Oxford's Digital Content Strategy

Why we need a content strategy

Our digital estate is large, complex and fragmented. With major changes ahead, including a new website platform, intranet and the recently launched MyOxford student app, we need a joined-up, user-centred approach. 

Our content strategy exists to ensure that: 

  • Our content is purposeful, accurate and user-focused 

  • We reduce duplication and increase efficiency 

  • We provide a consistent experience across platforms 

  • We support Oxford’s reputation and goals 

This is a strategy for everyone involved in digital content at Oxford, whether you’re based in central teams, departments, divisions, colleges, GLAM or elsewhere. It is not intended to replace editorial judgement by subject matter experts. Rather, it provides a framework for consistency and clarity, recognising that content owners will know best what their audiences need, but that all our users benefit from shared standards.  

Freedom within a framework 

To ensure both consistency and flexibility, our strategy is built around six key components: 

  • Consistently designed channels with a clear purpose 

  • Shared content standards 

  • User-centred design, navigation and IA 

  • A supported content community 

  • Templated sites and content formats 

  • Clear governance that works in the Oxford context 

Our core content principles 

  1. Content has a purpose: Content fulfils a specific user need, delivers a clear objective, for a specific audience, with clear action or message 

  1. Content is world-class: Whether it is succinct, engaging, rich or interactive, content is easy to consume, fit for purpose, consistently designed, and purposeful 

  1. Content is user-centred: Our audiences may have various needs across the estate – we respect their time and will make it easy for them to achieve their goals 

  1. Content is unique: Make it easier for users to find and access what they need, and for us to maintain. Keep the websites small and focussed – content should not be duplicated 

  1. Content has a lifecycle: Content is planned, reviewed, kept up to date or retired when it’s no longer useful 

  1. Content is measured, and iterated: We use goals and metrics, user feedback, audits and evidence to help determine what people want and need to know 

  1. Content is for everyone: Content is jargon-free, accessible, inclusive and on brand. We use the language of our users, so we are useful, relevant and findable. Content meets highest standards of usability and accessibility 

Our content vision 

Our content has purpose – it must inform, connect or empower users.  

Our aim is to bring users the right information, at the right time, in the right format, to fulfil their needs 

Examples: 

  • Inform: help users make decisions, understand processes, access services 

  • Connect: build relationships, foster collaboration, promote engagement 

  • Empower: give users confidence and ability to act, advocate or share 

This helps Oxford: 

  • Deliver its academic mission 

  • Engage its communities 

  • Generate income and awareness 

  • Build brand and reputation 

Oxford’s digital content is delivered through three main channels: 

  • Websites for external audiences (OxWeb and Fresco) 

  • OxIntranet for staff and students 

  • MyOxford app for students 

Each channel has a clear purpose, and content should be placed and shaped accordingly: 

  • OxWeb: key institutional content (admissions, research, central services) 

  • Fresco: a CMS platform that allows central, division, department & college publishing under one umbrella​ 

  • OxIntranet: a home for internal staff/student content  

  • MyOxford: student facing services in one place 

 

Where needed, content for joint audiences may be repurposed and written to meet precise needs 

The content strategy encourages content owners to adopt a defined lifecycle. The aim is to improve quality, reduce bottlenecks and empower teams to focus on high-value content. 

  1. Plan: based on user/business needs 

  1. Create: by trained content owners using agreed formats 

  1. Review: reviewed by subject matter experts and edited as needed 

  1. Approve: content is signed off by designated approvers in a manual or digital process 

  1. Publish: to the appropriate platform 

  1. Measure: performance and impact 

  1. Maintain: regularly reviewed and updated, or archived 

Oxford’s structure demands a layered approach to governance: 

Central teams 

  • Own the overall strategy, standards and CMS platforms 

  • Provide support, templates and training 

Devolved teams (with comms support) 

  • Align with central strategy 

  • Manage their own content and teams 

Local teams (without comms support) 

  • Use templates and guidance to produce content 

  • Supported through training, community and standards 

Governance is coordinated by the Engagement & Dissemination Portfolio Committee, with divisional representation and input from within the relevant programmes of work. 

In addition, those producing content are supported by the Content Network. This network, a community of those working in digital content, aims to share good practice and help you build skills and confidence in content design.  

Learn more 

The full draft content strategy is available as a powerpoint. 

The content strategy is a live document, designed to support our needs around digital content. It will evolve as platforms and governance become more established, but the principles articulated will remain the same. 

Where to go from here 

Join the Content Network to access peer support, training and collaboration around digital content.

 

 

Contact us

Please contact digicomms@admin.ox.ac.uk for more information