Writing for the web is much different than writing for print media. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a frequently discussed topic in the online writing world, and for good reason. Knowing good SEO writing skills is essential in creating effective, high-traffic volume websites. The following is a guideline to understanding the major components of web page writing and the importance of SEO maximization.
Meta-data and SEO
Meta-data is information about a web page that is not part of the core content of the page. The three most significant components of meta-data are:
- Title. This is the most important piece of meta-data in terms of SEO writing. The web page title directly impacts on web page performance. It is the main piece of information that the search engines will use to determine the web page content. Titles should be brief, concise, and convey exactly what the material is about. Clever, catchy titles that do not relate specifically to the web page content will not likely be found by search engines and should not be used in web content writing.
- Description. A brief summary of the web page that should contain the major keywords and phrases of the web page content.
- Keywords. Search engines also use keywords to determine what web pages are about; however, it is important to choose keywords carefully and sparingly. Keyword "stuffing" is frowned upon by most search engines. Usually 6 to 10 keywords is ideal, and should consist of key phrases, rather than single words. A good way to select effective keywords is to think of what people would type into the search engines to find their information.
Choose Relevant Subheadings to Maximize SEO
Subheadings are important for two reasons. First, it improves the appearance of the web page. Subheadings make the page easier to read by organizing the information into small, logical blocks of information. Second, subheadings help search engine spiders further understand web page content and recognize the most important information on the page. Effective use of subheadings can greatly improve the searchability of a web page.
Proper Use of Images Improve SEO
Appropriate image placement can make the web page more pleasing to the eye as well as help to increase SEO. Although search engines cannot "see" the images themselves, the textual name assigned to the image is seen by the search engines, and can essentially act as another keyword/phrase. It is important not to overload the page with too many images, as this can slow down the time it takes to load and view the page.
Readability
Web page content should be written in a clear, concise and understandable format. Content wording should be kept simple enough to be understood by the majority of the target audience.
Google PageRank
PageRank is a link analysis algorithm used by the Google Internet search engine that assigns a numerical weighting to each element of a hyper-linked set of documents, such as the World Wide Web, with the purpose of "measuring" its relative importance within the set. (Source: Wikipedia)
More simply put, PageRank is a system that scores web pages by their inbound links. The quantity and relative value of the inbound links helps to determine PageRank score, with each link counting as a "vote" for the webpage.
Generally, the more links, and the more value Google assigns to each link, equals a higher PageRank. Web pages with higher scores will appear higher up on the search page. PageRank scores are rated from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest. Websites with scores between 4 and 6 are doing quite well, with a high traffic volume and many inbound links. Those scoring 7 or more are usually large, high-profile companies or media brands.
Understand the Basics of SEO
The key to effective web writing is to ensure that the above SEO basics are understood and utilized in the process of web page creation. It may take some getting used to, but good SEO writing skills are key to building successful websites.
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