June 22nd, 2010 by Nick

Text is a big feature on any web page. Despite significant technological advances, we haven’t really moved that far from text on the internet. When you’re involved in search engine optimisation, you simply can’t get away from text, as this is the most effective medium for communicating with the search engines.

Just about every SEO technique involves manipulation of text. Frequent content updates, hyperlinks, even optimised URLs are all about using words to catch the attention of search engine spiders. Not only is SEO firmly seated in text, but that text has to be the standard form for the culture your site is based in. In the case of Western sites, that means the English language.

Standard English is not that easy for some to get their head around. Everyone has had a bad experience with the English language at one time or another. Not many people remember their grammar teacher with fondness. English is full of rules that seem to be nonsensical, and a lot of them are damnably difficult to remember when you’re writing.

They’re not that difficult when you’re reading. In fact, they’re pretty much subconscious.

Reading Zen: Grammar is Subconscious

Grammatical errors stand out sharply to someone reading your text. Most people pick up on grammatical errors because they feel that something in the text is just a little off. Although they might not be able to pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, they will be left with a feeling that the writing is below standard. This is not the impression that any business site owner wants to leave site users with.

Grammar is important for search engine optimisation simply because it is important to people. Most people will say they do not care about grammar, but deep down, they do. Proper grammar tells us that the piece we’re reading was written by someone who is able to communicate effectively, who has paid attention to the rules of communication and is telling us what they mean. Bad grammar, like it or not, gives an impression of non-professionalism.

Good grammar projects a professional image. This is what sets successful sites apart from less-than-successful ones. If your site doesn’t project professionalism on par with your competitors, you can wave your customers goodbye. You can also say goodbye to your desired ranking, as bounce rates and time-on-page statistics have an influence over the rankings calculation. Talk to us at SearchEngineOptimization.co.uk about ranking factors.

Grammar Rules are There for a Reason

The final reason to ensure that your SEO content sticks to the rules of grammar is that grammar rules ensure that ideas are communicated effectively. How many times have you come across a badly written sentence and been unable to work out its meaning? The rules of English are there to ensure that when a sentence is written down, it will mean the same thing to anyone reading it. Good grammar is an investment in ensuring your site’s users receive your message.

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