Writing Good Web Content

Write AnswersWrite AnswersSteve Burge

Open Source TrainingOpen Source Matters

Steve BurgeOpen Source TrainingOpen Source Matters

Steve BurgeSteve Burge

Most Content …Most Content …

Who wrote this?Who wrote this?

• “Short words are best”• “Your headline is the most

important element”• “Use phrases such as ‘Limited

supply’ and ‘last time at this price’”

• “Short words are best”• “Your headline is the most

important element”• “Use phrases such as ‘Limited

supply’ and ‘last time at this price’”

David OgilvyDavid Ogilvy

Content doesn’t changeContent doesn’t change

Sometimes it’s hard work:Sometimes it’s hard work:

Other times it’s accident:Other times it’s accident:

Only One Thing Matters:Only One Thing Matters:

PracticePractice

Only One Thing Matters:Only One Thing Matters:

“Lose Your First 50 Games As Quickly As Possible” - Go

Proverb

“Lose Your First 50 Games As Quickly As Possible” - Go

Proverb

Topics:Topics:

Solve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve Problems

WIIFM???

Solve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve ProblemsSolve Problems

WIIFM???

Topics: Solve ProblemsTopics: Solve Problems

Topics: Not Solving ProblemsTopics: Not Solving Problems• Complaints: “Drupal sucks!”• Mundane: “I’m trying Joomla”• No solutions: “I don’t know

how to do X”• Replicating: “Wordpress 3.0

is out”• Promoting: “We’re great”

• Complaints: “Drupal sucks!”• Mundane: “I’m trying Joomla”• No solutions: “I don’t know

how to do X”• Replicating: “Wordpress 3.0

is out”• Promoting: “We’re great”

Great Expo ExamplesGreat Expo Examples

http://css-tricks.com Wordpress and CSShttp://css-tricks.com Wordpress and CSS


http://HowtoJoomla.net Joomlahttp://HowtoJoomla.net Joomla


http://Lullabot.comDrupalhttp://Lullabot.comDrupal

TopicsTopics

“Scratch Your Own Itch”- “Rework” book

Basecamp, Campfire, Highrise

“Scratch Your Own Itch”- “Rework” book

Basecamp, Campfire, Highrise

Topics:Topics:

Solve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your Problems

What are you more passionate about than the problem you’re

faced with?

Solve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your ProblemsSolve Your Problems

What are you more passionate about than the problem you’re

faced with?

Topics: Solving ProblemsTopics: Solving Problems• This module sucks because

feature X is missing. It’s needed because …

• I’m trying to build a theme and have X advice for people getting started

• I don’t know how to do X, but I’ve tried A, B and C

• This module sucks because feature X is missing. It’s needed because …

• I’m trying to build a theme and have X advice for people getting started

• I don’t know how to do X, but I’ve tried A, B and C

Topics: My adviceTopics: My advice

Solve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche Problems

Start in a niche. Expand later.

Solve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche ProblemsSolve Your Niche Problems

Start in a niche. Expand later.

Topics: Solving ProblemsTopics: Solving Problems

Your readers weren’t at CMSExpo:

• …• …• …

Your readers weren’t at CMSExpo:

• …• …• …

ContentContent

“Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half what’s left”

- Steve Krug

“Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half what’s left”

- Steve Krug

Find One Of Your PostsFind One Of Your Posts

Find the average sentence length

(the number of words divided by the number of sentences)

Find the average sentence length

(the number of words divided by the number of sentences)


Find the average number of syllables per word

(the number of syllables divided by the number of words)

Find the average number of syllables per word

(the number of syllables divided by the number of words)


200 - sentence length - (80 x average number of syllables) = ?

200 - sentence length - (80 x average number of syllables) = ?

The Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula

The Flesch Reading Ease Readability Formula• 90-100 : Very Easy• 80-89 : Easy• 70-79 : Fairly Easy• 60-69 : Standard• 50-59 : Fairly Difficult• 30-49 : Difficult• 0-29 : Very Confusing

• 90-100 : Very Easy• 80-89 : Easy• 70-79 : Fairly Easy• 60-69 : Standard• 50-59 : Fairly Difficult• 30-49 : Difficult• 0-29 : Very Confusing

Cut this down:Cut this down: Joomla is an award-winning content

management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone. (http://joomla.org/about-joomla.html)

Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone. (http://joomla.org/about-joomla.html)

Break up your textBreak up your text

http://sensible.com/chapter.htmlhttp://sensible.com/chapter.html

Break up your textBreak up your text• Images• Bullet points• Short paragraphs• Sub-headings

• Images• Bullet points• Short paragraphs• Sub-headings

HeadlinesHeadlines

“75 percent of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone”

- Tested Advertising Methods

“75 percent of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone”

- Tested Advertising Methods

HeadlinesHeadlines

1. Benefits2. Verbs3. Specifics4. 65 characters long for S.E.O.

You have to get over the feeling that you’re being cheesy

1. Benefits2. Verbs3. Specifics4. 65 characters long for S.E.O.

You have to get over the feeling that you’re being cheesy

HeadlinesHeadlines

http://www.conversion-rate-experts.comhttp://www.conversion-rate-experts.com

HeadlinesHeadlines

- How to get links to your blog from top CMS websites

- $500 in free links and traffic available now

- Are you frustrated with the time needed to build links?

- Does Google drive you mad? We’re about to reveal the solution

- How to get links to your blog from top CMS websites

- $500 in free links and traffic available now

- Are you frustrated with the time needed to build links?

- Does Google drive you mad? We’re about to reveal the solution

5 Pieces of Advice5 Pieces of Advice

1. Practice2. Solve your niche problems3. Write short4. Break up the text5. Write headlines with specific,

energetic benefits

1. Practice2. Solve your niche problems3. Write short4. Break up the text5. Write headlines with specific,

energetic benefits

Grab some paper …Grab some paper …

A Blog About the ExpoA Blog About the Expo

1) Let’s practice2) What problem are you solving?3) Write one paragraph with the

solution4) Find an image5) Pick a specific, punchy headline

Email [email protected] and we’ll get you at least 5 great CMS links.

1) Let’s practice2) What problem are you solving?3) Write one paragraph with the

solution4) Find an image5) Pick a specific, punchy headline

Email [email protected] and we’ll get you at least 5 great CMS links.

Book RecommendationsBook Recommendations

Blog RecommendationsBlog Recommendations

QuestionsQuestions

Thank you.Thank you.

Steve BurgeOpen Source TrainingAtlanta, [email protected]

Steve BurgeOpen Source TrainingAtlanta, [email protected]

Writing Good Web Content

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