In this episode, Caley Burton, Senior Technical Writing Manager at Cloudflare, shared a powerful perspective on the evolving role of content. With nearly a decade of experience in content strategy and user experience, Caley is driving AI-ready, scalable documentation practices that elevate customer engagement across Cloudflare’s global platform.
A New Era of Content Strategy
As Caley explained, content is often misunderstood as limited to blogs, ebooks, or social posts. In reality, effective content strategy encompasses every customer touchpoint, from developer documentation and product onboarding to live demos and customer communications.
At Cloudflare, content functions as a 360-degree strategy, integrating seamlessly with product experience to tell a consistent, compelling story. This approach ensures that users are not just introduced to features; they are empowered to adopt and benefit from them.
“Documentation isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of the user relationship.”
Documentation as Experience, Not Just Support
In today’s digital landscape, documentation plays a central role in customer satisfaction, especially in technical or developer-focused products. Caley emphasizes that documentation is experience content, a critical part of the product journey that can directly influence trust, adoption, and retention.
Collaboration across departments is key. By aligning documentation efforts with support, engineering, product, and sales, Caley’s team ensures that user needs are met proactively, reducing friction and support ticket volumes.
Building a 360-Degree Content Plan That Works
Caley outlined the key elements of a successful, scalable content strategy:
- Shared Understanding: Ensure all stakeholders understand the goals, audience, and purpose of the content strategy.
- Defined Ownership: Assign content champions within each department to drive consistency and accountability.
- Streamlined Processes: Develop clear, efficient workflows that support collaboration without adding unnecessary complexity.
- Cross-Functional Syncs: Regular check-ins and retrospectives keep the strategy aligned and evolving.
“A successful content rollout isn’t about publishing more. It’s about building shared understanding and a repeatable system.”
Navigating Real-World Challenges
Even the most robust plans encounter hurdles. Caley pointed to common challenges such as team misalignment and resource constraints. Overcommunication, while often undervalued, was highlighted as a key solution.
Content teams operate at the intersection of multiple departmental goals, and alignment requires a blend of strategic clarity and cross-functional empathy. A clear decision-maker and consistent feedback loops can make all the difference.
Videos: A Growing Priority in Content Strategy
One notable trend is the increasing demand for video tutorials and visual walkthroughs. Users want to see products in action before making decisions, and video content provides that immediacy and assurance.
At Cloudflare, videos are used to complement product launches and onboarding processes, enhancing accessibility for self-service users and accelerating time to value.
“People want to see it. They want to believe it works before they commit.”
AI: A Game-Changer for Content Management
Artificial Intelligence is playing an increasingly critical role in modern content operations. Caley shared insights into how AI is transforming documentation processes:
- Sentiment Analysis: Monitoring user feedback from forums and communities
- Content Audits: Modernizing legacy documentation at scale
- Quality Assurance: Automating link checks and ensuring style guide compliance
Despite the efficiencies AI brings, the human touch remains essential for maintaining clarity, accuracy, and brand alignment.
“AI should reduce manual work—but the final touch still needs people.”
Guidance for Aspiring Content Professionals
For those looking to enter the content field, Caley offers practical advice:
- Join professional communities like Write the Docs
- Learn by studying and deconstructing strong content examples
- Connect with content professionals—most are eager to share insights and experiences