Benefit hubs content audit

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

User story

As a content/IA strategist, I need to have a full understanding of the current state of each benefit hub to inform strategic planning.

Questions to answer in audit

• What are all the pages in the hub and the word count of each (to assess density)? Note: I had the translation team pull word count data as part of a cost analysis for translation efforts, so we can pull that info in from there.
• Analytics: page views (past year + monthly trends), unique page views, entrances, avg. time on page, bounce rate, exit rate, page events, pathways (previous page, next page)
• Organic search: Organic traffic, backlinks, top keywords (with search position + msv)
• What are all content types that appear in the hub, and how do they break down in terms of reusable structure?
• What specific information fits these 2 criteria:
  • Appears in benefit hub but not as the main topic of any page, and
  • Has high SEO (organic, site search, or R&S specific search, IRIS, or contact center value)
• In "Get Benefits" section: What information is critical for someone to know before applying for a benefit and what may be more "niche" information that some people may want to know before applying for a benefit.
• How dependent is the more niche info on hierarchy/structure?
• In "Get Benefits" section: What, if any, information may be more value after a person has the benefit?
• What legacy content do we still need to migrate into the hub?

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

@bethpottsVADEPO This ticket can help to inform our working session tomorrow. In our previous notes, we noted that we wanted to start with health care and disability hubs, so let's start there. We can continue to work in our mural. I've also created a content audit spreadsheet for us to work in together.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Hi @mnorthuis and @bethpottsVADEPO. I've been digging into this audit for the health care hub, adding analytics and notes. Would love to discuss WIP audit in our working session today and how we envision this information next steps for benefit hub iteration, migration strategy, benefit hub/R&S strategy.

cc @davidconlon for awareness. Dave, let me know if you'd like to chat about this as we go. Thanks!

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

@mnorthuis For our next working session, I've started this mural board as a place where we can capture information structure info as we go to inform the beginnings of thinking about a reusable content strategy.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Hi @kevwalsh! Wanted to share this issue with you for awareness. You'd asked some questions in the R&S meeting related to this work that Mikki and I have started on, so wanted to share the beginnings of that work. (Super epic for this: https://app.zenhub.com/workspaces/vft-59c95ae5fda7577a9b3184f8/issues/department-of-veterans-affairs/va.gov-team/21112). We're evolving approach a bit as we're starting to dig in, but any questions are welcome!

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Hi @LucianaAlexanderMorais @sstrassberg. Tagging you on this issue for awareness, given our conversations around reusable content.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Notes from 11.29.21 Mikki and Danielle working session:

• Disability section:

  • External entrances are low for Eligibility (6.8%) and How to file (12.3%). Search data shows that people are searching more for specific conditions terms (like "agent orange") in their path to disability info. Danielle to dig into analytics and search data within lower-level Eligibility pages to help us gain a greater understanding of how we might optimize flow. Potentially rework eligibility page to have a greater condition focus.

• General

  • How are Apply and How to apply pages working together? Is there more duplication than necessary? Could "how to apply" be more of an R&S article that provides mail/phone/online options and then benefit hubs are streamlined to simply Apply? Dig into analytics more around this.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Notes from 11.30.21 Danielle and Beth meeting:

Capturing thoughts on content governance in GH: https://github.com/department-of-veterans-affairs/va.gov-team/blob/master/products/content/governance/planning.md

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Notes 12.06.21 Mikki and Danielle meeting

• We will define what goes in benefits hubs and R&S and flag content that goes in program tier 3 bucket or that may need a new bucket. For example, health and wellness content.
• R&S needs to be a tool to use as part of each migration effort.
• R&S for now: Questions, instructions, and information specific to applying for, tracking, and managing benefits that do not rise to the level of critical info needed within the main application and manage flows.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Notes: Mikki and Danielle 12.08.21

• R&S structure is going to evolve in ways that will impact how we govern. We need to figure out a more fully fleshed out tagging system or a hierarchical structure. Will need to determine how governance might change as we evolve the strategy and structure.
• Big question as we migrate content: Right now, we have 5 places where content can go:
  • Benefit hubs
  • Resources & support
  • Office and administrative content area (not yet available)
  • VAMCs (local)
  • Campaign landing pages (temporary)

As we work with program offices to migrate content, how do we effectively work together to determine what content goes in each area and how they can manage that content in multiple content products with different rules vs. having their mini-site? What is the plan for content that is relevant to their audiences but doesn't necessarily fit well in any of these spaces? For example, health condition topics and resources. VHA is undertaking the initiative to restructure health condition content so this is something we can work on collaboratively, but we'll need a way to communicate about it as we move forward.

• Potential core content for each program - work together closely with the team as part of the migration strategy:
  • "About" page for each Veteran-facing service. Provide guidance of how to structure.
  • Top 3-5 questions based on SEO and contact center data
  • "How to" template for specific instructions if needed
• Then team plans out future content with planning group and owns writing process. Question: Is final copy edit/QA centralized or by administration/business line?
• Getting the structure (tagging or hierarchy) down is critical to making this work so that we can expose the relevant content.

[DanielleThierryUSDSVA]

Notes from Mikki and Danielle 12/3/21 meeting:

Preparation for R&S pilot:

• Clear, tight working definitions of what belongs (and what doesn't belong) in each area of the site. This should include areas beyond OCTO (such as blogs). During the pilot, we can work within these constraints and identify pain points to inform an evolution of the definitions and/or new content areas that may be needed.
• Examples of current R&S content that may not fit within definitions:
  • https://www.va.gov/resources/ask-va-replaces-iris-and-the-gi-bill-help-portal/: Timely content that may be better served by a blog.
  • https://www.va.gov/resources/choosing-between-urgent-and-emergency-care/: Content that is about how you use VA benefits and services, but is also more in the general education space. This is potentially an in-between space...we think this does fit in R&S, but want to call out as an example.
• Plan for testing new content in R&S: Regular comprehension testing + testing triggered by low satisfaction ratings