Content audit and strategy to support UCL’s bicentennial rebrand
Scroll supplied a content strategist and content designer to audit UCL’s main digital channels, run user research, and create a content strategy and implementation plan to support best practice use of the new style guide and brand.
The challenge
UCL was undergoing a brand refresh and required support in shaping the delivery of a new narrative ahead of a year of bicentennial celebrations in 2026. UCL’s new narrative needed to be interpreted, shared and applied across all channels, to ensure content was consistent and cohesive.
UCL required:
an audit of all communications channels across the university, to review and understand their usage, impact and CMS platforms
development of a cohesive content strategy to define how the new narrative would be applied to content
practical guidance for staff in the form of a style guide, with advice on best practice
guidance on adapting the narrative for six key audience groups
What Scroll did
Scroll supplied a content strategist and content designer, who focussed on different areas simultaneously.
Our content strategist covered the following:
A heuristic content review of a broad spectrum of digital content – web, social media, email, newsletter and CMS
A data analytics review to better understand user journeys
User research with 20+ content owners and publishers to determine their needs and the needs of their users
Provision of a content strategy that defined how the new narrative will be applied to content across all communication channels
Provision of a high-level implementation plan on how to enable content owners and publishers to follow best practice in using the new style guide and brand
Meanwhile, Scroll’s content designer:
updated the editorial style guide to include the new tone of voice
ensured the style guide reflected current best practice in user-centred design, for example with link text and heading styles
reworked 20 personas guides to make them more accessible and practical, including graphic dials to help content creators understand how to apply the four personality elements in the tone of voice
Results
A strategy and plan with short, medium and longer term ideas to improve content and apply the brand, including user-needs based training outcomes.
The updated A to Z editorial style guide is much more comprehensive, providing a practical guide that will help UCL produce user-centred digital content. This living document will inform internal discussions about how language is used.
The personas guidance gives practical step-by-step help to anyone writing for UCL digital channels, from what information people are looking for to how best to reach them.
All the new guidance is designed to fit into the user journeys and information architecture that UCL is developing as part of the brand rollout.