Case study
Husch Blackwell
Smart content strategy makes a new website a success.
Situation
In 2013, Husch Blackwell, a litigation and corporate law firm with headquarters in St. Louis, was in the process of designing a new website as part of an overall rebranding. The marketing team realized they needed significant help with content strategy, both to meet the rapidly approaching launch date, and to keep the site up-to-date in the long term. Clarity Group was engaged to develop a content strategy for the new site and to help oversee the process of creating all the necessary content for the site: industry overviews, practice descriptions, attorney bios, case studies, and more.
Process
We began by reviewing the firm’s print and digital materials, to get a sense of what content was available, and to understand the current processes used to create and publish content. We then created a content strategy plan that included the most relevant information: what existing content could be used on the new site as is, what existing content would need to be edited, and what would need to be developed from scratch. The plan included timing and assigned responsibilities to the team of people tasked with getting the content in shape for the launch date.
To help with the editing and creation of the content, we drafted tone of voice guidelines and a message platform. The tone of voice guidelines aligned with the firm’s brand strategy, while the message platform included sample copy for each section of the site and a breakdown of how content should be structured to deliver the most bang for the buck.
Outcomes
Husch Blackwell’s new site — which represented a significant shift in the firm’s positioning — launched right on time, complete with content that reflected its new brand strategy. Thanks to the content strategy, the marketing team has been able to easily update and publish content on the site and in other formats (including social media), keeping the site fresh and relevant.