SEO for Journalists
Content
SEO
The Bad, Good & Ugly
CHRIS
twitter.com/chrisgeorgiev Web Gravity StockPodium Client.bg
ONLINE MARKETING TRENDS
Search is the King
SEARCH ENGINE TRAFFIC
off-line media online media
49 %
80 %
OTHER TRAFFIC SOURCES
references/links home page facebook
27-30 % 20-25 % 4-10 %
SEO?
#1 in Google second Coming for a dying industry slotting specific words and phrases into a piece simply to con people into reading it
WHAT IS SEO?
IT’S A PROCESS
1. Identify your audience and set targets 2. Get your site rank as high as possible (off-page & on-page) 3. Constantly track your progress and adjust
WHAT SEO IS NOT
Online advertising Public relations Free traffic Writing a book for free download
SEO is important because it makes sure people can see your content.
Journalism needs to discover how to make money again. And SEO is a part of that.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SEO
Understand how search engines work Develop SEO strategy Think long term
SOME SEO TIPS
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (1)
• Suspect
Who? Where? Is this in my town? Do I know this person?
Denies Killing Woman
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (2)
• Victory
and Ruins
that might be about anything
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (3)
• Officials Vote
to End Talks
Talks about what? Where?
• School
District Wrestles with Financial Questions
Which school district? What financial questions?
HEADLINES FOR SEO
• headline
is usually pulled into the "title" HTML element
• title
tag is what’s displayed as the link in search results
30 %
influence click through
• well-written
headlines should contain keywords that relate to the content to which they belong
THE HEADLINE SALES
• pay
special attention to sub-lines - include words that will grab readers attention (important for Facebook) line should contain keywords and key phrases
• first
43 %
influence on click through
• cite • use
reliable and trusted sources (include links) full names instead of abbreviations
GOOD HEADLINES
• Good
headlines sell more should explain your content well
• Headlines • Online
headlines are often displayed out of context and are the only thing you see of an article of 10 people skip your content but they read your headline headline is a motivator, it’s like a main window to a shop got 8 seconds to pitch
•8
• Your
• You’ve
HEADLINE WRITING
• Target • Target
basic needs subheads safety and security social (affiliation) esteem (self esteem)
hunger, thirst, shelter, clothing and sex physical, emotional and financial security love, affection, companionship and acceptance achievement, recognition, attention and respect
needs needs
• Target
• Target
KEYWORDS OVER CLEVERNESS
• writers
would rather be clever and creative than clear “10 ways to blast belly fat”
• potential
you use:
monthly readers if
“lose weight” - 5 million “weight loss” - 16 million “diet” - 37 million
WHERE TO USE KEYWORDS
• headlines • subheads • captions • boldface
USE PLAIN ENGLISH
Search engines don’t understand
• wordplay, puns • metaphors • “Mourning
crowds converge on Vatican” vs. John Paul II dies in Vatican.”
• “Pope
LINKS MATTER
• inbound • collect
and outbound links
quality links from good authority websites > banner the rights text for the
• link
• choose
link
• 75%
of SEO = link building
GOOD STORIES GET LINKS
• be • be • be
scandalous creative or funny an expert
• news-breaker • write
for your audience
SEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA
• headlines
Facebook
- attractive for
• first
sentence - 140 symbols to fit in Twitter pictures and video to make your point an active social user yourself
• use
• be
THANK YOU!
Questions?
[email protected]
The Bad, Good & Ugly
CHRIS
twitter.com/chrisgeorgiev Web Gravity StockPodium Client.bg
ONLINE MARKETING TRENDS
Search is the King
SEARCH ENGINE TRAFFIC
off-line media online media
49 %
80 %
OTHER TRAFFIC SOURCES
references/links home page facebook
27-30 % 20-25 % 4-10 %
SEO?
#1 in Google second Coming for a dying industry slotting specific words and phrases into a piece simply to con people into reading it
WHAT IS SEO?
IT’S A PROCESS
1. Identify your audience and set targets 2. Get your site rank as high as possible (off-page & on-page) 3. Constantly track your progress and adjust
WHAT SEO IS NOT
Online advertising Public relations Free traffic Writing a book for free download
SEO is important because it makes sure people can see your content.
Journalism needs to discover how to make money again. And SEO is a part of that.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SEO
Understand how search engines work Develop SEO strategy Think long term
SOME SEO TIPS
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (1)
• Suspect
Who? Where? Is this in my town? Do I know this person?
Denies Killing Woman
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (2)
• Victory
and Ruins
that might be about anything
WHAT DOES THE HEADLINE SAY (3)
• Officials Vote
to End Talks
Talks about what? Where?
• School
District Wrestles with Financial Questions
Which school district? What financial questions?
HEADLINES FOR SEO
• headline
is usually pulled into the "title" HTML element
• title
tag is what’s displayed as the link in search results
30 %
influence click through
• well-written
headlines should contain keywords that relate to the content to which they belong
THE HEADLINE SALES
• pay
special attention to sub-lines - include words that will grab readers attention (important for Facebook) line should contain keywords and key phrases
• first
43 %
influence on click through
• cite • use
reliable and trusted sources (include links) full names instead of abbreviations
GOOD HEADLINES
• Good
headlines sell more should explain your content well
• Headlines • Online
headlines are often displayed out of context and are the only thing you see of an article of 10 people skip your content but they read your headline headline is a motivator, it’s like a main window to a shop got 8 seconds to pitch
•8
• Your
• You’ve
HEADLINE WRITING
• Target • Target
basic needs subheads safety and security social (affiliation) esteem (self esteem)
hunger, thirst, shelter, clothing and sex physical, emotional and financial security love, affection, companionship and acceptance achievement, recognition, attention and respect
needs needs
• Target
• Target
KEYWORDS OVER CLEVERNESS
• writers
would rather be clever and creative than clear “10 ways to blast belly fat”
• potential
you use:
monthly readers if
“lose weight” - 5 million “weight loss” - 16 million “diet” - 37 million
WHERE TO USE KEYWORDS
• headlines • subheads • captions • boldface
USE PLAIN ENGLISH
Search engines don’t understand
• wordplay, puns • metaphors • “Mourning
crowds converge on Vatican” vs. John Paul II dies in Vatican.”
• “Pope
LINKS MATTER
• inbound • collect
and outbound links
quality links from good authority websites > banner the rights text for the
• link
• choose
link
• 75%
of SEO = link building
GOOD STORIES GET LINKS
• be • be • be
scandalous creative or funny an expert
• news-breaker • write
for your audience
SEO AND SOCIAL MEDIA
• headlines
- attractive for
• first
sentence - 140 symbols to fit in Twitter pictures and video to make your point an active social user yourself
• use
• be
THANK YOU!
Questions?
[email protected]
