Writing for the Web 101

1. Writing for the Web 101

2. Benefits of Writing Good Content • The Web is most often the first place people go to find information • Good content improves image and reputation of your unit/the university • If readers can find it on the Web, they won’t call you • Decrease in time spent on the phone and voicemail • Enables you to expend energy on other vital university business

3. First Steps- Reviewing The Creative Brief • The Creative Brief is designed to assist you in writing targeted content. Reviewing the creative brief before you start to write will help you focus your writing to your site’s desired goal. • The creative brief lists: • Your main audience(s) • Main messages for your audience • Actions you want your audience to take from reading the content

4. Keep it Simple – Focused Content • Who are you? • College of Engineering • Who is the person(s) you are writing to? • Current students and prospective students • What is the purpose of the page you are writing? • Inform students of the different engineering programs • What do you want them to do? • Understand each program and the differences between them • Teach – Don’t Sell

5. The Importance of Page Overviews • Write a brief overview of the page text at the start of each page to ensure your readers that they are on the right page for their needs. • Example:University of Colorado Denver Enrollment Directions • Enrolling into the university is easy. The following directions should be used when enrolling…..

6. Easy to Read & Easy to Find Content = Good Content • Organize your information on the page so it can be found easily • Think about how you find information easily on the Web and duplicate that method • Want your audience to do something? Tell Them. • “Read about our different engineering departments” • “Call 303.555.5555 for more information” • “Register for Fall semester” • “We can help you succeed! See how.”

7. Using Bullets • Bullet points are an excellent form of Web writing because they are visually appealing and make it easy to quickly find pertinent information. • Keep lists brief • Begin with action verbs when possible • Make verb tenses and forms consistent • After the last item in your list, do not just stop. Come back and write at least one sentence to give your readers a sense of completeness.

8. Introduction to Search Engines Search Engine: A computer program that searches documents, esp. on the World Wide Web, for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are found.

9. Why Do We Care About Them • Search engines are the main method of “information finding” for people under 65 years old. • Search engines convert over five times the amount of leads than other marketing methods. • If you are listed on the first page of an engines Search Results, you are 90% more likely to be opened by the searcher than results on following pages. • Increase the likelihood of being on the first page by writing “optimized content”.

10. Setting Expectations for Search Results The typical time frame for sites to rank “organically” on the first page/pages on Search Engines is four months to one year. Be patient. Organic Listing(s): The search results that shows on the list space on a Search Engine’s Web page that aren’t paid for or “sponsored”. Paid or “sponsored” list results

11. Optimized Content- Keywords and Key Phrases • Keywords are the individual words that a person types into a search engine to perform a search. • MBA • Key phrases are a string of words used to perform a Search. • MBA Online Programs • The keywords and key phrases in your content tells the search engines that you are a source of information for that topic and they then list you on the search results.

12. Optimized ContentDetermining Keywords to Write in Your Content “what if I were searching” • Put on your What if I were searching” hat. List the keywords and phrases you would type into a search engine. • 2. Select the 3 most relevant keywords or key phrases to your audience. Weave them into your text. • MBA • MBA Programs • MBA Programs Denver • MBA Programs Colorado • MBA Online • MBA Online Programs

13. Optimized ContentLinking on Your Site The Search Engines read links as more valuable text than unlinked text. Therefore, link text that is meaningful to your audience. Internal Linking Do:Link words in a sentence. Example: Learn more about our executive MBA program . Internal Linking Don’t:“Click here” is not good linking. Example: Click hereto learn more about our executive MBA program.

14. Optimized Content The .PDF Dilemma…. .PDFs are typically pictures. Search engines can’t read the text in these pictures, therefore, typical PDFs exclude text that could add “relevancy” to your Website and increase your rank on the Search Engines. How to make a .PDF readable by Search Engines: With Adobe Acrobat use the Catalog feature to create a “searchable full-text index” version of your .PDF. http://www.adobe.com/ap/epaper/tips/acr5search/

15. Steps to Remember • Writing • Keep it simple • Use your creative brief to write targeted content • Write a page summary at the start of each page • Don’t make your audience think • Organize content to be easy to find • Use bullets • If you want visitors to do something, tell them • Teach, don’t sell • Optimize Your Content - Keywords and key phrases • Brainstorm on the words you would use if you had to search for information located on your site – pick three and weave into text • Optimize Your Content - PDFs • Convert PDFs to a readable format • Optimize Your Content - Linking • Link text that is meaningful to your audience

16. Questions?