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Recently I finished writing an on-demand class, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Basics for Writers, and while doing that, arrived at a list of things that I wish more people knew about the topic and how to use it to market their work.
Search engine optimization is the art of making a website show up in search engine results. In these days when publishers are increasingly pushing some of the marketing effort onto writers, while others are publishing independently, understanding what SEO is and the basics of how to use it is more and more crucial. So here’s a cluster of useful tips to get you started.
Put your name on your website. Your website doesn’t do you a lot of good if people have to click around to figure out who you are. Yeah, “Thoughts of a Peripatetic Aardvark” may sound snappy but somewhere make sure your real name appears on the landing page, the first page someone sees when they click through to your site.
Don’t force social media. If you don’t enjoy Twitter, you can avoid it without harming yourself. Maybe secure your name and use it to let fans know when something new is out, but a social media presence that is forced will feel forced. Find a platform you like — there’s plenty to choose from — and use it in a way that entertains you.
