What’s content modeling?

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Caffeinated content modeling

As mentioned, when you imagine content as coffee, the content model would be the coffee cup. The cup is a constraint, but with the ingredients, it also gives you a lot of possibilities when making coffee. Content modeling is very similar to this real-world scenario.

In content modeling, ingredients would be your content type elements. The same ingredients can be used to make different types of coffee, so you are also able to create different content types with your content type elements.

Overall, the process of preparation would be the assembly model. You don’t need to remember this term, but it can be a suitable keyword if you look for more content modeling information.

Examples from other worlds

Here are some other examples you can use to understand different content modeling terms:

Content	Article	Coffee	Building	Information
Assembly model	Order of sections	Steps	Building blueprint	SQL
Content model	Structure of articles and how they relate to each other	Coffee cup	Building codes	Database
Content types	Blog, News, Breaking news	Flat white, Cappuccino, Latte, Long black	Bungalow, Duplex, Villa	Table
Content type elements	Images, Text, Video	Water, Beans, Milk, Creamer, Sugar	Mortar, Bricks, Water, Cement, Timber, Tiles	Column
Content chunks	SEO fields, Metadata fields, CTAs	Coffee pods, Creamer, Nescafe 3-in-1	Pre-fab walls, Windows, Doors	Variable

A content model’s purpose

Detailed and careful preparation, with great ingredients and a bit of uniqueness, will set you up for success if you plan to open your own coffee chain. The same can be said for the content model.

The content model is the foundation of your project, and although it may have similarities with the content models of others, it will have some unique traits. It’s so unique that no one will have exactly the same content model as you or your company. It’s only yours and no one else’s.

Creating a good model is hard, so the best approach is to start small and iterate. This can be done by building it in a flexible and extensible way. This should be your mantra for the whole process. On top of that, involve at least one stakeholder per department to address their needs and get internal buy-in for the model.