Warmest Greetings,

Headline Shouting and A Bit of a Garden Theme Today  

:: Monday, September 26, 2005 ::

When I don't post in my blog for a few days in a row, I feel guilty. When it's been over a week, I know I had better say something to let you know what's up.

Do you ever go through periods of time when the world around you is talking so fast that you just can't seem to get in a word edgewise? It's something like information overload. I'm learning new things, whether I want to or not, and the moments in between are overflowing with learning things I want to teach myself.

And, when I'm not learning something, I'm teaching something to someone. Whether I want to, or not.

When I finally go inside my head to find something to post about here, I look for topics that haven't already been blogged to death. Have you noticed, that now that nearly everybody has a blog, we're writing about the same topics? The only difference is how we construct the headline.

I've watched my peers experiment with headline shouting. This is where you try to create a clever headline that grabs the attention of someone who will only see that one line of information in a feed reader. The headline must contain specific key words that will get picked up by search engine bots who are hunting for them. Headline shouting is a way to compete and get read, because there's a high chance somebody else already wrote about your topic while you were in the bathroom.

So, lest you think I gave up this blog (nope!) or became ill (nope!) or am in negotiations with Google to be acquired (had you going there), well, its really nothing like that at all.

I've been reading more of what my peers are writing and letting them do all the work.

And in the "Nobody Cares Kim" Department

One of the things I've learned recently is what lettuce looks like when you don't pick it from your garden. I've been so busy that a large patch of lettuce in my garden has been left to grow unencumbered and free. Turns out this particular type (can't remember the name, sorry), grows to be 3 feet tall and the tops burst into bunches of tiny white flowers. The bunnies have been eating the lower leaves but they apparently can't reach up very high.

Looks pretty next to the basil that is also growing madly and unpicked and which also has gone to flower. I have so much basil that I've been using it as greens for flower arrangements in my house. The whole place smells like a resturant.

"We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden with you."
(Beatles' Octopus's Garden)

:: posted by Kim Krause Berg on 9/26/2005 12:35:00 PM

:: Today's Post Permalink | Back to the BLOG Home
:: Website Evaluations
:: Email this Post  
:.................................

Feed Bin

Learn how to make RSS Feed Buttons

Highly Recommended!
(Read review)
Search Engine Marketing Kit, by Dan Thies

• User Centered Design
• Usability Industry Research
• Increase Website Conversions
• Starter Ecommerce Checklist

• Web Design & The Usability Effect
• Usability and SEO Humor

Crooked sunglasses

My artistic friends love this picture.

• About Kim Krause Berg
• My Articles
• Me Again (My Fave Blog Posts)
• August 2005 : Expanding on Usability - An Interview with Kim Krause Berg
• Kim's Wish List

Recent Posts

If God Had a Whiteboard and A User Centered Design Team

Whose Fault Is It When Your Web Site Visitors Get Lost?

The Usability and Creative Freedom of an About Me Page

Where to Submit Your Blog and Talk To Other Bloggers

Welcome Back Andy Beal

On Hurricane Katrina: Support, Expression, Communication

Sympathy Is Not Enough for Hurricane Katrina Survivors

Sympathy Is Not Enough For Katrina Survivors

Flirting With Forms

Quick! Opera is Free Today

Monthly Archives

It's That Book Again

Conversions Topic is New York Times Best Seller (Seriously)

Kim is a Member of the Usability Professionals Association

"This report exceeded my expectations. After reading it a few times, I went through and highlighted those parts of your actionable advice that I want to implement right away... I ended up highlighting most of the report. Stellar job. I won't hesitate to recommend you to one of my own clients." -- Andy Hagans of AndyHagans.com

"I have implemented the most obvious changes and I suppose the fact that we've seen an immediate increase in sales/conversions is no coincidence. I'd highly recommend your service to anyone running a serious web based business." -- Steve Clay, Plumeriabay.com

"As soon as we get our hands on one of her usability studies, my clients and I have a better understanding of what needs to be done with their sites to make them the best they can be from their site visitors' perspective."
-- Jill Whalen, HighRankings.com

"This is an exemplary piece of work." -- Rand Fishkin, SEOMoz.org

View more Testimonials | Clients
Learn about Website improvement services.