University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Web Content Rx
Book

Web Content Rx

A Quick and Handy Guide for Writers, Webmasters, eBayers, and Business People

Wayne English
Career Press, 2009
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

A company’s website must generate revenue. If yours doesn’t, this basic book may help correct any problems. Wayne English, founder of a web content consultancy, presents the fundamentals of web writing, design, search engine optimization, podcasts and hypertext markup language (html), so you can make your site more usable, popular and – most importantly – profitable. While much of his information isn’t new, it is highly practical. English includes good sections on podcasts and digital photography, as well as handy pointers for creating email marketing campaigns. Surprisingly, though writing is an emphasis of this guide, it has an occasional typo and other minor grammatical hiccups. Those issues aside, getAbstract recommends it to novice web writers and fledgling webmasters, and to company leaders who want to maximize their firms’ web presence. Some of its tips could easily reimburse you for the cost of the book.

Summary

A Spotlight on Content

When Thomas Edison patented the phonograph in 1877, he contributed to a revolution that has made content the driving force behind many new technologies. From CDs and VCRs to radio and television, people are drawn to tools that enable them to “hear, see or interact with” content. The internet is one of the more recent, and more advanced, developments in that ongoing movement.

The web, an electronic medium for sharing and retrieving information, is essentially a “messenger.” The content your company posts on its website is the “message.” Always ensure that your site is communicating what you really want to say. Be aware that adding new content to your website does not automatically guarantee that search engines – and the people who use them – will find it. Avoid relying solely on Flash animation, JavaScript links or web pages consisting of large graphics to deliver your content, since search engines cannot “read” these formats. When a website isn’t searchable, it often fails to meet its main purpose, which – for commercial sites – is earning money.

Good websites are credible and searchable, with clearly marked sections for customer support...

About the Author

Wayne English is the founder of WebContentRx.com. He has published numerous articles in major publications, including a monthly column for a photography magazine.

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