Problogger Diary

Continued from Part 1.

5. White Hat Blogging.
Now, about the Good Guy’s methods. Even the name here draws a parallel, as these techniques are classified as White Hat Search Engine Optimization. White hat methods of SEO involve following
the search engines’ guidelines as to what is and what isn’t acceptable. Their advice generally is:

? Create content for the user, not the search engines.

? Make that content easily accessible to their spiders, and to not try to game the system.


Often, webmasters make critical mistakes when designing or setting up their sites, inadvertently “poisoning” them so that they will not rank well. White hat SEOs attempt to discover and correct mistakes, such as machine-unreadable menus, broken links, temporary redirects, or poor navigation structure. Because search engines are text-centric, many of the same methods that are useful for Web accessibility are also advantageous for SEO.

A detailed case for this common ground, cited by the W3C with respect to Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case, is SEO—A Positive Influence on Web Accessibility . Google has brought
the relationship between SEO and accessibility even closer with the release of Google Accessible Web Search which prioritises better-accessible sites.

Methods exist for optimising graphical content, including ALT attributes, and adding a text caption. Even Flash animations can be optimised by designing the page to include alternative content in case the visitor cannot read Flash. Some SEO methods considered proper by the search engines:

? Using a unique and relevant title to name each page.

? Editing Web pages to replace vague wording with specific terminology relevant to the subject of the page, and which the audiences the site is developed for will expect to see on the pages, and will search with to find the page.

? Increasing the amount of unique content on the site.

? Writing quality content for site visitors instead of search engines.

? Using a reasonably-sized, accurate description Meta tag without excessive use of keywords, exclamation marks, or off-topic terms.

? Ensuring that all pages are accessible via anchor tag hyperlinks, and not only via Java, JavaScript or Macromedia Flash applications or meta refresh redirection; this can be done through the use of text-based links in site navigation and also via a page listing all the contents of the site (a site map).

? Allowing search engine spiders to crawl pages without having to accept session IDs or cookies.

? Participating in a Web ring with other quality Web sites.

? Writing useful, informative articles under a Creative Commons or other open source license, in exchange for attribution to the author by hyperlinking. These along with certain ethics determined by nothing more than common sense form the basis of a good, clean and ethical blog.

6. C.O.B.E.
Some of the points listed in the Code of Blogging Ethics (C.O.B.E.) by Martin Kuhn are listed below. You can find the C.O.B.E. at http://rconversation.blogs.com/COBE-Blog%20Ethics.pdf . Kuhn is a doctoral fellow researching Media Law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He began his C.O.B.E. project in December 2004.

? Promote free expression by posting on your blog on a regular basis as well as visiting and posting on other sites in the blogosphere. (Interact. Don’t be a loner.)

? Avoid restricting access to your blog by certain individuals and groups and never remove posts or comments once they have been published. (Essentially, be honest—don’t get overly protective about your blog. A blog is more dialectical than rhetorical, or, at least, it should be that way—unless you’re famous andexceptionally brilliant.)

? Emphasise the “human” elements in blogging by revealing and maintaining as much of your identity as is deemed safe.

One of the best “white” blogs

(Don’t cower under a nick forever, though that’s OK right in the beginning.)

? Promote equality by not restricting specific users or groups of users from your blog.
(Simple. Be “democratic,” as we’ve mentioned in this book.)

? Minimise harm to others by never knowingly hurting or injuring someone with information you make available on your blog. (“First, do no harm.”)

? Build a community by linking your blog to others, and maintain a blogroll to encourage visitors to your blog to visit others and facilitate relationships between you and your readers. (This, again, deals with being social, and the human element.)

? Strive for factual truth and never intentionally deceive readers. Make yourself accountable for information you post online. (Remember, when you’re blogging, it might seem like you’re doing keystrokes at your desktop—but there are real human beings out there reading what you’re writing.)

? Cite and link to all sources referenced in each blog post, and secure permission before linking to other blogs or Web content.

? Promote interactivity by posting regularly to your blog, honouring such etiquette and protocol policies that are posted on blogs you visit, and make an effort to be entertaining enough to
inspire return visits to your site.

Bloggers should:

? Never plagiarise. (Be honest to yourself and you’re safe.)

? Identify and link to sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability. (Similar to what we just said: you’re actually reaching out!)

? Make certain that blog entries, quotations, headlines, photos and all other content do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context. (“Out of context” is key here. Often, you see something someone said, and latch on to that one phrase—don’t.)

? Never distort the content of photos without disclosing what has been changed. Image enhancement is only acceptable for technical clarity. Label montages and photo illustrations.
(Not following this rule is pretty much the same thing as lying, and since a picture is worth a thousand words…)

? Never publish information they know is inaccurate — and if publishing questionable information, make it clear it’s in doubt.

? Distinguish between advocacy, commentary and factual information. Even advocacy writing and commentary should not misrepresent fact or context.

? Distinguish factual information and commentary from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.

? Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by blog content. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.

? Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.

? Recognise that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of information is not a license for arrogance. (These three tenets apply to journalism as well.)

? Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity. (Don’t be a tabloid. At least, try not to be; even if you maintain a gossip blog, don’t over-sensationalise things)

? Admit mistakes and correct them promptly. (This can come from basic humility.)

? Explain each blog’s mission and invite dialogue with the public over its content and the bloggers’ conduct.

? Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas. (This is important so readers can put your content in context.)

? Deny favoured treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence content. When exceptions are made, disclose them fully to readers. (That’s what black hat blogging is all about.)

? Be wary of sources offering information for favours. When accepting such information, disclose the favours. (Ditto.)

? Expose unethical practices of other bloggers. (If you’re sincere enough.)

7. Green Hat Blogging.
We wonder if there is any debate that has a real unanimous conclusion no matter what the topic is, here is one such argument which balances both sides of this Ethical Blogging coin. This community calls itself Green Hat Bloggers, and claim to be make the balancing act between the Good and the Evil. Well-known blogger Jason Golod’s take on this is to be found at www.golod.com/2005/
12/white-hat-black-hat-how-about-green-hat/.

8. Common Sense.
It wasn’t long ago that bloggers and money had nothing to do with each other. But as the blogosphere exploded into the public consciousness over the past year—blog search engine PubSub estimates there are more than 8 million blogs—it was inevitable that the captains of commerce would latch onto this increasingly popular form of personal media.

Ads + Content = Green Hat

Black hat, White hat, or Green hat… you don’t even need to understand these terms, strictly speaking. Just use common sense! If you’re thinking about making a career out of blogging, the
best way to ensure a steady revenue stream is by building a solid reputation. Remember, there are no shortcuts!

We believe we’ve spoken enough in the preceding pages to get you started off on your blog. But, as you know very well, there’s at least a million times more info on the subject on the Internet. Here are some sites and Web pages we believe you’ll find useful—if what you’ve read has kept you interested.

Posted by Problogger Diary at Monday, March 30, 2009