One of the ways to encourage incoming links is to add a ‘Link to us’ page on your website to show how easy it is to create a link. Make it easy for the web person who will be putting the link on their website by adding some options of different image sizes with the code so that all they need to do is copy and paste the code in the appropriate place.

Here’s an example that we did for one of our clients, Captivations.

The image is coded with keywords specifically for netball clubs, organisations and businesses who want to tell their members or customers about Captivations for custom netball uniforms.

Link your logo or another image from a website

Having your logo on the website with the incoming link is easy. When a business adds the code below to their website, this is what appears:

Looks great and a click on the image takes the person to the Captivations website. Because we used ‘custom netball uniforms’ and other keywords, Google can read the alt text and see that Captivations makes ‘custom netball uniforms’.

This is the code that the web person added to upload the image.

<a href=”http://www.captivations.com.au”><img title=”Captivations for Custom Netball Uniforms” src=”http://www.captivations.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Captivations_custom_sportswear-e1313994502447.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”Captivations – Custom Netball Uniforms” /></a>

What if a website only wants to link text from their webpage?

Not a problem. If a website prefers to link text, it is best to provide both the text you want linked and the HTML code as well.

This is what the link would look like on the website with the link to Captivations:

Captivations: for all your custom netball uniforms, netball bodysuits and dresses.

If the web person wants to copy the code, this is what they would use.

<a href=”http://www.captivations.com.au”>Captivations, for all your custom netball uniforms, netball bodysuits and dresses.</a>

Ask for incoming links in an email

Another way to get incoming links is to email targeted websites and simply request a link from their website. Reciprocal links, that is, both websites have links to each other is beneficial for both websites. Avoid programs that promise a world of links as Google will blacklist websites that they perceive as scamming the system.

Incoming links can make a huge difference for attracting new customers. Bold Type can help you to develop your link-building strategy. Contact Bold Type today.

The Macquarie Dictionary is the standard used for spelling in Australia

As an editor writing for print and the web, I have been asked many times about how to write Internet – with a cap ‘I’ or a lower case ‘i’.

In Australia, the source of all wisdom on such matters is the Macquarie Dictionary which advocates Internet with a cap ‘I’. They don’t give a reason why so here’s my reasoning why this is the correct way of writing the word.

Capitals are used for the names of things or people. Sydney is capitalized because it is the name of a city. I suggest that, while the Internet is not a geographic location, it is the name of a place of sorts and for this reason, cap ‘I’ should be used.

Another way of testing if something should be capitalized or not is to see what happens in the plural form. Sydney is the place so the concept of Sydneys does not work (even though there is another Sydney in Canada). Likewise, we don’t talk about internets as there is only one, the Internet.

For these reasons, I advocate the use of Internet with a cap ‘I’. However, others may prefer the lower case ‘internet’ for their own reasons.

Whatever you use, cap ‘I’ or lowercase ‘i’, be consistent and stick with one or the other.

More editorial advice from Sue Stevens

More info on writing for the web

Need an editor?

Want someone to write for the web?

Want a whole new website?

Contact Sue at Bold Type for a free appraisal of your needs.

Clear writing is essential for webpage content

Writing content on a webpage? Check your text against these 12 tips.

1. Content needs to be clear, concise and easy to read – that’s it.
2. Headings and sub-headings need to be clear and mean something – avoid puns and other attempts at humour and forget clever – just make sure that headings explain the text that follows.
3. More important information should be at the top of the page.
4. Use simple sentence structures. More full stops rather than lots of connective words in any sentence. That’s it. You’ve got it.
5. Paragraphs should also be concise – try to limit to 50 words.
6. As with any good writing – one paragraph, one concept.
7. Think about the fold line on a webpage. Keeping content above the fold line avoids having to scroll down, down, down.
8. Bullet point lists should be used – short, concise, easy to read (see no. 2)
9. Include keywords and phrases and keep the content on the page focused on the main topic (don’t introduce five different topics on the one page unless it’s a landing page linking to other pages).
10. Here’s another thing: add links to other webpages that relate to the same subject matter.
11. Direct the language to the user. Write about features and benefits to the audience. Avoid brag-speak but keep it conversational.
12. Add an image or two to break up text into easy to find ‘chunks’.

More articles about creating websites

Make your website work for you

Writing news for the web

Engineer Your Career website

Converting text from a traditional print format to a web-style format requires more than a traditional structural (substantive) edit and copy edit. The flow of a print document is linear. The same content on-screen requires a completely different navigational system.

Recently, I was given the job to edit an Engineering Careers Manual which had been written in the traditional print format and to rearrange the content for publishing online.

The project was undertaken in two phases: firstly, the development of a web-based template that included all the headings and content as it will be presented for on-screen reading, secondly, transferring content from the manuscript to the appropriate webpage of the newly-created web template. For example, website references in the printed manuscript were often repeated on several pages (very appropriate for printed documents). In the web template, these appear on one page called ‘Links’ and hyperlinks were created from different content pages to this one page. The creation of navigation bars, menus and hyperlinks to ensure easy navigation by visitors was also a significant part of this project.

A webpage from Engineer Your Career website

Phase two included a complete structural edit followed by a copy edit. Whether print or online content, the editor’s role is much the same including:

• checking consistency of the heading/text organisation and suggesting any restructuring to improve readability and navigation
• eliminating any duplicated or repetitive text and modification of style: for example, table to prose, prose to bullet list, converting text to pull quotes (break out boxes
  making sure that the language is consistent and applicable to the target audience and  checking for gender, ethnicity, age biases
• making changes to sentence construction, grammar, syntax, and ensuring the consistent usage of punctuation, numbers, abbreviations, use of bold, italics and other publishing devices.

And finally, as part of the Bold Type service, a project style sheet and an editorial checklist of significant issues was submitted with the newly-transformed web-ready content.

Contact Sue Stevens at Bold Type for a quote editing print manuscripts, online content or converting text from print to the web.