Social Media and its influence

Robin Good: Some really valuable and long-tested advice on specific, immediately applicable things you can do to your writing and to the formatting of your content to make sure it looks professional, and it gets more people to read and appreciate it.

 

The advice contained in this infographic is excellent and I have been using each and every single one of these ten rules for a long time now on MasterNewMedia. If you have not yet started to consider some of this variables, dive into this infographic and start reserving some mental and production space for them too.

 

Highlights: 

 

A) Impatient searchers

Jakob Nielsen’s seminal web usability study from 1997 showed that 79% of web users scan rather than read. Think about how you use the web. You’re in search of information. And if you don’t find it on the page you’re visiting, you click away and look elsewhere. What can you do to engage your readers so they lean into your content, stay on your pages and interact with your information?

 

B) Make it snappy

To write successfully for the web, you need to forget some of what you learned in English composition class. Accept that people scan web pages rather than reading them in detail, and work with this reality rather than fighting it.

 

C) Structure your paragraphs in the inverted pyramid style.

This means stating your conclusion first, then supporting it with the sentences that follow. This helps scanners to move from point to point, and decide where they’d like to dive in deeper.

 

1. Embrace the line break

There are few easier ways to make your content more readable.

And try writing some paragraphs with one sentence only.

 

2. Break up your content with compelling subheads

Is there a compelling story? Will they get the gist of your information?

 

3. Use bulleted lists
 

4. Use deep captions

Studies have shown that image captions are consistently some of the most-read copy on a page. Try pairing a strong image with a “deep caption.”

Deep captions are two to three sentences long. That’s long enough to intrigue your reader to dig in to your whole article.

 

5. Add highly relevant links

Internal links back to your own cornerstone content will keep people on your site and reading your best material. External links demonstrate that you’ve researched the topic and want to highlight other experts.

 

6. Use strategic formatting

Add emphasis to your web copy by bolding important concepts. You reader will be able to scan through and pick out the most important information at a glance. Emphasize the key points so the scanner can quickly pick them out.

 

7. Harness the power of numbers

Think those numbered list posts are tired? Think again. Numbers are an incredibly effective way to both capture attention and to keep the reader oriented.

 

8. Check your dual readership path

Does the reader get the gist? Have you pulled out the most interesting and relevant words, the words that will pull your scanner in and turn her into a reader?

 

 

Excellent. It works. 9/10

 

By Pamela Wilson -- http://bit.ly/LzBnQm

Source: http://bit.ly/LIOp4n

Infographic by BlueGlass -- http://bit.ly/LzBNpN

Via maxOz, Robin Good, Gust MEES

I selected this piece by Dino Joannides for Lingospot because it tackles a much asked and frequently tackled answered of "What is Curation?" in the most appropriate manner possible. That is to say, he answers the question with an excellent example of curation, complete with multiple links to articles that prove his points.

 

Some points that caught my attention:

 

**Content curation means different things to a variety of stakeholders, be they journalists, editors, bloggers, business executives or marketers.

 

**Fred Wilson the Venture Capitalist and blogger sees curation as an essential element in today's media landscape as indicated by one of his posts here

.

**Some argue that curation could actually save media.

 

**Others have argued that there is a new type of curation that is in effect the New Search.

 

**Most people inadvertently already act as curators whenever they decide to post a link or video to their social networks to show their friends they have found great or topical content.

 

He closes by suggesting traditional editors make decisions based only upon content that was produced internally, whereas the newer Curation mixes this with external content. The determination of what is given prominence remains the same.

 

The difference is that now, this role is undertaken by professional journalists, content marketers, bloggers" or in reality, anyone that publishes online".

 

What do you think?

 

Curated by Jan Gordon covering "Content Curation, Social Business and Beyond"

 

Read full article: [http://bit.ly/w81bwP]

Via janlgordon

Everyone thinks their blog post is the most entertaining, informative, must-know compilation of research and Internet fodder on the planet. And that’s good, to a point—everyone should be lucky to have that much confidence.

But in reality?

Your blog post isn’t about you; it’s about everyone you want to read it. Based on this great Infographic there are 15 questions to ask before you hit that “publish” button.

Chloe Thompson of TMG has added a few to the mix.

 

Consider this as your blogging checklist: [Part 1.]

1. What was the main point of this post? Have I made it clearly?

If you can’t articulate your main points in the time it takes to brew a coffee, take some time to hone in on your point. Content, fashion, product reviews – content consumers need to know WHY they’re reading your post, and they need to know quickly.

2. Have I written something useful?

Think to yourself: Why are others going to share my post?

3. Have I written something unique?

Do yourself a 5-second favor before you hit publish and Google your topic. Has someone else written it, and done a better job? Rework yours until it’s different, relevant and much better than your neighbor’s.

4. Has this post taken me closer to or further away from my blog’s goals? Does it reflect my blog’s brand?

Every blog has a voice, and a purpose. If your blog post doesn’t suit the current blog’s voice, it decreases the connection you’ve made with your readers. Plain and simple.

5. Have I used a title that draws people into my post?

 

By Chloe Thompson - http://bit.ly/L73w7z

Source: http://bit.ly/KHggvA

Infographic - http://bit.ly/Qxym7V

Via maxOz, Gust MEES