Strategies for Categorizing Digital Content

Data domains can be defined as "areas of data management, control, and knowledge." But how do we separate data into domains? One common method is to categorize data by subject area. For example, in academic institutions, subjects might include students, courses, faculty, financial aid, research, admissions, etc. Another way to organize data is by corporate functions and business units. For example, we could have domains for sales, marketing, finance, HR, legal, and compliance. Additionally, we could define domains for various business units. For instance, a company might have one business unit responsible for retirement solutions, another for insurance solutions, and yet another for investment management. However, if we choose to organize data by corporate functions, it’s important to note that these functions can change quickly during reorganizations. As a result, we might need to scramble to adjust data domains if the corporate structure changes. Another approach is to group data by geography. For example, we might have regions like EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), North America, Latin America, or Asia-Pacific. In large enterprises, it is common to organize data based on various combinations of these methods. For example, we could combine geography and subject areas. This might result in domains such as EMEA customers, APAC customers, and LATAM customers. Reality is that different data could be collected in different regions for the same subject. Also, the policies governing the data often vary across regions. Another typical scenario is combining corporate functions and subject areas. So, within a ‘Retirement Solutions’ business unit we can separate data for Plan Sponsors, Plan Participants, and Beneficiaries. Yet another scenario involves structuring data in a way that aligns with various business processes within a particular business or function. Within the 'Retirement Solution' business segment, we can define typical business processes and organize data accordingly. For example, we will have a data domain for client onboarding, which includes data needed to set up a client account. Then, there will be data domains for plan administration and recordkeeping. One important thing to note is that the breakdown by data domain must reflect the business reality of the company. It should never be a breakdown too far removed from the reality on the ground (for example, the breakdown suggested by ChatGPT 😀 ). Another key point to remember is the definition of data domains: 'areas of data management, control, and knowledge.' Therefore, set up domains in such a way that ownership and accountability can be assigned.

Most marketing teams are creating new content constantly. But do they actually know what they already have? At our agency, we’ve found that 99% of marketing teams don’t know the answer to that question. Instead of repurposing and maximizing the assets they’ve worked hard to create, they end up starting from scratch every time. This leads to wasted resources, duplicated efforts, and missed opportunities. Here’s what we’re building to fix that: an internal tool designed to catalog and track every single content asset a company owns, using a three-layer taxonomy: ➡️ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 These are the primary formats of content—white papers, blogs, case studies, videos, social media posts, etc. It’s the foundation of how you start to classify your assets. ➡️ 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 We break down each asset by category. Categories are simply the main topics you want to be known for. Whenever we start an engagement with a client, we ask "What 4-6 things do you want to be known for in the eyes of your best customers?" This allows teams to see the strategic purpose of each piece at a glance. ➡️ 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 Finally, every asset has specific attributes. This is where we tag content by ICP/persona, file types, buying stages, and business objectives. These attributes help in filtering and finding the right asset to repurpose or analyze. Why does this matter? Because if you have easy access to all your existing content, you can: - Repurpose high-performing content for new channels - Avoid duplicating efforts by creating what you already have - Make data-driven decisions about what types of content resonate with your audience In a small, scrappy team, this can be a game-changer. Having a clear understanding of what you’ve created—paired with a tool to manage it—leads to better decision-making, more efficient use of resources, and a clearer path to revenue-driven outcomes. How do you get more out of what you already have? How do you think about organizing and finding your team's best content?

Here's the thing about content that fits in multiple categories: it's not a problem to solve, it's reality to design for. Set clear rules for where something lives primarily, then use tags and facets to show all the ways it connects. Train your content creators on the 'why' behind your categorization decisions. Your users will thank you when they can actually find what they're looking for.