The Last Post: Adventures with the Written Word

Humans are a sociable species. We love to share ideas – so why do we often struggle to communicate through our writing? Author  Brenda Ueland  offered an  explanation: ‘ You have to hold your audience in writing to the very end -- much more than in talking, when people have to be polite and listen to you ’. Human communication. Designed by  Freepik When we speak to each other, we usually receive immediate non-verbal feedback (positive signs include regular eye contact or smiling). Written content relies solely on words – words that are based on assumptions about what readers want. However, these five communication strategies will make your writing engaging and sustain readers' attention throughout. 1. Choose a Strong Title A short – but relevant – title tells your audience what they can gain from your content. Identify keywords and include them to boost your online presence. Consider phrasing your title as a question – it’s quite possible that people are Googling...

Search engines work by ‘crawling the web’: consulting databases and identifying terms specified by users. In its entry for search engine optimisation  (SEO), the Oxford Dictionaries website defines the term as ' The process of maximizing the number of visitors to a particular website by ensuring that the site appears high on the list of results returned by a search engine '. This article explores the ways in which SEO is used to boost a company’s online presence, and offers guidance on the associated terminology. SEO in practice. Designed by Freepik Think about how we use search engines in our everyday lives. If we’re looking for gifts, we investigate products, reviews and prices, and then often purchase items online. If we’re hungry, we search for restaurants and make bookings. If our children ask fundamental questions before bedtime, we no longer have to invent plausible-sounding responses. We can find instant answers on our phones, tablets and cars. The web is the go-to to...