Content Critical: Gaining Competitive Advantage Through High-Quality Web Content [Paperback]

"Content Critical is highly recommended. It belongs in every design library. It should be on the reading list of every course in Web design. Any Web designer who plans to be in business five years from now should read this book." 

Ken Friedman, Design Research News

"Content Critical is amply provided with reality checks, examples, and practical ideas and suggestions ... The authors have succeeded in writing a book that will appeal to both beginners and experts."

Geert Jan Kraan, Net Professional magazine

"Content Critical is another good example of a book that can make a difference. The book is well written and full of useful insights on web publishing. And, as such, the book is a very useful tool for everybody who is in charge of a commercial website."

Gert Birnbacher, chairman of DEBA, Scandinavia's largest network of e-business companies

"Content Critical is the best non-technical book on the subject of web content that I have come across to date ... For those interested in the 'change management' dimension of content and knowledge management, Content Critical may well become the standard text."

Andy Harrisson, Content Management Focus magazine

"Content Critical is an excellent book for academics and practitioners alike ... It should be read by anyone involved in Web content management, of course, but it should also be required reading for those with responsibilities including internal or external communication (and what academic or executive does not?)"

Colin Jevons, Journal of Consumer Marketing

"The term "bible" is now highly over-used in reference to tech books but if it weren't, that's how I would categorize Content Critical."

Rowan Wilson, Knowledge Management Review

"In this wonderfully straightforward book, Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton show why the success of your business depends, more and more, on getting 'the right content to the right person at the right time'."

Jonathan Price, author of Hot Text: Web Writing that Works

"In two books about the Web (Content Critical and The Web Content Style Guide), Gerry McGovern and his co-authors have made the subject as easily understandable as it is disorganized in reality."

Robin Sherman, American Society of Business Publication Editors

"Students and practitioners alike will benefit greatly from Gerry's book and I have made it a core 'must have' text for my undergraduate new media studies courses."

Andy Price, University of Teesside

"I can't think of anyone more clearly focused on the issue of good site content than Gerry McGovern, and I found myself nodding in agreement on every page,"

"For me, it was an important book to read, because, as a copywriter myself, I find the line between 'content' and 'copy' is very hard to discern sometimes. I think it's important for online copywriters to understand the work of content creators, and vice versa."

"Best of all, you get the sense with Content Critical that McGovern has a deep, deep knowledge of the subject. And he writes in a way that makes his knowledge accessible to others. Absolutely THE book on creating and managing content online."

- Nick Usborne, author of Net Words: Creating High-Impact Online Copy

"In this wonderfully straightforward book, Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton show why the success of your business depends, more and more, on getting "the right content to the right person at the right time."

"Their book cuts through the dot com hyperbole to show why your content is critical to profit. On the Web, therefore, we are all becoming publishers."

"With common sense, good humor, and sharp focus, McGovern and Norton give practical step-by-step advice on creating and managing content. I think you'll laugh out loud, as you mark passages to quote to your boss and your team."

- Jonathan Price, author of Hot Text

"Everyone involved in the Web should read this book; it is Tom Paine's Common Sense for a wired world.  Buy it now or watch your empire fall."

- Rob Benson, TrainingZONE

"Content Critical does a terrific job of laying out the reasons why content itself must take priority and then, even more importantly, the reader is the number one priority.  The book has been of great value in getting this vital rule across to the students."

- Diana Botsford, Director of Information Services, Drury University, USA

"Every serious webmaster, web designer, online editor, web developer or student-in-training will find Content Critical will make them stop and critically think about their web design work.  My students are now required to read it."

- Curt Schroeder, University Regina, Canada

Rowan Wilson, Knowledge Management Review
"This book is highly recommended. It belongs in every design library. It should be on the reading list of every course in Web design. Any Web designer who plans to be in business five years from now should read this book."

Design Research News, Jan 2002
In the age of information overload and content glut, how do you get people to read what’s on your website?
The modern world runs on content. And the Web is fast becoming the medium of choice for content delivery. Increasingly business is about getting the right content to the right person at the right time – and making a profit out of it. Content is critical.
Content Critical will change the way you think about the Web. If part of your job involves writing original content to be placed on the Web – product support material, a marketing pitch, or internal communication – you’re part of a publishing process. Think of your website as a publication and it all begins to make a lot of sense. Think of the person who visits your website as a reader and your objectives become clearer.
Content Critical explains the theory and practice of producing reader-focussed, compelling content. It includes highly detailed, practical advice about what it takes to build a professional, content-oriented website, including classification, navigation, search and content layout. It shows you how to organize a publishing team and how to create a web publishing strategy.
Discover what high-quality content really is, and learn how to create it. Content Critical will help you-

discover the key skills required to write compelling content for the Web
understand the rules of publishing content online
know how to appeal to your online readers
develop an effective Internet communications strategy
build publishing skills within your organization.