Content Creation
Portfolio
This page provides examples of thought leadership created by Hexagon Communication's Melissa Rach. Explore all three categories of interesting stories :
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Long-form content
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Recent articles for clients
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Old favorites
Long-form content
Long-form content is an invitation for audiences to go deep and get totally immersed in a topic. Creating long-form content takes more than a good story. It requires depth of knowledge and prioritization skills to keep the reader interested. Sure, it's hard work. But it's all worth it when readers get valuable insights and ideas they can use in their jobs and lives.
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Content Strategy for the Web,
Second Edition (book)
I co-wrote Content Strategy for the Web (second edition), a book considered to be the foundational text in the practice of content strategy. It has been translated into 10+ languages and is used as a textbook in universities around the world. Get it on Amazon.
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A Guide to People-first Workplaces (report)
Created for Salo, an up-and-coming staffing firm, this guide helps organizations learn what it takes to attract and keep talent in today's workforce. (Spoiler alert: It's about prioritizing the people in your organization.) For this report, I researched and created the people-first workplace model, then wrote the report for Salo. Download the pdf.
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Making Content Count (educational article)
This article for STC Intercom Magazine discusses how to calculate the monetary value of information to a business. This article is a condensed version of a series I wrote earlier called, "The value of content: Adam Smith never expected this." Read the article.
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Salo's Consulting Career Guide +
Hiring Consultants: The Salo Guide (reports)
These two guides are two sides of the same coin. The "Consulting Career Guide" is for senior professionals who are considering leaving corporate life to be independent consultants. "Hiring consultants: The Salo Guide" helps organizational stakeholders feel confident about bringing in outside help. Download the PDFs:
The Consulting Career Guide | Hiring Consultants
Recent articles
for clients
Every organization has a story to tell. Actually, today's companies tell lots of stories. Or, at least they try to. Blog posts, newsletters, social media—for some companies, it can get overwhelming. I help clients streamline their editorial processes, identify topics, create content, and measure the results. When it all comes together, the organization's overarching story becomes a best seller.
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In conversation with: Kurt Cegielski
(MOBE Health)
This interview with the Chief Commercial Officer of MOBE Health is the first installment of a 6-part interview series with MOBE executives. In each conversation, we explore the business from a different area of expertise.
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Futures planning: Change the way you think about your organization’s future (Foundry)
Foundry designs and builds custom software applications. This article details how Foundry's strategists help organizations future-proof their software investment by going through a "futures planning" exercise. Read the article.
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Yes, you can come back to work after a career break (a pep talk) (Salo)
In the 5+ years I've worked with Salo, I've written more than 100 articles on workplace topics. Together, the team and I have created a brand voice around positivity and smart ideas. In this article, we provide tips and confidence to job hunters. Read the article.
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Period parties and why they might be good for your child (Mayo Clinic Press)
I often write articles for the Mayo Clinic Press about health issues, scientific innovations, and patient experiences. However, I don't usually tell personal stories of my own. This article starts with a first-person narrative before diving into the world of period parties.
Old favorites
Some articles are a joy to write. Why do some pieces stick out? Sometimes it's because they're about ideas that changed my view of the world. Other times, they celebrate an important moment in time. And, some are just full of sass. Here are a few articles I'm especially proud of.
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Appetite for (Creative) Destruction
(Contents Magazine)
This ode to killing your darlings discusses how the knowledge economy was (and still is) changing the ways people created and consumed content. Written right after the London Olympics, it's still fairly accurate and fun to read.
Read the article.
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Today is the tomorrow we’ve been waiting for (Salo)
This article is about the optimism of new beginnings. Published on New Year's Day 2021, it's an ode to our collective resilience during 2020's COVID epidemic. Inspired by Salo's tirelessly optimistic CEO, Lisa Brezonik, the article reminds us that even during hard times, the future holds endless possibilities.
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A productivity debate for the ages
(The Human in the Machine)
On the lighter side, this article was part of a project that published 365 days of articles on the topic of productivity. Each piece had a different author and angle. My article took aim at a study that said people over 40 were less productive than younger people. (As if!) Read the article.
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The Business of Content
(Contents Magazine)
Written in 2013, this article is a call to arms for content professionals. Published in the first edition of a newly-launched, content-focused magazine, it outlines the business factors that drive the knowledge economy. Most of those factors are still relevant today. Read the article.
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