pass it on!
| 
If you find the content in this newsletter useful,
- send it to a colleague
- share it through twitter, digg, etc.
- republish in your blog, newsletter, or other media (credit to the source)
- check out the Archives of past issues
| |
| past issues |
Is this useful?
There's more.
Scan past issues on such topics as design tips for writers and speechwriting.
|
| ease in writing? |
"Ease in writing" comes from a poem by Alexander Pope, the British poet:
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance. Note he (and I) didn't say "easy writing." But just as dance lessons can help get you around the floor more gracefully, the goal for this newsletter is to share a tip or two to improve your writing. Recipient of a 2012 Constant Contact All Star Award.
|
|
|
|
Writing for Search Engines
What's new in search engine optimization? I talked with two experts, Linda Franklin and Janet Chiu, and reviewed some of the resources they suggested for on-page* SEO, with a focus on content.
Here's what I learned:
Themes, not just words. The days of peppering a webpage with the same keywords are gone. "Each page needs an overall theme," Franklin said. "Google likes synonyms and what is known as semantic search." (See the Resources below for some Keyword tools.) Remember to place these terms in your title tags, headlines, and topic sentences.
Time on the page According to Chiu, Google and other search engines like to see that readers spend time on the page and/or convert to the next step, such as clicking on a link. The page should have enough content to appear to have some heft. A current rule of thumb, said Chiu, is about 400 words. You may decide to have fewer words for other reasons, but then consider whether you really need a separate page for this information.
Using Google Analytics Google Analytics is a great tool (and probably the subject of another article). Just related to "time on the page," a high bounce rate indicates that visitors leave right away without reading anything on the page. That is okay for something like a "contact us" page, but otherwise is a sign that the headline and/or copy isn't grabbing the reader, or that the keywords don't match what people expect to find on the page. In either case, a re-write would be in order, Chiu said.
Events and other time-sensitive items Time-sensitive information helps with page rankings. When your organization sponsors an event, releases a policy paper, unveils a new product, Chiu recommended to give it prominent place on your website. The inverse: Don't bury these things deep within the site.
Move things "up" and together Franklin and Chiu shared advice about how to organize pages within the site. Franklin suggested a hierarchy of 3 to 5 pages that relate to a theme. Her example related to beer: a page for pilsner beer, with sub-pages on different types of pilsners; a page for stouts, with sub-pages on different types of stout, etc. Chiu said the most important information should be placed further up the site hierarchy. The search engine bots do not go very deeply, and important content may not show up when buried.
Impact of mobile devices Web developers, rather than writers and other content folks, have to deal with many of the impacts of mobile devices on SEO. One thing for us to consider, Chiu said: Giving prominent play to "local" information (such as address and phone number), under the assumption that this is the kind of information many mobile users seek.
Google likes Google Quora, Google Authorship, Google Plus, Google Places--the Google bots give weight to participation in other-things Google. Chiu recommends establishing a presence on the ones that make sense for your organization for this reason. (I wonder what will be the "monster in the room" five years from now? Still Google? Or something else entirely?)
SEO as part of a "big wheel" Both Franklin and Chiu stressed what we all should know but can forget in the fervor for favorable page rankings. SEO is only one part of what Franklin termed a "big wheel." SEO is only one part of an online strategy that includes social media and, if appropriate, paid search. As Chiu said, "SEO enhances but does not replace solid marketing and communication principles."
*Note: On-page SEO refers to what you can do on your site, such as keyword selection, alt tags for images, and title tags. Off-page refers to what happens on other sites, such as links from social media.
|
 Resources
Consultants Linda Franklin and Janet Chiu shared some tools and resources they turn to in their SEO work.
Do you have a suggestion about a resource or something else related to SEO? Let me know, and I will share it with others in a future issue of this newsletter.
|
I didn't realize it until I started planning this issue, but April 2013 marks the 5th anniversary of this newsletter.
I began it with....an article on search engine optimization, so it seemed fitting to return to the topic this month. Here it is, with some still current and some dated tips, as well as an archive of all the newsletters I've sent out monthly.
Also, in late 2 012, I compiled many of the articles first published in this newsletter into an ebook. If you haven't seen it yet, view or download a complimentary copy on my website.
Have an idea for a future issue of the newsletter? Please let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
