May 7th, 2010 by Susie

It is commonplace to point out that traditional print media is struggling to cope in the age of the net. However, it is less usual to indicate that SEO is transforming the way in which modern journalists perform their duties. This topic is relevant to those interested in content production, journalism and the role of journalists in society, but it may also yield some insights into search engine optimization along the way.

In the past, journalists working for national media were largely separated from their readers by the methods which they employed. The profession often focused on the doings and sayings of the powerful. Their content provision was often rewarded handsomely, as television ratings and newspaper sales were usually impressive. However, the advent of the net has seen the value of content decline and consumers have been accessing content online for nothing. Experiments to charge consumers for non-specialist content online have not yet proven successful. In addition, news can be accessed before it has been printed in newspapers and a wider range of voices comment on the news.

Journalists have had to adapt to the new context in which their profession is located. They have to be conscious of the principles of search engine optimization because they determine whether online content is likely to be visible to users. Furthermore, journalists may benefit from practical knowledge in relation to social media optimization. They need to become more focused on the needs of their readers and more prepared to enter into dialogue with them. If journalists want to be active players in the future, reliance on increasingly obsolete methods could prove disastrous.

To work effectively online, journalists have to alter the way they put stories together. The amusing, unorthodox title should be consigned to the dustbin of history. Search engines are not noted for their appreciation of jokes, so a title should typically include a keyword and draw attention to what the article is intended to be about. Sometimes a journalist may write different headlines for the various formats in which their article is to come out. Moreover, it is not just titles which are subject to change.

It is obviously important for journalists to use Google when they research a story. However, they will soon have to consider Google more in terms of how it will treat the content they actually create. For example, keywords are going to be inserted into articles, especially near the start or the end, with slightly less concern for the ‘natural’ flow of a piece. Obviously, experienced journalists are not about to embark on a counterproductive journey of keyword stuffing, but many of them will be paying more attention to the search engine results pages.

One of the crucial dimensions of the net is its democratic aspect. It does not lend itself to excessive deference. In history, the more important journalists told ordinary people about things which they could not know. The challenge for contemporary journalists is to escape from elitist mindsets and to engage with a participating public. Their efforts will basically need to incorporate the optimisation of their content.

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