© idm academy 2008 writing to be found by search engines catherine toole
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© IDM Academy 2008
Writing to be found by search engines
Catherine Toole
www.stickycontent.com
© IDM Academy 2008
About Sticky Content
• Incorporated in 1997
• Digital writing specialists for more than a decade
• Journalists, editors, marketers, copywriters
© IDM Academy 2008
Five ways we help our clients…
1. Audit and benchmark their digital content
2. Produce tone of voice/language guidelines
3. Develop best-practice formats and samples
4. Write, edit and optimise web copy
5. Train in writing for the web, search, email…
© IDM Academy 2008
In April 2008 we’re working for…
• AXA PPP• BERR (former DTI)• Big Lottery Fund • Capgemini • Deloitte & Touche • Energy Saving Trust• John Lewis Partnership• London Business School • Nokia Siemens Networks• ODEON Cinemas • Oxfam• Yell.com
© IDM Academy 2008
New ‘findability’ trend in web copywriting
“We want to be found by search engines butwe can’t do that to the detriment of our brand.We need to get people from Google to our sitebut we also need them to want to stay whenthey get there”.
“We do want to drive search engine traffic, yes,but we want targeted traffic. So we invest inclear messaging which helps us get the rightusers through.”
© IDM Academy 2008
How to write to be found
• How do the words you write affect your organic rankings?
• Five key findability factors for all web copywriters
• Can web writing be creative and still search friendly?
Organic search
© IDM Academy 2008
How do search engines work?
1. Indexing
2. The search
3. The results page
Why ranking matters: typical share of clicks
40%
10%
8%
6%
5%
Top 10 results:
≈ 90% of clicks
© IDM Academy 2008
Five key findability factors all web copywriters should know
• Keyword use in title tag• Links to your site from other sites (popularity and
relevance of the site, relevance of link text)• Keyword use in body copy• Links to your page from within your site• Relevant links from your page to other pages and
external sites
Source: SEOMoz “Search Engine Ranking Factors 2007” (April 2007)
© IDM Academy 2008
Headlines and links should be self-explanatory
Copy should include key words
where possible
Writing findable copy: example
© IDM Academy 2008
Headlines and links should be self-explanatory
Copy should include key words
where possible
Writing findable copy: example
Link text should be descriptive
Headlines should be meaningful and self-
contained
No description means no clue to the subject
Title the search engine sees
Good idea – but why would I?
© IDM Academy 2008
Keywords
“As a vital ingredient in the online search process, keywords have become part of our everyday experience.
We feed keywords into Google, Yahoo!, MSN, eBay and Amazon. We search for news products, people, used furniture and music. And words are the key to our success.”
Peter Morville, Ambient Findability
© IDM Academy 2008
Keywords in copy: write for people first
‘No one wants to read a sentence like:
“this site is all about Buffy so if you like Buffy you should come to this site and read about Buffy episodes and download Buffy wallpaper and Buffy screensavers and Buffy ecards and other things about Buffy.”
Even I don’t want to read that and you won’t find a bigger Buffy fan than me.’ – Vanessa Fox
© IDM Academy 2008
Keywords in titles
© IDM Academy 2008
Meanwhile on page 7 of Google results…
© IDM Academy 2008
A print headline: different rules
© IDM Academy 2008
Are these headlines ‘findable’?
© IDM Academy 2008
Links
© IDM Academy 2008
Links
• Inbound links– Important in search engine rankings – Links from community sites mean targeted
readers
• Outbound links– Search engines use targets and anchor text– Links to other pages add value to readers
© IDM Academy 2008
Headlines and links should be self-explanatory
Copy should include key words
where possible
The power of inbound links
© IDM Academy 2008
Building links to your content
How can you encourage linking?
• Provide useful, usable content
• Publicise new material (RSS, email)
• Connect to special interest communities
© IDM Academy 2008
What makes good linkbait?
• Quality content by knowledgeable writers
• Landing pages
• Interactivity: competitions, surveys, web tools
• Strong, scannable formats: beginners’ guides, award shortlists, top tens…
© IDM Academy 2008
Links out from your content
A good link is:
• findable: contains a target keyword
• an active instruction
• at the end of a sentence
• scannable, self-contained and meaningful
• informative about its destination and similarly titled
• not too long
© IDM Academy 2008
Exercise: writing anchor text
To suggest a new travel discussion topic please click here.
Click here to log in or register for the travel forum.
How England overcame the Aussie rugby machine. Read more
© IDM Academy 2008
Exercise: writing anchor textTo suggest a new travel discussion topic please click
here.Suggest a new travel topic
Click here to log in or register for the travel forum.Join the travel forum
How England overcame the Aussie rugby machine. Read more
The secrets of England’s rugby triumph over Australia.
© IDM Academy 2008
Landing pages
© IDM Academy 2008
Landing pages
© IDM Academy 2008
Can you be both creative and findable?
© IDM Academy 2008
Can you be both creative and findable?
© IDM Academy 2008
Can you be both creative and findable?
© IDM Academy 2008
Can you be both creative and findable?
© IDM Academy 2008
Writing for search: a checklist
1. Is my title searchable?
2. Are my links effective?
3. Is my copy original, engaging and linkable?
4. Have I used the right keywords?
5. Does my standfirst tell people what to expect?
6. Is my copy well structured?
7. Have I written for people first?
© IDM Academy 2008
What the experts say
“Much of the best SEO is common sense... coming
up with useful content or services that has the
words that people search for”
Matt Cutts, Google
“The top linguistic SEO guideline? Speak the
user’s language. Users type queries using
their own vocabulary.”
Jakob Nielsen, Prioritizing Web Usability
