Q&A: Getting to know Claire, our new queen of content

by Darren Clare

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Journeying from sunny Sydney Harbour to the historical port of Bristol, Claire Wilson is the newest member of the Stratton Craig team. Claire emigrated six months ago with her family – her four year old son who’s confused by the not-so-hot weather, and her husband who’s a local Bristolian.
Having lived all over the world, Claire has now settled in one third of the Silicone Gorge, bringing a wealth of experience from the financial sector.
Welcome to Stratton Craig. How have you found the move?
Bristol has been great so far. I’ve been visiting Bristol for 13 years or so, and it just seems like the city has a really great vibe and buzz at the moment. There’s loads of new places to go out (it also helps that we now have babysitters around the corner) and I really love the way the city makes the most of the harbour and its history.
Tell us about your role – what are you most excited about over the next few months?
As Content Strategy Director I’ll be helping our clients to navigate the dark arts of effective content strategy. Quite often you find it’s an area that everyone knows they need to get into or do better at, but they don’t always know where to start or how to embed a really robust content creation process. I’m excited to get to know our clients and work with them to create exciting and compelling content to support their business goals.
When did you start developing your experience in content?
At my last firm, I was lucky enough to be promoted while on maternity leave, and returned to lead three teams rather than the one I was managing before I had my son. One of the new teams I took over was the Content Marketing team. So I returned to a crash course in content and began assessing where we were, versus where we needed to go, and then working with my team to get us there.
Any stand-out projects?
A good example of the power of an integrated approach to content was a campaign we ran in the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget. We created buzz and anticipation around our budget content by adding a countdown clock on our homepage for the week prior to the budget. We also coordinated our efforts to do as much pre-work with the Chief Economist as possible. So once the budget was released, we didn’t need to re-invent the wheel and were first to market with our coverage. This, in turn, drove really strong media mentions and the campaign ended up winning an industry award. It’s a great example of how a coordinated approach across digital marketing, content marketing and PR can drive really strong results.
What are your thoughts on the current state of online content or the current trends?
I think people are flooded with information and content in today’s marketplace, and almost paralysed by choice. This makes it even more important that a firm’s content is high quality and engaging and draws on real client insight to drive the themes and topics. In such a crowded marketplace you really need to work hard to stand out and content can be a great way to do that. But I’ve also seen content done really badly, so I do think it’s crucial that firms take a really considered and strategic approach to content marketing.
What are your passions?
I’m a serious nerd, and enjoy all sorts of nerdy pursuits like reading, learning languages, quiz nights and history and politics. I also love spending time with my family, usually sharing a nice meal and a bottle of wine.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to be in your position?
I always counsel others to never underestimate the value of their opinion and their contribution to a business. It took me a long time to trust my instincts and have confidence in my abilities, but once I did, I found doors opened and opportunity knocked more often than I ever could’ve expected.
Claire’s profile page is here.