Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

January 9, 2007

A Pre-Publishing Checklist for Feeding the Spiders

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 11:15 am

Making Sure the Investment Pays Off

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Yep I write every day and I publish. That’s way I make sure that my voice is heard. I also want to be sure that my words are visible. I like to see that the spiders serve them up in Google.

Prorating the time that I spent gathering ideas, I’ve probably spent 60-120 minutes on average post. Time writing is time working. Time spent is an investment. It’s time I could be using talking to bloggers and talking with clients. Before I hit publish I make sure that the time I’ve invested pays off as well as it might. I’ve made a short Pre-Flight Publishing list that I run down, before I pass say, “Go.”

Pre-Publishing Checklist

  1. Is the content keyword rich? By waiting to read for keywords until after all other checks, I make sure that I don’t forfeit quality to pray at the altar of SEO. Now, I can look for keywords my readers might search for and make sure that they find the relevant content that I have to offer. I won’t be reaching, and they won’t be disappointed. Current relationships will stay strong, and new readers will be pleased with what they encounter here.
  2. What tags might I add that belong with this post? Tags can help search engine spiders properly index my post. Post tags are definitely blog, brand, and business promotion. If your blogging software doesn’t easily allow you to tag your posts, there are plug-ins and hacks for every platform out there.
  3. What related articles do I have that readers might be interested in reading? Offering related articles for readers to read more when they finished my post, gives people more information about a subject they’ve already shown interest in. It also gets readers more involved with my blog, my business, and my brand.

    The intra-link that you make at the end of your post shows people how your content relates and is relevant throughout your blog–this helps search engines index it as well.

  4. Are there opportunities for trackbacks? If I’ve mentioned another blogger’s work or if what I’ve said meshes well with the conversation on another blog, I’ll send a trackback to let that blogger know.
  5. Is this this a one-in-a-million post that I should self-promote to other blogs? If I’ve written the post that reveals how to get “Google Goodness” from every post, I write a brief introduction of myself and your post and send a personal email to a select two or three bloggers.

    I make it’s a one-in-a-million post, and I explain my reasons for thinking it’s a match with their blogs. If you don’t read a blog, don’t send a link. Period. Either way, it’s a long shot that a post really is the one-in-a-million post that we think it is. Still, there’s a right and wrong way to let folks know. If you’re going to do that, do your homework first, the person receiving the email will notice. Believe me they will.

When I’ve made these few checks I feel better that I’m sending off my work in great shape to make the most of the time that I’ve invested.

What other practices are on your pre-publsihing checklist?

–ME “lis” Strauss

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13 Comments to “A Pre-Publishing Checklist for Feeding the Spiders”

  1. January 9th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
    Robert Hruzek said

    Well… your list covers content, but there’s more involved than that. After I’m satisfied with the content, I always, Always, ALWAYS(!) reread the post and check for mechanical errors. More than once.

    Every time I make a change, no matter how simple it might be, I’ll reread the whole thing again (usually my posts are only about a page or so long). But it sometimes means I’ll do it as many as 7-8 times. And, since I (usually) have the luxury of writing my posts the night before I publish, I’ll reread it again just before pushing the button the next morning.

    I often find that no matter how diligent I am, it seems there’s always that last misspelled word, double word or other grammatical faux pas in there somewhere. And, because Blogger seems to have some strange quirks (but I’ve used it for so long I’m getting used to it) I know what to watch for.

  2. January 9th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
    GP said

    Did you write this for me ? :) Having gone to the Spelling Bee Finals in Washington in my youth, spelling’s a biggie for me.

    Yes, I go over several times, not just for spelling, but I find often, I’ll just get up from the computer, and do something else for a few minutes, be it putting up a recipe, or if I’m really in the thick of it, go out for a ride on horse. I just sort of free float with the ideas and often times, the exact verbiage will come to me. Variations on the “do something else and get away from it” theme.

    Also, I sometimes find a whole new angle will come to me that will bring out the point even more than the original. So while I tend to be “get it done NOW”… waiting is a good thing.

    Thanx
    GP in Montana

  3. January 9th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Robert,
    As anyone who reads this blog knows, you’ve just hit my weakness. :) Thanks for underscoring that. Errors do trip spiders and that needs to be brought out here.

    Keep a lookout for me. It seems you’ve got my back. I appreciate that! :)

  4. January 9th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP!
    Giving ideas and thoughts time to bubble up from our unconscious is a good thing. I envy you that luxury of time. I’m going to have to come out and visit your B&B and do a little blogging from there. That’s all there is to it!! :)

  5. January 9th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
    GP said

    Ah liz… we’re even a wifi hot spot even in our Big Sky Country area. As we say, you’d be most welcome guest anytime. Always room at the inn :)

    Off to brave the “winds of Whitehall” for a thought provoking ride on thoroughbred mare here pretty quick… (i did spell thoroughbred correctly?) :)

  6. January 9th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    GP!
    You’re having too much fun! I’m smiling just to think about it! :)

  7. January 10th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
    Robert Hruzek said

    So sorry! I have this bad habit of wanting to correct others, because I’m like, y’know, perfect…

    GP, that’s a good one that I do as well. Nothing helps the final touches like getting up and thinking about something else!

  8. January 10th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Robert,
    No worries!
    You make us smarter! :)

  9. January 11th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
    Kian Ann said

    Thanks for sharing Liz, at least, I know I am on the right track because I realise I spend almost 2 hours on a better post too, making sure everything is right before I hit publish.

  10. January 11th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Kian Ann,
    I spend that much time and my own don’t come out nearly as clean as yours. . . . so I would say that you’re doing a fine job. :)

  11. February 16th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
    Ariane Benefit, Neat Living said

    Great post Liz!! (as always : )

    And the comments are neat too!

    It’s neat to see that other people are doing the same things I do. And yes, the errors still get through from time to time. If they didn’t, it would mean we were spending way too much time on perfectionism! : )

    One thing I try to do at the end of the post is think about what photos I could put in to illustrate or make the post more interesting to read.

    Anopther good practice is to make sure you have your keywords in your post title. Seriously, the titles are weighted very heavily by Google.

    Rock on Sistah! : )

  12. February 16th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Ariane,
    Great to see you!
    What a wonderful way to make a Friday!

    You’re sure right about those keyword in the titles. What’ was I thinking about not mention that? How do we remember all of this stuff? How did we learn all in the first place? :)

  13. July 11th, 2007 at 5:14 am
    Take these simple steps to create exceptional blog content said

    [...] Liz Strauss’ pre-publishing checklist for creating search engine worthy blog content [...]

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