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Writer's Notes - By Jeanne Dininni

 
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Writer's Notes - April 2010



Research Is Serious Business

I don't know about you, but I do a lot of online research—and I mean a lot. And I consider my research serious business. When hunting down relevant information for a blog post, article, or other piece of writing, I want to know the date the content was published. Frankly, I don't have the time to institute a diligent search of the site in an attempt to uncover this critical piece of information only to find that it's been intentionally hidden from me. I don't believe it's unreasonable for a reader to expect a website or blog to provide this information if its owner expects to be quoted as an authoritative source and have his or her content linked to and relied upon as being accurate and up-to-date.


Mere Datelessness an Evergreen Post Does Not Make

The problem is that too many bloggers seem to believe that by leaving their posts undated, they somehow make their work more immediate…more timeless…more evergreen. I believe they're wrong about that. A piece of writing requires more than mere datelessness to qualify for the "evergreen" descriptor. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that a piece of writing that depends solely on this method for creating its sense of timelessness isn't really evergreen at all. Far from viewing an undated blog post as timeless or evergreen, I often feel somewhat irritated that I have no idea when it was written. That unknown creates a sense of uncertainty about the content that can encourage me to move on to a more citable source.

Granted, it's often possible to get a reasonable idea of when a post was published by looking at the date its first comments were left. But, should a reader really have to creatively search out a post's publication date or depend on comment dates as reliable time indicators? I'd say, "No."


Content—Not Date—Determines a Post's Longevity

In my view, a blogger whose content is truly timeless has nothing whatsoever to fear from dating his or her posts. If they are well-written and contain information or concepts that stand the test of time, people will continue to read them many years after they were published, since they'll continue to yield valuable information through the years. Even if their information should age a little less gracefully, finely crafted posts will maintain their historical value, which will ensure their continued usefulness despite their prominently displayed publication dates.


How Important Is this Issue?

I will admit that in many cases, undated blog posts are nothing more than a minor irritation. However, there are times (for example, when writing about technical topics) that responsible research practices require a writer to know whether the information he or she is relying on is up-to-date. Even certain historical events need to be placed on a timeline.

My view is, why make it harder for a writer to use your work (and in the process send a backlink your way) when all you have to do is place a date on your post to make it more "user friendly"? What could be simpler? What could make more sense?


Are You Willing to Take the Risk?

I can't help but wonder why a blogger would be willing to chance having a writer go elsewhere to complete her research and thus lose the opportunity to become an authoritative source. Even if your readers are simply reading your blog for their own enjoyment, why subject them to the uncertainty and irritation of wondering when the post was written? Why risk losing readers over a practice that offers minimal advantage at best? That's certainly not a risk I would want to take. How about you?


Here's to successful blogging practices,
Jeanne


What's your take on this issue? Are there any aspects you believe I'm missing? How has your own policy on dating blog posts developed or evolved over time?



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If you have ever been tempted to give up on your dreams, as a writer or in any other area of your life, do yourself a huge favor and read this brief but powerful post: It's Not Too Late, by George Angus at Tumblemoose.com. It may just turn your life around.

'Nuff said.

Jeanne

P.S. Come back after you've read the post and share your thoughts with us. A few questions I've posted below might help you more easily share the way the post has affected you. Or simply post your own thoughts.


What sort of impact did the above post have on your outlook? Do you see yourself, your situation, your dreams, and your limitations in a new light? If so, tell us about it. We'd love to hear the insights you've gained from this incredibly poignant post.



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My First Word Sell Post Is Up

April 22nd 2010 17:27


Just wanted to remind everyone to stop by Word Sell to read my debut post. A lot of research went into the writing of 5 Great, Free Keyword Research Tools, a post that can help you attract more traffic to your website or blog. Keywords aren't just for e-commerce sites. Everyone who has an online presence can benefit from effective keyword use. So, check out my first Word Sell post, which will point you to five great FREE resources that can help put your site on the Internet map!

Don't forget to say Hi!
Jeanne



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My Recent Silence

I know it's been quiet here at Writer's Notes lately, for which I humbly and sincerely apologize. My writing workload has increased over the past few months, and it's been tough finding the time for everything I'd like to do. Hopefully, as I become more acclimated to my new projects, it will become easier to find the time to blog here more regularly--even if my posts might need to be shorter than I like them to be. That said, let's move on to the main reason for this post...


My Latest Blogging Project

Brad Shorr, who pens the Word Sell Blog, has invited me to become a regular contributer there, and I'm honored to accept his invitation. I've always admired Brad's work and have co-blogged with him before, though I haven't had the pleasure of doing so at Word Sell until now. I'll be writing one post a week at Word Sell on various content marketing topics. My posts will appear on Thursdays.

Here's a link to Brad's announcement of my coming on board: Jeanne Dininni, Welcome to the Word Sell Blog.


Stop by Word Sell and Say Hi

I'd be honored if you'd stop by Word Sell this Thursday and check out my debut post, which will be jam-packed with helpful content marketing info. And I certainly wouldn't argue if you should decide to drop by every Thursday to say Hi and check out my latest content marketing research and resources, so don't be a stranger!


Discover Brad Shorr and Word Sell

If you've never read Word Sell, you owe it to yourself to check out Brad's excellent posts. Brad has real business savvy and tons of insight to share on content marketing and other business-related topics. His take on these often-serious topics is fresh, straightforward, knowledgeable, and entertaining, all at the same time. So, do yourself a favor and check out Brad's work. Mine the Word Sell archives, and you'll find lots of buried treasure there that will certainly contribute to your business success. Consider this announcement your perfect, most serendipitous opportunity to become better acquainted with one of content marketing's best, most insightful authors: Brad Shorr.

See you at Word Sell!
Jeanne



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