Growing up during a period in which I experienced Microsoft XP, Vista, and Windows 8, as a collective, fashioned my perception of the design of a website has always been superficial. I’ve learned that although my operating system has changed in five years, websites will always appear to make the slightest changes possible to remain accessible for users when doing new

 

The only exception to this is the difficulty of navigating school and government websites.

 

I became familiar with DVIDS, the U.S. Government’s version of Getty Images, because of work. This is where all my content throughout my career in the Coast Guard is located. In fact, in my time as a public affairs specialist, I’ve learned nearly every federal government website has the same layout. This makes it simple for individuals to find information and feel the familiarity between the different departments.

 

I put myself in the shoes of the opposite side of the screen and analyzed what improvements could be made to the website and how a redesign may ease the tension a non-government user may face when using the website.

I once read in a research paper that practitioners still argue about what the definition of content strategy is, but it has ultimately been agreed upon that, fundamentally, the practice of solving business problems using information. Content strategists must align their objectives with those of their clients to create a fresh face when it comes to information

 

I’ve created a new content strategy for DVIDS that provides an audience analysis that strives to reach consumers who are not local media outlets and internal government partners. In doing so, I also advocate for using a similar, better user experience by using a more simplified website design while also increasing social presence on websites such as X (formerly known as Twitter).

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While the content strategy proposal and web analysis may look similar, they function for two very different purposes. The purpose of the content strategy is to manage DVIDS' target audience and how it can attract new individuals. I found that the Coast Guard had the best content strategy when wanting to attract people outside of the uniformed services, so I decided to implement similar operating procedures that are featured in "my world" to the rest of the armed forces' world. 

I have never been good at puzzles, but I've always been good at hide and seek. 

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To me, this report is a reflection of me winning content hide and seek. 

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This content audit was conducted on the sport-weight yarn section of the Wool2Dye4 website to assess its consistency, completeness, and usability from a customer-centric perspective. While the site’s backend structure—such as SKU consistency and basic technical details like ply count—proved strong and reliable (e.g., 95% of listings included correct ply information and SKUs), significant content issues surfaced that may impact the customer experience and SEO performance.​The audit also revealed that over half (52%) of product listings failed to include descriptions of best use, such as what garments or projects the yarn would be suitable for.

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Despite the platform’s operational strengths, the content strategy appears heavily template-driven and optimized for internal management rather than consumer engagement or education. As for my personal goals, this audit taught me that sometimes you need to sit still and focus on the end goal. I learned that bits of patience will always lead you to the best performance.