Best content strategy links of the week, November 1

Each week I curate a list of great pages I've discovered online covering topics such as content marketing, strategy, mobile, seo and search. I've selected them for their practical insight, useful tools and guidance. I hope you enjoy them!

This week: writing for semantic search,  how to shape your proposition around real-time,  free SEO tools and plenty of crap!

Writing Content for Users vs. Search Engines: Is There Still a Difference?
Doc Sheldon explains what Panda and Hummingbird means for SEO, what this means for keywords and semantic search.

Web Managers Group – The Realtime Web
Great presentations from UNICEF UK amongst others, discussing how responding to real-time affects your content strategy. Watch the video below.

HealthCare.gov’s Account Setup: 10 Broken Usability Guidelines
This website got a right kicking at the beginning of the week with Obama personally apologising for it’s poor usability. I can’t help feeling that was hugely significant and I’m confident you’re going to be hearing a lot more about UX in the mainstream press.

Jen Cardello goes through the site in detail – well worth reading.

21 Best FREE SEO Tools for On-Page Optimization
They’re free and they rock – especially the Google snippets tool.

Buffer’s Response to Hacking: A Study in Social Media Crisis Management
Earlier in the week Buffer was hacked and people found their accounts being spammed. Here’s how the company responded – it’s all about being transparent and fast…

Crap. The Content Marketing Deluge
I’m including this because it made me chuckle…

A six step guide to using Twitter for competitor analysis
Useful overview from Econsultancy’s David Moth.

Show, Don’t (Just) Tell: 7 Simple but Effective Tips for More Engaging, Persuasive Writing
An amazing blog post from Dennis G. Jerz. Maybe one for copywriters only but great tips on engaging readers and ‘modelling the outcome’.

…and lastly, sad news with Lou Reed passing away. I wrote a tribute earlier in the week but thought I’d let the man sign off himself. Gonna miss him!

I’d love to hear your views on any of the content strategy links above so please get involved in the comments below!

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Steven Wilson-Beales

Content strategy consultant
I'm Head of Editorial at Global Radio, London looking after a fantastic range of websites including Capital FM, Capital Xtra, Heart, XFM, LBC, Classic FM and Smooth. Find me on and Twitter. Please feel free to email me here.

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