I’m wrapping up the book, Content Strategy for the Web by Kristina Halvorson and while it’s a great guide for anyone who works with content writers, or websites in general, there is one section of the book that has struck me: The Web Writer.

Halvorson explains that the web writer is much more than a copywriter. She says:

“Your web writers need to have the skill and talent to write content that’s engaging, persuasive, and clear. And that is a rare and valuable skill. Which makes it difficult to find.”

Beyond this, Halvorson goes on to say (and I agree) that the role of the web writer is much more faceted then writing pretty sentences. In fact, the role of the web writer must include an understanding of:

Web usability – content writers need to understand how people use websites, where they want to find information, and what information they want to find.

Search Engine Optimization – sign, groannnn. Still, a basic understanding of SEO is necessary for a web writer to write words that are interesting and engaging, but that also get your business found.

Metatags – While not a necessity, it’s incredibly helpful for your web writer to employ metatags. This is especially true of they will be publishing your content in addition to writing it.

Industry writing standards – Writing for the web is different. It’s concise and pushes boundaries. Having a web writer that understand this more than the need for fluffy marketing speak will make all the difference to your visitors, customers, and your bottom line.

Functionality – Your web writer must understand the way your website will work, or does work. Without a knowledge of what each section’s purpose is and what the end goal should be, they cannot write effective content.

Publishing – Again, not necessary, but helpful. Either your web writer will be your publisher, or they should at least understand the proper format to send content to the publisher in order to make it easy for them and to save time.

So, the next time you are looking for a web writer, or receive a proposal from a web writer, consider everything this person should know in order to give you the best content for your business. It takes skill and creativity to be a copywriter. It takes skill, creativity, and a host of technical knowledge to be a web writer.

I try to eat as healthy as possible. A better way to phrase that would be I try to eat as reasonably as possible. I minimize how much fried food I eat, I eat vegetables every day, and start every morning with a spinach and fruit smoothie. I don’t drink caffeine and stick to as many whole, fresh foods as possible.

That being said, I’m currently in the process of kicking my sugar addiction. While that doesn’t mean never eating sweets (let’s get real) it does mean seriously getting a handle on the sugar I eat. Because I don’t drink caffeine I rely on sugar to get me through the afternoon slump. Juices, sodas, hot chocolate [read: anything chocolate] boost my energy and improve my mood (temporarily). However, sugar can be a toxic and highly addictive substance.

Sugar isn’t only bad for my health, it’s also bad for my business. When I eat too much sugar, I can’t concentrate or focus on a single task. My mind wanders and it’s difficult for me to complete projects. By reining in my reliance on sugar I’ve already seen an improvement in my focal ability and my overall health.

How does your diet affect the way you do work?

No seriously. Article generators are commonly used by many web developers, marketers (not the good ones), and businesses who want to produce a lot of traffic in order to drive traffic to their website(s).

As I understand it, article generators are beneficial for the following reasons:

-Providing lots of content.

-Providing lots of content on the cheap.

-Providing lots of content with desirable keywords.

Of course, I’m an advocate for hiring a professional writer to conceptualize, execute, and maintain any and all content on your website. When you hire a professional writer you can take advantage of the following benefits:

-Input every step of the way.

-Customizable tone (say what you want, how you want to say it).

-Communication with a professional who understand the web.

-Words written by actual human.

If you want warmth in your content so your audience feels like you’re really there, and truly listening then article generators are not for you. Article generators product mass quantities of content using a calculated algorithm. Yes, quantity is important when publishing content, but quality is nothing to ignore. Without quality you may be pandering to search engines but you will completely lose (if you ever possessed) your audience.

Down with article generators! Hire humans!

“I’m at the coffee shop.”

“Did you get my proposal?”

“Did you get my email?”

“I’ve already implemented that.”

“I’m going to the coffee shop.”

“I’m just not feeling creative today.”

“What tone are you looking for?”

“Who is your audience?”

“You should be blogging. You should definitely be blogging.”

“Did you read my blog?”

“Let’s check my Google Anallyyyytticccsss”

“It’s so nice not having a boss.”

“Sometimes I miss working in an office.”

“I’m taking a break”

“I have a wide range of experience…no, I’ve never done that.”

“I’m waiting on design.”

“What about an infographic?”

“I CAN’T FOCUS!”

“Have you ever read any Hunter S. Thompson?”

“Retweeting that!”

“Did you read that article on Copyblogger?”

“Inbox zero!”

Clicking mouse frantically “Wait, what just happened?”

“Did you get my invoice?”

“I’m at the coffee shop.”

Remember when everyone and their mother was “liking” pages that described their idiosyncrasies and personal habits on Facebook? My husband and I used to make fun of the, “I flip my pillow to get to the cool side,” and, “when I see the chat window say you’re typing, I stop typing” Facebook groups that would pop up on our News Feeds. They were annoying and seemingly pointless, but recently a light bulb about these silly groups went off in my head.

These groups work because people feel a connection to each other. People want to feel a sense of “oh, you do that, I do that too!” with family, friends, and strangers. In fact, this is one of the many reasons social media succeeds. The connectivity people can feel with others in the next room and across the globe makes us feel human.

So go on with your bad self and let your silly Facebook group flag fly. Who knows, you may find your neighbor only eats the red gummi bears too.