implementation.

Rachel Lovinger (@rlovinger), experience director at Razorfish, adds to this definition in Boxes and Arrows when she states that content strategists use “words and data to create unambiguous content that supports meaningful, interactive experiences.”

Note that here she specifically references both language and data, which indicates that we’re talking about “big-C” Content, not just blocks of text. It’s also clear that we’re talking about holistic experiences and how content enables experiences that help people succeed at their goals.

Rachel adds that “content strategy is to copywriting as information architecture is to design,” which helps us dispel the myth that all content strategists care about is text. We care about content as experience, which is why we focus on standards, voice and tone, governance, content inventories and audits, workflows, service design, systems and processes, metadata design, content modeling, delivery channels, and so on.

Remember: useful and usable. This is why content strategists aren’t content marketers. This is why content strategy isn’t the same as (nor anything like) content marketing.

Furthermore, content strategists aren’t just “weak information architects” or “weak designers” as we’re referred to in some communities. Rather, content strategists often take care of the elements of infrastructure and experience that those disciplines tend to shrug off.

Content strategists use language, data, and systems to build better experiences for people than either IAs or designers can working by themselves. Ideally, all three disciplines work together as part of a user experience team that puts the Why before the How.

So yes, we’re designers. Yes, we’re information architects. And yes, we’re builders, too. This is what I mean when I say “content strategy”.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Books

There are several other books out there that would be helpful for content strategists, such as Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think, Peter Morville & Lou Rosenfeld’s Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, and Jesse James Garrett’s The Elements of User Experience among many, many others.

This list isn’t meant to (and can’t) be exhaustive. I’ve included the authoritative canon for practicing content strategists along with some newer additions (and editions!). They define the discipline, lay out its scope and modes of practice, and offer standards, tools, and techniques for building success.

Are any books missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Online Magazines and Journals

Many related industries (particularly UX and IA) recognize the value of content strategy and include it as an area of focus. I think that shows how our work overlaps with other disciplines – there’s a lot we can learn from each other. No one need practice alone.

Are any magazines or journals missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Blogs/Websites

Yet another incomplete list! I scoured speaking rosters at conferences, followed citations, and looked at the folks organizing Meetup groups to put this together. But as long as this list of content strategy bloggers is, I’m sure there are many more out there.

Are any blogs or websites missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Articles and Blog Posts

Similar to the other sections above, this list is incomplete and there’s no reasonable way to make it complete. I’ve chosen authoritative articles and posts that make up the foundation of how content strategists approach their work, interact with neighboring disciplines, and solve common challenges. And I’ve selected a somewhat diverse set of voices sharing ideas from industries that are not too far removed from content strategy.

Are any articles or blog posts missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Conferences, Events, and Meetups

Are any events missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Content Strategy Discussion Forums and Groups

Are any forums, groups, or communities missing? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

Yes, Virginia, There are Even More Content Strategy Resources Out There!

Definition – Books – Journals – Blogs/Websites – Articles – Events – Forums – More lists

What, That’s Still Not Enough for Ya?

Well, after going through over 200+ content strategy resources, you made it all the way to the end. Congratulations!

If you’ve created an influential, valuable content strategy resource that I forgot to mention here, please forgive me — no offense intended. If I accidentally left you and your work out, please just know that the spirit is willing, but the fingers (and clock!) are weak.

Is there anything missing from this epic list of content strategy resources? Please let me know on Twitter @jcolman or by sending me a note.