If you want to keep your site visitors engaged and get or maintain a high ranking with search engines, you need to keep it stocked with fresh content on a regular basis. One of Google’s latest algorithm changes is focusing on rewarding site owners who make a point of posting relevant and timely items with favorable rankings.

What does Google consider quality fresh content? The search engine giant likes to see news and events posted online. The advantage to you in adding this type of content to your site is that Internet users want to be in the know about what’s going on, and they want to find out in bite-sized pieces of information.

Consider adding a blog, news & events or public relations section to your website and invite your site visitors to subscribe so that they can be notified by e-mail whenever a new story is added. This simple step allows you to implement a three-pronged approach to promoting your business: if properly written and optimized, you get a steady stream of organic Web traffic to your site, improved search engine rankings and a steady stream of visitors that know your business is alive and well. 

How can you use newsworthy stories to help promote your business? You can report on the results of surveys or trends which are relevant to your market (while avoiding mentioning your competition, of course). News can also mean promoting your business by sharing noteworthy events, such as a new product or service launch, an award your company received, being featured or cited in the media, sharing the news of an employee’s promotion and so on.

Adding fresh content to your site on a regular basis will help keep your brand in front of your customers. Newsworthy items will make your site a hit with search engines. It’s a win-win situation.

The ranking of your business, service or product in Google’s search results is critical to your success. Toronto-based content and website copywriting expert Ray Litvak understands the art and science of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and using the right words in the right way to increase your rankings. Discover how greater exposure on Google can drive more traffic, increase leads and grow your business. Many of Ray’s clients consistently rank on Google’s first page of results for their key terms and have grown their business as a result. You can do it too – and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Call Ray locally at 416-226-8676 for a free assessment of your specific needs today. You’ll be glad you did!

I’ve been writing web content & copy for years and have built a career around it. 

Like most web ventures, the barrier to entry is low and web writing is no different. Anyone that’s blogged or been published online can claim to be a web writer.  Really, all you need is an Internet connection, basic grasp of language, publishing credit and voila!  You’re a web writer.

In similar fashion, anyone with knowledge of HTML or (dare I say it) FrontPage, can claim to be a web designer.  Web design resources are endless.  For instance, consider the Dummies Series – quick & easy reads for Do-It-Yourselfer’s. A web search shows just a few of the books available for ‘web design’ including:

• Web Sites Do-It-Yourself For Dummies
• Creating Web Pages For Dummies
• Building a Web Site For Dummies
• CSS Web Design For Dummies

(Note: in no way is yours truly implying that web designers are dummies)

The Dummies Series offers many options for those wanting to write, but most involve offline writing. Those that do cover online writing deal with ‘Technical Writing’ and/or programming and mark up languages i.e. C++, Java, XML etc…

So, with no Dummies Series based on ‘online writing’, what’s an aspiring web writer to do?  What skills does one need to become a ‘professional web writer?’ How does one enter the world of ‘professional web writing?’ 

This question arose recently. To be more exact, I was approached by a company interested in sub-contracting a professional web writer.  They had offered to let me write something for them – on behalf of a client – and, based on the search results it garnered, would consider hiring me for future projects. 

Their offer led me to consider what my time and service is worth, which my client’s presently pay good money and get value for in the form of search rankings, lead generation and professional, informed advice.

In essence, the real question is this, “What does a professional web writer do and why is she/he worth $150.00 per page or more?”

Feel free to visit my article titled How to Become a Professional Web Writer to find out more…

Ray Litvak
www.writingwebwords.com
Professional Web Writer & Online Copywriter – Toronto