Content Lead 101

Owned by Amy Martin
Last updated: Feb 17, 2023
3 min read

To move to SF.gov, a team needs to pick a Content Lead. 

Definition

A Content Lead is the person on your team who is responsible for your website on SF.gov. 

The Content Lead will do some of the writing, usually with Subject Matter Experts. They will be working to a content plan, and developing a content maintenance plan after content is moved to SF.gov. The Content Lead will decide how pages are structured, and how they fit together on SF.gov.

They will be the person managing translations and updates and keeping on top of changes to the publishing system. 

We’ve found that in departments with a Content Lead who is empowered to write pages and run the website, the website can solve more of a department’s problems, like lowering call volume. Departments who have a junior staff member who “posts” content usually find there is a disconnect between what SF.gov is designed to do and what the department would like to see on the web. Where we see that disconnect we don’t see web content solving many problems. 

A Content Lead:

  • Oversees all writing and publishing as a site moves to SF.gov

  • Writes the majority of pages, often with input from subject matter experts (SMEs)

  • Builds and publishes pages in the SF.gov content management system (CMS)

  • Ensures that content on SF.gov meets department needs and user needs

  • Requests human translations and makes sure translations stay up to date

  • Continues to write pages and maintain website content after move

  • Gets training and one-on-one mentoring to grow their content strategy skills

  • Becomes part of a community of Content Leads throughout the City

  • Serves as an advocate for usability and accessibility on SF.gov

One Content Lead, several editors

You need to have only 1 Content Lead for the same reason you want one coach for your team. It’s confusing and redundant to have more than one person calling the shots. 

However, you can and should have more than one person who can publish on your SF.gov site. 

Editors can:

  • Make small changes (such as text edits) to existing pages

  • Publish drafted pages

  • Create repeatable pages like Meetings

  • Backup when the Content Lead is out

Opportunity and commitment

Content Lead is a special role on an SF.gov site. It’s an opportunity to take leadership and learn about website content strategy while designing the content your users will read. 

We’ll work with your Content Lead to make sure they can write great webpages that solve problems. The Content Lead will provide similar mentoring to others in your department. 

It’s a big responsibility. 

  • Content Leads should plan for 5+ hours of work per week during a move to SF.gov. 

  • You must be at all move-related meetings. If you can’t make one, you’ll work with Digital Services to reschedule.

  • Content Lead will be spending at least an hour per page every 6 months to keep your website working well after the move (not including news, meeting information, events and PDFs).

Duties

During a move

  • Attend all meetings and participate in decisions about how the work will happen

  • Work with assigned Digital Services content strategist to review existing site content and develop a plan for the SF.gov site structure

  • With assigned Digital Services content strategist, write the bulk of content for the SF.gov site

  •  Build pages on SF.gov, like the landing page

  • Communicate design decisions to agency leads (department head, public body members, etc) 

  • Mentor others in your department to create great pages that meet your departments’s goals

  • Shepherd pages through the approval process to publish on SF.gov

On a regular basis

  • Make ongoing decisions about where content goes on the site

  • Build or help others build new pages

  • Help other staff in your department work on SF.gov or get help from Digital Services

  • Maintain all pages for the department, including changing spotlights on the Agency homepage

  • Manage all human translations, requesting retranslations following edits of those page

  • Continue to keep up with changes to the publishing system (by newsletter, monthly shareouts, advanced training)

  • Monitor website to see if it’s meeting Departmental goals, like reducing call volume

Skills

  • Organization, to manage all pages on SF.gov

  • Clear written communication

  • Ability to prioritize and advocate for user needs

  • Spreadsheet wrangling for the move and for content maintenance plan

  • Analytical bent, to find out if web content is serving department goals, and, if not, to work out how to fix it

  • Basic web editing skills, such as the ability to post, edit, and publish content (this can be learned on the job, if you’re willing to try!)

  • Comfort with trying new technologies

  • Comfort with workplace communication tools like Teams, Outlook, and other MS Office Suite products