Writing Across Platforms university communication writing course. Teaches students keyword research for SEO, including what it is, what link building is, and why it matters. This lecture relates to a lecture that follows with in class activities for students. See lecture "Writing for Search Engines: SEO, Google Trends, Adwords Keywords Tool" under my profile. In-class activity explained in blog post: http://mattkushin.com/2013/04/10/seo-keyword-research-with-google-trends-class-activity-students/

1. Writing Across Platforms.
Matthew J. Kushin, Ph.D.
Dept. of Comm | Shepherd University

2. Journal Time: 5 minutes

3. AP Quiz #2

4. AP Handout #3 – Quotes &
Practice

5. AP Quiz #3 = next class.

6. Lead Lab Pair & Share

7. Social News Release

8. What?
 News release optimized for web & online sharing.
 Optimized for search engines. today
 Links
 Graphics / videos.
 Shareable.

9. Optimization
 Asks: How can we optimize our content to increase chance
people will find it online?

10. SEO
 Search Engine Optimization – best practices to optimizing
content to increase chances will be found via web search.
 Why?
 People turn to search!
 They pick from top few links.
 Content @ top influences audience perceptions.
 Creates: Competition to be highest in search results.

11. How Search Engines Work
 Accuracy & effectiveness:
 Search engines attempt to determine what’s relevant and
credible content to:
 Create algorithms to weigh cues thought to:
 Meet user search needs.

12. The Magic Formula?
 Search engines use SHH SECRET!! algorithms to rank
content.
 SEOers attempt to learn & capitalize on algorithm.
 Algorithem changes 
 ERGO!
 SEO is constantly evolving.

13. Content + Links
 SEO will change, but @RockablePress states SEO =
 Content – matches what’s searched.
 Links – how much your content is linked to.

14. Inbound Links = Authority
 Links to your site on pages around web.
 Logic: Lots of people linking to you means you have:
AUTHORITY.
Your
Link Awesome Link
Content

15. Right Content = Relevancy.
 How closely does what people search for…
 Match your content?
Photo CC Michael Dunn

16. Writing for 2 audiences.
 All web writing should be written for:
 Humans
 Search Engines.

17. How do we search?
 With
 No matter what we search, we think of keywords:
 Can be single words or phrases.
 Cars: “fuel economy” “safety” “price”
 Restaurant: “pizza” “Italian”

18. Keywords are king
 So are vitally important to search!
 Knowing what terms others search when looking for what we’re
offering is critical

19. About Keywords
 Primary Keywords – single words or short phrases.
 Searched for more.
 Less specific – may not relate to what you are writing about.
 Greater competition (more people use this term in the content
they create).
 Example:
 Search: Automobile.
 You are writing about: Automobile repair.
 Could be searching for: auto dealers, after market products,
reviews, etc.
Photo CC KirtT

20. Long Tail Keywords:
 Phrases built on primary keywords.
 Get fewer searches.
 Are more relevant.
 Example:
 Keywords: Automobile muffler making noise.
 You: Have content about fixing mufflers.
Photo CC KirtT

21. Competition!?
 Too much content competing for a popular keyword means
your chances of ranking high in search = more difficult
Image: rutty

22. Goal
 Find RIGHT keywords people use when searching for your topic
 Relevant but not high competition.
 When keyword market = saturated
 be creative & diligent.
 There is usually a way in!

23. Example
 Selling Samsung Galaxy accessories.
 Lots of competition -> lots of people selling these.
 Use keywords about new product “TruSound wireless
earbuds”
 Write web content about that!

24. For Class AFTER Next Class
 Brainstorm a list of 5-7 keywords (terms that you think people
might search the web).
 The topic is:
 Soup.
Image creative commons: nettsu

25. Preview:
 Next class:
 Formal Critique Day
 See guidelines on Sakai. Image: CC natetherobot
 Must bring soft & hard copy of your draft.
 Structured: I will provide guidelines to help you.
 Following class we’ll discuss:
 How we use these keywords once we figure them out.