| Many journalists supplement their offline media careers | | | | Swiftly followed by the suggestion that they spend a |
| by providing content for internet sites. However this | | | | bit more, to find someone who can do the job properly. |
| does not mean that they understand how search | | | | Luckily, there are plenty of well-qualified SEO |
| engine optimisation works, when providing copy to | | | | companies around, working both on and offline, who |
| clients. Often, it is better to use SEO companies who | | | | can provide quality web copy that will enhance your |
| also offer web building and search engine reputation | | | | internet reputation. These companies certainly |
| management help to e-commerce sites. | | | | understand the concepts of SEO and can combine |
| Much of the writing seen on the internet is of low | | | | them with writing skills. Whether it's a magazine or an |
| value. It is keyword stuffed and full of errors. Many of | | | | e-zine, the aim is to provide quality content, and ensure |
| the articles are openly plagiarised from other sites, then | | | | that the public is easily able to access it. |
| respun using commercial or online software. The result | | | | Social media marketing plays a large part in controlling |
| is often barely readable – but to the site owners, | | | | the quality of Google listings. News sites like the BBC |
| this doesn't matter. All they're interested in is getting up | | | | and Sky get a large amount of traffic from Google, so |
| the page rankings. Luckily, this is becoming rarer, thanks | | | | news content on other sites must get there first. If you |
| to internet features like Google's PageRank. Today, | | | | intend to use social news sites like Digg as part of |
| the search engines put great score on site | | | | your SEO link building strategy, employing the services |
| trustworthiness. The browsing public, too, are less likely | | | | of a news journalist to write your copy will be a great |
| to open links in sites that are obviously not interested in | | | | help. |
| giving them valuable information about a product, so | | | | Often, new websites are installed by successful "bricks |
| such sites quickly drift off the SEO radar. | | | | and mortar" companies, who may well have |
| Quite often, the sites themselves are trustworthy, but | | | | successful trade magazines or newsletters. To |
| are built and furnished by unqualified webmasters who | | | | maintain continuity across the two genres, and to build |
| are content to buy sub-standard content - often from | | | | a strong search engine reputation management plan, |
| bidding freelance sites where amateur writers are paid | | | | those newsletters can be embedded on the website. |
| a pittance to submit plagiarised and poorly rewritten | | | | They can also be used for search engine optimization |
| articles. Writers' CVs are usually backed by dubious | | | | purposes, although generally this will involve altering the |
| "testimonials" from non-existent "satisfied customers," | | | | headlines and initial and final paragraphs. This is usually |
| and rarely include any genuine quality examples of their | | | | the job of an SEO sub-editor rather than the writer or |
| own work. This is why new site owners are best off | | | | site owner – another reason why employing the |
| going to a search engine optimisation company. Often, | | | | services of an SEO company is a good idea. |
| the first advice they're given is, "Sack your copywriter!" | | | | |