We all know by this time it is paramount that we all develop great writing habits to be competitive online. Storytelling is an art that can be developed through hard work and learning to communicate in a way that captures the reader’s emotion. Developing these skills of the trade will not only attract the target audience, but it will also keep your website competitive.
If viewers love what they hear through your newly formed writing skills they will return for more. You will be developing a following to the website which is the goal for all online companies. There are rules that (when used) will get your site noticed and draw big dividends. These rules are going to be even more important as we move into a new year. Let’s discuss a few of these rules to connect with online readers:
Using good grammar is always in style:
No one wants to read content full of grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. This will bring more attention to you based upon these mistakes than what the article is about. Another roadblock to avoid is when it comes to language translation software. These seem never to work properly, so avoid this completely. Doing this could bring you unwanted responses from social media gurus. There are online tools you can download and use to help you correct grammatical errors.
My best rule of thumb is to have one or more staff members here in the office check my work. They have fresh eyes and will always discover problems with an article that skip my gaze. Fact-checking is also done by an associate which helps me to be satisfied with what I am putting out to the public.
Pay attention to what you’re posting online:
You just can’t be too careful when writing a great article. Small or large articles need the same attention to detail. Adding the wrong content to a webpage can cause all types of difficulties so beware of this and avoid errors at all costs. Once the article is scanned by search engines it is almost impossible to correct any errors.
Once the content is scanned by individual search engines, your content is transported to thousands of databases around the world. You are at their mercy on when they will dump the old content and replace it with new content. Your small error could possibly be online for quite a while before your correction takes place.
The importance of a catchy headline:
As people search the web they have a tendency to swipe left and right looking for an interesting topic. If you don’t come up with a catchy headline that can garner their attention, you’ll miss out on their business if they are looking for your service. Take the time to come up with a title (headline) that will appeal to your specific target audience and be completely explanatory as to what they will be reading. Remember, if they don’t read your content, no matter how impressive your product, no one will be the wiser.
Great headlines will be straight to the point, using strong verbs. It should be as short and concise as possible with a few keywords. Keep it descriptive enough to be powerful and captivating. This will entice them to click through and read further. Otherwise, they will move on and continue to swipe for more interesting topics.
Understanding SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
Before you add content to website pages and before writing blog articles it is first important to understand what the search engines are looking for. They are scanning websites for original content written in a natural and informative manner. As you are writing your masterpiece, you must add phrases with quality keywords that consumers will use in an internet search. These keywords must be cleverly incorporated within the text.
Some viewers may not read the entire article so it is important to use bullet points and paragraph headings to help the viewer navigate to important content. Use anchor text and high-quality links to sites to offer more clarification.
What is anchor text:
Anchor text includes characters, phrases or words that are used to link to other websites. Following this anchor text link will offer more information on the subject being discussed. These words or phrases are usually but not always underlined. This link is clickable. Following this anchor text offers the reader more information on the subject. The words or phrases chosen for the anchor text will represent what the reader can expect to find by clicking on the link.
Using anchor text in an article:
Learning to use anchor text correctly will improve your chances for success and increase your SEO rank with top search engines. The magic sauce comes when the article is written so well that the anchor text flows naturally. Focus on posting high-quality, original content, with the main keywords and phrases featured in the article headline. This rule applies whether you are adding a blog post of relevant news, or whether you are updating page content.
Avoid using the same content strings too much:
It should also be noted that the writer should limit the number of times they use the same keywords and phrases. Using the same phrases over and over again repeatedly may raise a red flag with top search engines. Avoid this practice. You don’t want to appear to be gaming the system by using too much of a good thing. Instead, we suggest you research the topic and offer a few great valuable links to other sites discussing your topic. This can improve the viewer’s knowledge of your subject matter and show that you have done your due diligence.
Orlando Website Design News:
Welcome to our new client for re-design, the Florida Lawyers Support Services, Inc. Their older site was completely outdated and used “flash” software which is no longer supported by most browsers. We will be starting a brand new design, building it “Mobile-First” from the ground up. We expect to include all of the new bells and whistles and it will be launched right after the holiday.
Contact our team here at Inside Design Orlando to discuss your next web design project.
Thank you to all of our loyal and incredible clients out there. You have made our year a successful one and we value each and every one of you. Stay safe at Christmas as you travel to visit your friends and family around the country. We hope you all enjoy a loving and special holiday season.
If any of you out there do not have a pet this holiday … we pray that you will consider adopting a fur baby to bring in the New Year. There is nothing more heartwarming than to offer a home to a homeless pet.
Stay tuned for more design and programming tips next time. Carpe Diem! Our joy and blessings to all of you this holiday.
Staff Writer, Jean Holland-Rose
Chief Creative Officer and SEO Professional
