website publishing guidelines how to write website content to optimise traffic
TRANSCRIPT
Website Publishing Guidelines
How to write website content to optimise traffic
2Purpose of these guidelines
Help web publishers to…
Understand how to easily create / structure quality content
Understand the importance of the writing style guide Optimise content for target audience and maximise results
3Topics
How to write engaging content and SEO fundamentalsFive steps…
1. Plan - Establish your department’s purpose and
objectives
2. Understand - Make it easy to digest and understand
3. Find – Make it easy to find
4. Action – Give a clear Action
5. Share - Invite them to share your content
41. PLAN
Establish your departments purpose and objectives
ObjectivesWhat are we trying to achieve?
MessagesWhat are we trying to communicate?
Actions requiredWhat/ how do we want our audience to respond?
51. PLAN
Profile your usersUnderstand for whom and why you are creating contentWho are they?
What are their needs and wants?
User lifecycleUnderstand their current circumstance
Present only relevant and timely key messages
Multiple audiences and messagesPrioritise the importance of your audiences
Identify any common messages
Prioritise messages based on audience priority
61. PLAN
How to profile your user...
Primary users Example: Future Domestic U/G Students - School leavers
Age 15 - 21
Gender Male and Female
Internal vs. external External
Where they live? Regional, State, National
Language - cultural English – Australia only
Language - style Personal, concise and informative
Needs Graduate with a degree, establish a career
Wants An adventure filled experienceUndertake industry placement
Role Purchaser
72. Easy to UNDERSTAND
"We don’t read pages. We scan them.”-Steve Krug
82. Easy to UNDERSTAND
Make it easy to digestBuilding relevancy for users and search engines
Get to the point upfront
Use headings and sub headings – increase readability and scanability
Keep sentences short – 15 to 20 words per sentence
Language style – remember who you are talking to
Use everyday words and positive language
Consistency is important – tone, page structure, naming conventions
92. Easy to UNDERSTAND
Make it easy to digestBuilding relevancy for users and search engines
Use bullet points
Prune and to get to the point quickly, don’t add unnecessary padding
Logical order
Proofread and proofread again
Spell Check Tip: Squiz will correct spelling and grammar if you have an Australian-English dictionary installed in your browser.
UoN Writing Style Guide helps with all aspects above – pg 05 and 09
102. Easy to UNDERSTAND
Consider the content typeWhat types are most suitable – text, image, video, infographic or a mix
Support with imagesImages support the key messages of your page content
In the right formatDon’t use bold and capitalise unnecessary copy.
Be creativeTry to communicate content in new and exciting ways
Relevant content onlyHost content in appropriate areas
inter-department content = shared drivecross-department content = closed login access
112. Easy to UNDERSTAND
Don’t duplicate it, link itNever copy and paste content
Duplicate content is problematic for both user/s and search engines
Unique content is always more interesting
Search engines may rank individual pages, but these pages support rankings for the entire site
Interlinking benefits...Adding relevant internal links – helps users to the next step / action Increases the amount of time a user spends reading
12
Step 3.Easy to FIND
133. Easy to FINDOptimise your results with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) basics...
Add unique page titleUnique, each page should have specific focus
Correctly reflect content within page – use keywords
Keep short and descriptive
Optimal length approximately 2 to 3 words e.g. ‘Give to UoN’ or ‘Research fellowships’
143. Easy to FIND
Add unique page descriptionCreate a unique description for all pages – describes contents of page.
Optimal length approximately 150-160 characters (max 160)
You will add this into the Metadata in Squiz.
Keywords may appear bolded in search results
No spelling mistakes!
153. Easy to FIND
Page description shows up on a Google search – it may be the first information a user sees so it needs to be accurate!
Subject = backwards URL
Description = sentence describing page, using keywords
163. Easy to FIND
173. Easy to FIND
HeadingsWhen you create a new page a H1 will automatically generate. (also known as a page title).
H1 headings should be clear & engaging and relevant to the content on the page.
Include a primary keyword or phrase.
All other headings you then create should begin at H2.
Headings should always follow a logical structure. Do not use headings to style your content.
183. Easy to FIND
HeadingsTip: if you're using Word to write text for your new site, use the Styles tab (Normal, Heading 1, Heading 2) and that way when you copy this over into Squiz, the formatting should carry over with it.
Tip: When copying over info from Word into Squiz, use Ctrl V to paste text, instead of right-click paste (for PCs).
193. Easy to FIND
KeywordsThe keywords for your section of the site should be established with the help of our Web Content Team. They should not be duplicated from another section of the current site.
What you should include:Use your keyword throughout your content i.e. intro, body, conclusion. As a rule, 2-3% of every 500 words of your content should contain your keyword.
What you should avoid:Avoid keyword stuffing. This is frowned upon by Google and sites that overuse their keywords to improve SEO can be penalised.
20
Step 4.Easy to ACTION
214. Easy to ACTION
Include clear call to actionsCall to actions tend to be the primary action you wish your readers to undertake and helps users find out more.
Prominent placementDon’t hide them, highlight them instead.
Hyperlinks to relevant contentTip: do not use ‘click here' when creating a hyperlink. It should be as clear as possible to the user where the link will take them. For example: For more information click here = NO
View our three year plan for research innovation in the NeW Directions Strategic Plan - YES
22
Step 5.Easy to SHARE
235. Easy to SHARE
Inspire and motivateGive your readers a reason to share the content
May improve objective targets e.g. number of attendees or applications
Offer and invite users the option to share content easily
Give your readers a reason – in support
In some cases, it is acceptable to invite
24
25Five steps – summary
1.Plan
2.Understand
3.Find
4.Action
5.Share
26Any questions?