Content refresh for BBC Switch

Cimex gives the BBC's teen content a spring clean.

One of the issues that many organisations face when dealing with hundreds of pages of content is keeping them all up to date and relevant.

Checking facts, links and points of law is a resource-intensive activity, with many web teams simply not having a full-time content expert to do this work on a regular basis.

Ensuring the accuracy of information and guidance content for young people is especially important. Teenagers often turn to the internet to read advice on relationships, health problems and other issues because they would feel uncomfortable talking with a parent or teacher; they may even feel too embarrassed to talk to a friend. If the online information they find is inaccurate, they could make the wrong choices at a time when their emotions may be high.

Brief

BBC Switch’s Surgery site contains more than 160 factfiles on subjects ranging from relationships and bullying to drugs and sexual health. Each one is written in a style that specifically targets the young web user. The website supports the Radio One show, which is broadcast on Sunday evenings at 9pm.

Because of our experience in creating online youth content for the DCSF portal need2know, and the Young People’s area on Directgov, the BBC asked Cimex to carry out a maintenance exercise on all their factfiles, in preparation for the delivery of their new content management system.

Solution

We performed a number of checks on each of the 165 factfiles. These included

• providing an engaging search summary that was fully optimised with appropriate key search terms to boost an article’s ranking in search engines
• checking each factoid and providing a newer statistic if available
• checking each link and providing alternatives for dead or outdated links
• amending tone of voice where necessary
• checking the legal accuracy of each factile (especially important for drug-related factfiles)

The Cimex content team delivered the 165 factfiles within 15 days.

Published: 22 Apr 2010

Tags: Seo sem & content