SEO, UX, FX, Art, Interviews, Complaining
Summer 2022. Maria tells me about a microfiction contest. Naïve me takes the bait. “A story in 400 words or fewer?! How could you even...” I trailed off. My first attempt was “The Wind,” a sordid Hitchcock & Bradbury meet mutated-haiku tale set on an idylic college campus. It’s particularly terse, fewer than 300 words. … Continue reading The Chill Bill Contingency
Is our "good" just a thin coating? Veneer theory considers morals a cultural overlay, a thin veneer hiding an otherwise selfish and brutish human nature. Our author argues veneer theory can coexist with the Darwinian model.
We want to funnel viewers to checkout as efficiently as possible. Does SEO get in the way of that? Sometimes, yes. But there's a balance. If you keep SEO off of your product pages, competitors eschewing that sacrifice will likely best you in the AI and SEO messaging game. Can we have it both ways? … Continue reading Hide SEO in Plain Sight on Product Pages
Lean on a content gap analysis like a pro to find holes in your SEO keyword scope. This article starts with content gap analysis 101; if you're looking for the deeper dives, skip to the sections on content gaps' two biggest pain points: choosing content gap analysis competitors wisely |+| smart diagnostic metrics to tame … Continue reading Guide to Smart SEO Keyword Content Gap Analysis
Search engine optimization (SEO) reporting is messy. Broad metrics from raw keyword ranking data are often misleading. You might monitor a dozen or a few hundred keywords, but do they all matter equally? No. Some are foundational to your strategy, whether capable of delivering high traffic or just a crucially-targeted trickle; others are there for … Continue reading Statistical Weighting in SEO Keyword Reporting: Why It Matters and How to Use It
Enhance strategic intralinking with SEO blurbs: a quick win to boost rankings. This article is primarily written for my SEO writers. I have other (even more pedantic and boring) blurb documentation for two other roles: the illustrious SEO CMS Text Maven, and the SEO CMS Heavy-Lifters, devs who implement the blurb infrastructure on the back … Continue reading Guide to SEO Blurbs
This is the latest in a series of HR articles focusing on hiring, training, and shaping expectations of applicants. Spoiler: buried not-so-deep in that link are cheat codes to help you land a position, if that's your goal. Several writers send me Word documents (or GDocs) with new and edited content for several websites. I … Continue reading CMS Text Maven Role – Description & Peculiarities
Do bolded words help? Sometimes. But usually not. Keyword-bolding plays an important role in my SEO process. When writers intentionally use a keyword or keyword-like phrase, I ask them to bold it in their document. Later, I pay somebody else to unbold each instance before it goes live on-site. What? Why? The Case for Keyword … Continue reading Should you bold keywords for SEO?
This is an installment in a series of riveting pre-hiring, screening, and response communications, mostly tailored to the SEO world. They’re mainly for my future use, but some people (and Google) seem to like them too. And why wouldn’t they? This is exciting stuff! /s If you're reading this after initial publication, please note that … Continue reading A time-themed letter to SEO-writer finalists
Regular readers (a few “friends” held at gunpoint) are no doubt familiar with my pieces about hiring SEO writers and optimizing the applicant screening process. “Fans” of those articles might appreciate this companion piece. I'm in the midst of a round of hiring. (Future-Dan is also using this article for those who didn't make the … Continue reading Mass-Rejection Letter to Aspiring Writers + Unsolicited Advice
Dan Dreifort 