What to Look for in Today’s Web Writing Services

With more and more people taking to the Internet to expand the reach of their businesses, it’s no surprise that the popularity of web writing services is escalating to an amazing degree. Outsourcing some or all of your writing oriented work comes alongside many benefits. For a very reasonable investment, you get to enjoy the services of some of the best professional writing experts in the business.

Not only does this free you up to handle other aspects of managing your business, but it allows you to pick the brains of some very talented people and take your website and business to the next level. However, it’s still important to enlist the aid of the right teams, as not every professional web writing service is created equally to every other.

Credibility

One of the best ways to make sure you’ve chosen a truly excellent option when it comes to web writing services is to take a look at the company’s reputation. Choose a team that’s established, has plenty of history with keeping long-term clients happy, and can show you testimonials or references as proof of their capability. Don’t be afraid to ask either! The best service providers usually jump at the chance to tell you all about what they’ve done for past clients and readily provide references.

Experience

The longer a company and its collective base of writers have been in business, the more likely they are to be able to fulfill your needs to perfection. Approach the head of the writing team and ask whether or not they have web writing specialists capable of handling your unique set of criteria. The best writers have been in the business for years and are crack shots when it comes to producing the most popular kinds of content.

Flexibility

Although you may think that there’s only one kind of web writing you’re interested in for your business, website, or blog – for instance copywriting, backlink articles, or ebooks – keep in mind that you may fall completely in love with the idea of outsourcing your writing and want more options in the future. For that reason, it pays to choose a company you know you can grow with into the future. Opt for a team that employs seasoned writers with varied talents – bloggers, creative writers, technical writers, and more. You’d be surprised how often a wellspring of affordable talent can come in handy!

Customer Service

The best web writing teams in the business really are about their customers and aren’t afraid to show them that. Look for services that offer reasonable prices in contrast to the competition. Good writers stand by their work and include edits and other accommodations with their pricing. They prioritize customer satisfaction and quality over all else, which is exactly as it should be when it comes to any business. As the writing firm you’re thinking of going with what their policies are when it comes to accommodating customers in these ways. It might not hurt to ask about policies in regards to situations like emergency orders, special needs, and so forth before you decide.

At the end of the day, finding web writing services you can trust isn’t rocket science. All it takes is a little know-how and careful consideration.

 

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4 SEO Must-Reads: Why You MUST Join Google Plus, Google Panda’s Replacement Penguin, & More

He’s only scary if you’ve avoided quality website content.

SEO MUST-Read #1: Google Plus Matters.   Could your Google Plus account potentially be the key to achieving better traffic and a preferred placement with Google?  Harvard Professor Ben Edelman has some very interesting comments to say regarding Google Plus—comments that have created a buzz in the blogosphere.  Even CNET’S SEO blogger, Larry Dignan, had a featured post about what Professor Edelman had to say.  What was his comment?  “I perceived that Google would grant my site preferred placement–more algorithmic traffic–if I linked my Google Plus account to my web site and online publications.”  By embedding Google + into their search results, Google is not only getting their alternative to Facebook noticed: they’re saying you have to join if you want better search results.  It’s time to join Google Plus – not because it’s a fun new social media site, but because it’s necessary for better website rankings.

SEO MUST-Read #2: It’s Google Penguin time.  Out with the Panda…in with the Penguin.  (It’s a pattern…Google must really like those black and white animals.)  Our last few newsletters centered on Google Panda 2.5.  Just a few days ago (in early May), we discovered that Google had released a newer algorithm change, which included over 50 changes to the way their search engine works, and they’re calling this the Penguin update.  However, the Penguin changes haven’t been fully applied to the powers of the search engine yet, and we’re not sure when it will happen.  But if you want to know the full list of changes Google came out with in April, you can read it here (prepare for a huge list in small black and white font).

SEO MUST-Read #3: Backlinking is outdated.  That’s correct: link juice isn’t so big anymore.  Doesn’t mean you should drop the locals you’ve hired and quit all your backlinking efforts!  No, PageRank still matters.  But Google is simply getting smarter.  Your PageRank doesn’t go up overnight just by backlinking alone.  It used to bewhen search engines saw that a thousand links were pointing to your website, they automatically assumed your website was important and ranked it high.  Now, Google is getting smarter.

SEO MUST-Read #4: Re-strategize around SEO content.  Google’s new frown on link placement will definitely hurt a lot of businesses, who get their customers from the links they’ve placed (and not using the talents of a native Indian, but through a lot of costly time and work).  Link placement is the life juice to a small business with a web presence.  So what can small businesses do to recover?  “Re-strategize your SEO around quality content,” CNBC experts are saying.  You need as much content as you can.  And it doesn’t have to be all hosted on your website, either: you can publish content through social media (Facebook posts, twitter, Youtube), press releases, guest blogs, and much more.   Don’t forget…Express Writers can create any kind of web content you’re looking for!

A Look At SOPA & PIPA: Battle For The Future Of The Internet

The Internet is a huge, growing business industry, social hub, knowledge base, available to anyone free of use.  But earlier this year, the U.S. government came an inch away from gaining absolute power to shut down any part of it they wanted to.  The debut of the SOPA and PIPA bills proposed in Congress earlier this year impacted everyone in America, from big business website owners and simple Facebook users, YouTubers and Twitterers.  SOPA and PIPA were introduced to the House of Representatives and Senate, respectively. 

As we watched and waited for the bills to be approved or rejected, America saw the largest online protest in history: over 4.5 million people came together to sign search engine mogul Google’s petition against the bills.  Two days later, the bill was shelved.  Or was it?

Here’s one thing you probably didn’t know: the battle could still be raging, right under our noses, this spring 2012.  Sources like the Memphis Daily News are calling the proposal of SOPA and PIPA an ongoing, “raging battle” that really hasn’t ended.  If you own a computer and have wireless access for any reason, you need to keep reading.

What Is SOPA & PIPA?

SOPA stands for The Stop Online Piracy Act, and PIPA stands for the Protect IP Act.  SOPA was a bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives, while PIPA was introduced to the Senate (a double whammy).  Both bills were aimed to destroy websites that infringed on copyrighted material.  Media piracy was a huge target.  In reality, the bills had the potential to stifle free speech on the Internet, even threatening Wikipedia, YouTube and Google.  The power these bills could potentially put into the hands of government was the worst part of it all.  The methods provided for “fighting” these “illegal” and “threatening” websites – insert spiel on how really “threatening” these websites were to the nation— included giving the US Department of Justice complete power to release a court order that made it mandatory for Internet ISPs to actually block (or shutdown) domain names entirely, just as they saw fit.  Not only that, but the Dept of Justice could suck the last lifeblood out of these domains by requiring all advertisers on the offending site to stop doing business with the site.  From sending offenders to jail for 5 years over a music video to total website shutdown, this bill simply gives too much power to the government.

Watch this Fight for the Future video that explains it all in a well-put-together video animation.  It’s scary to think these bills tampered with the basic structure of the Internet—decreasing its security and stability. 

Who Was Behind SOPA & PIPA?

Wikipedia, who was one of the many websites joining in on the effort to blackout their home page in opposition to the dangerous bills, has an entire page dedicated to those behind the bill.  Read the SOPA history  here and the PIPA history here.  SOPA was introduced to the Senate by Texas Representative Lamar Smith.  PIPA was a rewrite of a failed 2010 bill, and was introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy.  Implementation of this bill would cost the government (more likely, its taxpayers) no less than $47 million! 

Guess who was behind the bill?  A long host of companies you might use daily.  Just yesterday, I found out one of my favorite hosting servers, Godaddy, was a sponsor.  Big Internet businesses making money off of hundreds of thousands of consumers were those who sponsored it—because SOPA and PIPA could effectively shut down any new and threatening competitor.  Here’s a list of every business who supported both bills, including ABC, Comcast, Coty, Inc., ESPN, Hyperion Books, L’Oreal, Nike, Scholastic, Visa, Warner Music Group and many others.

On January 18, 2012, both bills had been introduced to Congress.  It was a dire moment as many business owners watched and waited, unsure if their websites could face shutdown.  A public rally was held in NYC against the SOPA bill.  Over 7 million signatures were collected by Google in various ways to oppose the bill.  7,000+ websites coordinated a blackout movement.

What Is the Future of SOPA & PIPA?

The very fact that Congress had members who introduced these two bills is scary.  Is our government so far gone that it would have accepted a bill that gave itself the power to shutdown the Internet?  Although Congress effectively shelved the bill no less than 2 days after America’s biggest online protest in history, they didn’t fully reject the bills.  These bills remain “postponed” today.

America had a voice when SOPA and PIPA came out.  Since the huge protest that ensued, many Congress members have considered it a possible termination of their seat if they try to pick up either bill again.  But that doesn’t mean they won’t, or can’t.  These bills were introduced, and failed before.  Obama Care was introduced and immediately approved, without even being read by a single member of the Senate.  There’s no telling what will happen.  The best we can do is stay informed and speak up so it won’t happen.  And don’t vote in candidates who will propose similar bills.

How far can the government go? 

As far as we will let them. 

5 Secrets For A Successful Website In 2012: Google Panda 3.0 and Other Things

When Google announced changes to their search engine that were eventually known as “Panda” last February, thousands of website pages crashed.  People lost 60-100% of their income.  The changes were so serious that webmasters, site owners, internet business gurus, and even internet writers faced a decision: change their thinking on SEO, or get a new job.

In 2012, Google will be implementing more Panda changes.  There’s a Panda 3 on the horizon.  And for your website to succeed this year, it’s time you get familiar with the changes.
We’ve listed the top five changes for SEO that Google is focusing on this year, after scouring the web and pages of tech guru advice.

2012 SEO SECRET #1: Less keyword focus, more information.  This might be the only secret here that comes as a surprise.  Keyword research has always been huge for people.  But today, it’s the article with the most information instead of the article with the most keyword density, in Google (and Panda’s) eyes.  If your website has too many articles that are focused on keywords alone, it’s time to rewrite the content – if you want to rank high in 2012.  Content is still king, but this year, you should switch focus from keywords to providing information in every article.  Experts are saying that the keyword density you include should actually be LESS than 2-3 keywords per article…and the focus should be on alternate keywords, and the subject itself.  Example: If you are writing about “auto insurance,” Google won’t pick up your website if you have 100 500-word articles on the subject with 10-20 appearances of the keyword.  Use the keyword twice and then use “vehicle insurance, motorists’ insurance,” etc.  Stuck on synonyms?  This is where a seasoned writer comes in handy!

2012 SEO SECRET #2: Improve usability for all users – mobile phone, iPad, iPhone, Tablet, Android…you name it.  2012 is going to be another year of serious web-surfing electronic users.  And they’re going to be accessing your website from a myriad of devices.  You might have your website pruned and ready for Apple iPhones: but have you included Android?  Make sure your webmaster is updating your website’s scripts, usability and layout so that everyone on any device will be able to access it.  Your content matters too.  Make sure you have content that’s easy to read, not bogged down with too much information, and can be scrolled through in a flick of a finger.

2012 SEO SECRET #3: Blog more, socialize your blogging more.  Tech and SEO experts are saying that Google Panda puts a lot of weight on how much blogging AND social media you’re using.  Do both more, and you rank higher with Google.  Are you updating every blog you (or your writer) post on Facebook, Twitter and Google+?  Hootsuite is a free handy tool that allows you to send out a universal post instantly to all your social media profiles.

2012 SEO SECRET #4: Google wants at least 400 words.  If you’re familar with Ezine articles, you know that they won’t accept any article below 400 words in length. There’s a reason: Google doesn’t want less, either.  Make sure you or your writers are shooting for 350-400 words in every website page or blog.  Rank higher by simply adding more content to what you have or additional pages to your website.

2012 SEO SECRET #5: Absolutely NO article spinning, farming, or copying. Google is not tolerating any of this for 2012.  Countless websites were penalized for this when Google Panda 2.5 came out in the latter half of 2011.  Get rid of your article spinning software, and if you’re not sure what “farming” means, keep it that way.  This is the biggest thing about website content if you want your website to succeed – make sure, above all, you (or your writers) are using 100% original content (and lots of it).

Visit Express Writers to hire website content writers!

How To Use Google’s New SEO Rules To Your Benefit

Be very, very glad if you weren’t taught the whole auto blogging or scraping process.  That is, if you live in today’s present age of technology.  Because if you were, you just might be out of a living right now.  Back in the golden age of early Internet (sure, not so golden, it was the late 1990s); the whole auto blogging/scraping process may have worked.  There were hundreds upon thousands of websites filled with old stuff.  Website content copied from someone else.  Sites like these made money.  Life was good for the site owners.

 

Google has just announced changes to their “algorithm” – the formula that powers their search engine – and it’s entirely cutting out some search results that don’t meet criteria.  All things come to an end; and the trash flow of duplicate website content in Google’s result pages has come to an abrupt halt.  The money making machines of many website owners, those pages and pages of copied and pasted website content, have come to a creaking stop.  Google has had enough, and their recent rules (we’re talking as recent as August 2011) are cracking down on all unoriginal content.

 

A recent post in Google Webmaster about duplicate content says it all: when website content gets deliberately duplicated across domains in attempts to win more traffic and get higher in search results, Google may remove that site entirely from their index.  In other words, copy someone else’s content on purpose and the next time you wake up, your site could be wiped off search results entirely.

 

The new rules on duplicate content are devastation for those who have been making a living off of doing these types of deceptive doings.  But, these new rules will work to the benefit of the company owner who wants to offer their consumer a genuine experience.  Quality, original website content with a non-forced keyword density that offers real information is now and will be ranking higher in Google.

 

Think about it.  How do you want to represent your company?  It might save money to copy what appears to be in the public domain.  But in the long run, it could wipe your business off the Internet search map.  Remember also that your website is an entire representation of your company.  If you have the means to get the quality website content that will reflect the true message of your company, then by all means do so.

 

Duplicate content on any site isn’t a standalone reason for Google to crackdown on that site.  Google is getting smarter with technology, and they can realize when duplicate content has been copied with deceptive reasons in mind.  If a website owner decides to go this route, these new rules could completely erase their website.  But if someone wants to create 100% original and high quality website content for their website, they have a real chance at success with these new rules: it’s easier than ever for a website with this caliber to rank high in Google.

 

For original, customized website content, visit Express Writers today!

Why You Can’t Re-Use Web Content

I was talking with someone about my blog the other day and mentioned that it is starting to fill up with content.  I already have about 20 articles in there, just from a month of writing content steadily.  Their eyes got all bright, and they said, “So now you don’t have to write anything else! You can just keep using that content.”  I sadly shook my head.  I wish that was how it worked.  Sure would save me some time.

 

Fresh web content is necessary if you want to keep getting indexed by Google.  If you reuse one or two of your blogs again five months later, you might just get by.  But you just can’t keep reposting the same old content.  You have to be generating some new stuff every time you post, or at least 28 out of 30 days.

 

Why Fresh, New Content Is Necessary

What is really the point behind all this new content?  Why is there a constant need for more web content?  We have millions of pages in Google of web content for just one search term, why does it look like Google’s always looking for more?

 

Cleaning up the web and restricting multiple copies of the same web content is an effort that’s been started by nearly every single search engine worth mentioning.  Google is the leader in this.  Once you publish something, it’s published and you can’t use it again.  Ever.

 

If Google wasn’t cracking down on the amounts of multiple website content, what do you think our search engine results would look like?  Pages of pages of webmaster, site owners saving money and posting duplicate content.  The first page would have identical results.  Soon, people would find it too difficult and tiresome to use a search engine, and Google would slow down.  Now, Google is seeing this in the near future, and they are working to prevent it in a pretty smart way: simply not indexing content that looks to be at all duplicate.  It actually makes sense if you think about it.

 

So, the bottom line is not to use that free content sitting around on the web in archives.  There are websites that advertise non-copyrighted, free material for your site.  If you want to actually get in Google and have a chance of making it to the top, never, ever use that content.  Make your own.  Either outsource the work or do it yourself, but never duplicate someone else’s: even if it’s free.

 

For original, professional web content, visit Express Writers today!

 

 

 

 

Top 2 Ways To Make Your Web Content Stand Out From the Crowd

There’s millions and millions of matching pages for any single given search term that you type in Google.  And for many webmasters and site owners, a problem that they’ve been working to solve is how to actually stand out and get noticed in a sea of matching or similar web content.  Although you might be on page one or two of the top search results, you can still get completely overlooked if you have nothing to offer the viewer.  If your website is a generic one that is similar to everyone else’s, you don’t have a real chance of leading any competition.

 

So, how do you stand out in the middle of pages and pages of web content?  There are several answers.  Here are the top two ways to get the edge above the rest of the competition right beside you.

 

Vary your titles for each page.  Under the <header> tag of your website’s html files, you have the title tag.  Inside this tag is the wording that the visitor sees on the top of their internet, Firefox, or Chrome tab.  For instance, Google reads simply Google; Ezine Articles reads, “EzineArticles Submission – Submit Your Best Quality Original Articles For Massive Exposure, Ezine Publishers Get 25 Free Article Reprints”.  (Yes, I had no idea their title was that long till I stopped and typed it all out right now.)  Now, a long title like Ezine has is a very good marketing ploy.  Clicking on any of their categories instantly changes that title to the category name, and then from there you can click on articles and it will change to the article name.

 

Having a title that is different for each page can even be your “call of action” to the reader.  Ezine Articles has done this very well.  Their title catches your eye and makes you want to learn more about that “massive exposure” promise!

 

So, head to your website’s html files and change the name of each of your page’s titles.  It only takes a few minutes to actually do, but make sure you sit down and think of the perfect page titles that will reflect the page content individually and put a call of action out there to your readers.

 

Create a Favicon.  You know that neat little picture of a “G” that appears when you have Google in your browser?  It’s on the left side of your URL bar.  That’s called a favicon, and if you want to stand out from your competition, a favicon is a great tool to do this with.  Favicons can be simple to create either through software or, if you’re handy with graphics, through a simple paint drawing.

 

For web content from blogs to press releases, visit Express Writers today.

 

 

How to Create Google Ready Web Content

Making web content used to be a piece of cake.  Nowadays, it couldn’t be more difficult for a non-writer to sit down and try to write a page of website content.  First, you must involve your keywords; secondly, you must involve the reader.  Balancing both, while trying to please both, can overwhelm anyone who isn’t used to the task.

 

One problem I often encounter with making web content that is Google, Ezine, or blog ready, is avoiding a repititous keyword.  For instance, Ezine is one web content area that is getting stricter and stricter when it comes to the content.  You can’t have above a 4% density in one article, which means about less than 15 keywords inside 400 words.  Keywords add up, especially if it’s a very common phrase.  For instance, if you’re writing an article about a pool cleaner, it’s going to be very hard not to get marked as spam for overusing the keyword “pool cleaner”.   Another problem is creating content that is both keyword optimized and reader optimized (meaning Google can index it, but your reader doesn’t get sore eyes from all the spam).

 

Problem: How do I avoid repetitious keyword phrases?

Answer: Use an online thesaurus. 

It couldn’t be easier to find an alternative for the word “roof” if that’s the keyword getting marked as spam because you simply can’t stop using it.  Just use a thesaurus.  “Canopy, ceiling, covering, shelter,” are just some of the choices.  The only problem here is staying coherent.  You don’t really want to substitute the word “shelter” for “roof” if you’re talking about roof cleaning products.  But, a thesaurus has helped me many times in avoiding that common repetitious keyword problem.

 

Problem: How do I write for my reader and Google?

Answer: Understand before you write, and it will flow better. 

You will be very surprised to find out how much easier it is to write with the keyword “short sale” if you go online and study about it.  If you’re writing for Google, you need the keyword in there; but for the reader, you also need to make the content personalized.  And you can only do that if you have an understanding of what you are writing about.

 

Problem: My content is boring.

Answer: Break it up! 

Boring, whole pages of website content will certainly turn any reader away, even if they’re positively thrilled in real life about the molecular theory.  Seeing a page of words isn’t appealing.  Breaking it up into subheaders and bullet points is your answer.  Make it easier on the eyes when you break it up a bit.

 

For web content services, visit Express Writers today!

The Crackdown On Duplicate or Spam Web Content

It used to be that anything went when it came to web content.  No matter what you scribbled and pasted together, you could post it online, and if you had keywords in it, it would eventually get picked up and indexed somewhere near the top by Google.  You could even post 300 words of 100% spam on places like Ezine or GoArticles.

 

Not so these days.  Google also has started to index sites that are only high in quality.  Anything less is penalized and could miss the search engine mogul’s indexing entirely.  Duplicate content is heavily cracked down on nowadays.  When you post something online, you absolutely cannot post it twice.  This may seem a little unfair, especially if you consider the everyday things like news that gets shown around the world not once, not twice, but hundreds of times.  Plus, Google is also pulling up results that are no more centering around the keyword.  Some web gurus have noticed that Google will only index articles that have around 1,000 words.  This is not 100% true, you can still get indexed for less; but more and more, anything that has spam or duplicacy is not getting favored by any search engine.

 

With factors like these to consider when creating your web content, it might be a little more difficult to rank as high as you want unless you have serious quality in all your content.  But what happens when someone steals your content and duplicates it?  Or if you unknowingly post something that is duplicate?  Here are a few of the best routes you can take to avoid the problems of getting marked as spam or duplicate on web content.

 

When creating your web content, understand keyword density and gear towards your reader.  A web content writer or a team of professional web copywriters can offer you the assistance you need here, if you’re not sure how to proceed.  You do need keywords, and it is important to SEO your content; but you must also gear it towards your reader.

 

Avoid spam and duplicacy by using available software and websites.  Copyscape.com is the number one way that content editors use to check all web content before it gets posted online.  Grammarly is a great tool that tells you what the faults in your web content are, and how to correct them: even to the smallest errors.  Tools like these can make your life a lot easier.

 

For great web content, stop by Express Writers today!

What Is Web Content Caching?

Have you ever gone to Google, searched something, and seen the little “Cached” word in blue next to the link?  Well, that has to do with web content caching.  Web content caching is a feature that isn’t really part of a network, or part of an application.  Rather, it sits between those two.  To understand web content caching, it’s important to know just what a content cache is, first.

What’s a Content Cache?

A content cache is something known as a software piece or appliance that sits inside an application server.  The content cache takes requests and responds for the application, reducing the amount of hits that are sent to backend servers.  Caches store these “responses”, since most requests have already been seen before, and can simply pull up the old response when requested.

In the layman’s terms, content caches are a mechanism for the temporary storing, or caching, of a web page.  Doing this will prevent things like server lag, bandwidth usage, and help users to surf the web faster.

Benefits of A Content Cache

The main idea behind a content cache is that web servers work a lot less since the cache is able to serve most of the content.  This will depend on the setup, the application, and the content.  The main benefits of a content cache include:

• Reducing the content load on the web (it’s saved on the application server via the content cache instead, reducing hardware and licensing costs)
• Serving the content out faster (web caches are very fast most of the time)
• Reducing the load on middleware
• Caching web content that is closer to the user.  Caches don’t have to be in the same location as everything else is.

Should You Use A Web Content Cache?

If you think you may need a cache, the biggest headache is deciding what content to cache, and how long you want to do it.  Failure in these areas may sound simple to avoid, but a network manager who hasn’t done these steps right can have a huge fear of caching due to some account balances that were unexpected.  Here are the main things you should know about using a content cache.

• Decide what you’d like to cache, and the time frame.  For example: I want to cache all images for 24 hours.
• Make sure you test out these rules till they work for you.
• Configure your cache as needed.

Make sure you have great web content before you setup your content cache!  Visit Express Writers for affordable, quality website content.

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