In the fast paced and ever changing world of technology the ability to be able to adapt, learn and change has become standard practice. And probably best exampled in the world of software development.
In 2001, a group of software developers met at the Snowbird Resort in Utah to specifically discuss a new software development methodology that had been evolving in reaction to a traditionally heavyweight approach that was deadline oriented, micro-managed and heavily regulated.
This gathering and rumination of like minds culminated in the publication of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Agile as a methodology champions an iterative and incremental approach to management and is widely recognised today. It has been adopted not just by the software development world but by many industries and businesses and across many different disciplines.
Higher quality output – testing is built into the process
Higher customer satisfaction – feedback is built into the process
Increased control – greater transparency around progress and performance
Increase success-rate – between regular testing and feedback cycles, project failure is less likely
An Agile approach makes a lot of sense in our ever changing online digital world, yet few marketers have taken it onboard for content creation.
Content needs to be high quality, relevant, accurate and original to perform – all things that can be tested and improved upon through an iterative approach.
Online publications are no longer just a catalogue of finite pieces of work but rather provide the fluidity of an ever changing, constantly updated source of information. They literally adapt and respond to fresh news, new information and improvement continuously.
If a headline isn't working, change it. Article not ranking in search? Tweak the subtitles. High bounce rates? Surface the key points higher up the page. A short news piece out-perform the norm? Plan a feature on the topic.
A live content piece is not a finished content piece. It can evolve and strengthen over time through the analysis of performance data and anecdotal feedback.