Write for your readers

The first thing you need to remember is to write for your readers! While you must also draft your text to optimize search engine site referencing, this should be secondary to the needs of your readership. For optimized site referencing, you should write as naturally as you can. You have around 30 seconds to grab your reader’s attention, which makes it all the more important to do a good job of crafting the first paragraph that Internet users will read.

You should also remember that Internet users will not read your site in a linear manner, but rather, move around to what they find interesting while clicking on various links. This is different from a book reader, who will move from one page to the next in a sequential fashion. You must therefore write each page of your Web site so that it is interesting on its own, with the goal of encouraging Internet users to continue reading, regardless of the page that is first displayed when they enter your site.

What style of writing is best for the purposes of site referencing?

Numerous Web writers rely on the well-known concept of keyword density index when drafting content. While some refer to 4%, there is no overall consensus as to the ideal percentage to aim for. Everyone does agree, however, that keywords have an impact on site referencing.

This being said, you should not initially focus on keywords, site referencing and search engines when you write, as this may prevent you from drafting the most natural-sounding article. You will, however, need to bear in mind that your page(s) should be returned among the top search engine results for certain expressions. Once your article is completed, you should read it over with a view to determining whether you could have used more keywords associated to the themes of your various pages.

Keywords include all of the variations of a main word (singular, plural, conjugated, etc.), as well as synonyms and all those words that are semantically similar. Keyboard for this article, for example, could include write, writing, drafting, draft, text, paragraph, article, etc.

You should be careful to not limit yourself to single words. Expressions comprised of several words can also constitute keywords. For this article, these could be: writing for the Web, drafting for the Web, writing for the purposes of site referencing, drafting for the purposes of site referencing, Web drafting, etc.

Optimal length of a text drafted for the purposes of site referencing

There is no optimal text length for the purposes of site referencing. As long as your content follows a highly specific theme, it is usually not worth splitting up your text into several pages. You should only do so if you have a logical reason, and in such a case, should position each page by using specific keywords. For example, you could split up an article on tourism in Montréal into several pages (examples: architecture, restaurants, attractions, Montréalers, etc.).

Other writing tips

• Make limited use of italics and bold font, as these two styles can be very difficult to read.
• Never use more than 3 different fonts in a text.
• Ensure that there are no grammar mistakes.
• Keep your sentences short.
• Emphasize certain important sections (bold, underlined, etc.).
• Use lists (point form).

Resources

To further learn about this topic, we invite you to consult the following reference material:

CopyBlogger
http://www.copyblogger.com/seo-copywriting/

SEO Copywriting 101
http://www.searchengineguide.com/barone/009185.html

SEOmoz links
http://www.seomoz.org/blogdetail.php?ID=1631

The Elements of Style
http://www.bartleby.com/141/

A Guide to Writing Well
http://www.fireandknowledge.org/archives/2007/01/08/a-guide-to-writing-well/

What is Good Writing
http://www.writingcenter.emory.edu/goodwrite.html

Optimal Word Count & Web Page Copy Length
http://www.seobook.com/archives/001986.shtml

• When a newsletter includes content other than that to which your readers have subscribed.
• When your mailing lists include addresses such as “info@___.com”.
• When you send your communications to e-mail addresses you’ve obtained from a third party (example: a list from your local Board of Trade) but whose owners have not given you their individual consent (opt-in*). 
• When unsubscribing from a mailing list is difficult if not impossible (opt-out*).
• When you don’t regularly update your mailing lists (example: by deleting addresses that are no longer valid).
• When you suddenly increase the frequency at which you send out your newsletter (example: going from a monthly to a weekly communication).
• When you fail to adhere to technical standards regarding mailings (example: servers transmitting mail at a high throughput).

To avoid having your newsletters tagged as spam, make sure you have recipients’ consent (opt-in).  Some senders even take the added step of obtaining this consent twice (double opt-in).

* Here are a few buzz words that you need to know:
 
ACTIVE OPT-IN: The Internet user must voluntarily check a box (or make a selection in a dropdown list) to be added to a mailing list.
 
PASSIVE OPT-IN: An affirmative response is already checked (in a box) or selected in a dropdown list.
 
DOUBLE OPT-IN: The Internet user who subscribes to a mailing list receives an e-mail which he must reply to in order to confirm his subscription. This double opt-in thus serves to protect Internet users from malevolent subscriptions by third parties, in addition to enabling a sender to validate e-mail addresses.
 
OPT-OUT: The opt-out enables an Internet user to unsubscribe from a mailing list to which he was previously subscribed (with or without his consent).
 
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One good rule of thumb: Remember that the Internet user is the one granting you the privilege of opening and reading your electronic communication, and not vice versa!
 
Also make sure that there exists a business relationship with recipients (or that you have obtained consent) before sending out newsletters.
 
Lastly, you should not attempt to instantaneously become a mass marketer. Various rules must be followed, and numerous products are available to help you send professional messages. We invite you to visit the Cyberimpact.ca site to learn more about the features of one such product.
This article was posted at 12:04 p.m. on Monday, November 17, 2008 and is available under cyber newsletters. You can read comments and responses to this post via RSS 2.0 feed. You can also post a comment or do a trackback from your own site.

Through its association with Madison Square Garden, the organization has collaborated with the New York Rangers, the Knicks and MSG Entertainment, to name just a few, as well as having access to some of Manhattan’s most famous venues, among them Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theater, the Wamu Theater and of course, Madison Square Garden.

Through its activities with around half a dozen New York hospitals for sick children as well as organizations dedicated to bringing hope to kids (the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, and the Starlight Starbright Foundation), Garden of Dreams has over the past two years made the wishes of over 77,000 children come true.

Cyber Generation is proud of its partnership with this renowned New York humanitarian organization. In the past decade, Cyber Generation, a company from Terrebonne, Québec, has created over 500 Web sites, many of them for personalities or companies in the sports and entertainment industry.