SEO Content Writing for Beginners

What SEO really is? How does it work? These are few common questions beginners often ask. Let start with some basics!

When you typed in a query in search engines like Google, it will display a list of web results or sites that contains your query which the search engine believes to be relevant and authoritative. You might observe that other websites are on the top of the list compared to others. This is a result of a powerful technique called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

SEO is a web marketing technique that helps search engines find and rank websites better than the millions of other sites. In simple terms, it helps you get noticed by search engines. The higher your ranking, the better position you have in the web market. Thus, websites strive hard to improve their rankings in major search engines by creating web content that is optimized for search engines.

Here are few content writing tips that might help you improve your website’s ranking in search engines:

• Quality content is important. The articles and posts in your website must showcase accurate, relevant and interesting information about the industry you are representing of. It must stand out and develop a sense of authority, which in return, will facilitate frequent visit to your website.

• Focused more on business-related topics rather that unrelated subject matters that might just clogged up your website and divert attention of your prospects.

• First impression is lasting. The title of your web pages and articles will determine readability of your website. It is the front line of your website, so it must grab the attention of your readers the first time.

• Follow the ideal length and density for your articles which is 300 to 1,000 words.

• Distribute your keywords strategically throughout the page.

• Original content is a must. Make sure your article is fresh and crisp for users consumption.

Fisherfolks, NGO initiate mangrove rehabilitation

By Klenn Salde Tinapay

Some 20 members of Kapunungan San Tomaliguesnon nga Mandaragat (KATOMAN) and Tomaligues Women’s Association (TOWA), in cooperation with the Barangay Council of Tomaligues, assisted by the Center for Empowerment and Resource Development-Fishery Integrated Resource Management for Economic Development (CERD-FIRMED) Samar Sea Program recently held a mangrove rehabilitation project in the coastal community of Brgy. Tomaligues, Tinambacan district this city.

KATOMAN and TOWA are organizations of small fisherfolks and fishworkers in this area organized by the FIRMED Samar Sea Program of CERD.

CERD is a non-stock, non –profit and non-government organization aimed to address the issues, problems and other concerns of fisherfolks, both men and women, for them to effectively manage the marine resources on which they depend for livelihood.

Mangrove rehabilitation was the resource management option used by the said organizations to restore the mangrove forest cover in this area being a unique life-support system of the coastal ecosystem that provides many uses for their coastal community.

Although the community has an existing 2-year old mangrove project near the mouth of the river, it has not been sustained by previous sponsoring agencies.

Through the efforts of these organization, about 250 propagules of natural mangrove seeds taken from adult trees were planted on this area.

Part of its project management are the regular cleaning of the site to eliminate wastes and garbage material (plastic, net remnants, etc.), barnacles, fouling organisms, etc., replanting of areas with low survival, monitoring, and updating with the community and the local government.

The said activity, specifically, aims to improve the mangrove forest cover in areas previously cleared for other purposes (e.g. fishpond, abandoned development, etc.), enhance habitat of socio-economically important marine organisms (i.e. crabs, shrimps, etc.) that are biologically dependent on mangrove ecosystem and ensure sustainable harvest of mangrove trees.

In the long term, it gears to provide supplemental income from marine products to coastal communities dwelling in the area and give ownership to the community to manage the resource.

In a survey conducted by CERD in this barangay last July 29, 1998, it was discovered that there were only about 70 hectares of mangrove forest in this area; part of it has been converted to fishponds that protects the community from strong wind and big waves.

The survey revealed that Miyapi (Rhizopora Apiculata) dominated the area due to its sandy to muddy substrates apt for the growing of this specie in much higher rate.

It was known further that predominantly small secondary growth trees with few larger mature ones were seen at the outer part of the forest but at the inner portion, large Nipa (Nypa Fruticans) dominated the thick amd widely dispersed mangroves.

In the said area, numerous fast growing bakhaw (Rhizopora Mucronata) was also seen.

Based on the resources assessment conducted by the same NGO in 1996, the remaining mangrove forest of Calbayog, located within its central portion and widely dispersed to Tinambacan proper, is just 140 hectares.

According to the fisherfolks, in 1960’s there was thick mangrove cover from Calbayog proper down to Tinambacan area extending up to 200 meters seaward from the lowest tide mark during low tide.

A big percentage of its original area has been converted fo fishponds, rice fields, coconut plantations, settlements and other commercial and industrial purposes.

Two of the minor causes of these conversions are the population growth and migration of other fishers from other parts of central Philippines (i.e. Cebu, Masbate and Leyte among others).

These conversions limited the capacity of the existing mangrove areas to provide nutrient requirement essential in the food chain and habitat of many living organisms.

The deterioration of the mangrove area resulted to the decreasing volume of Bangus fry and shrimp fry which also affected the income of the fry gatherers particularly the women fishers.

The Community-Based Fishery Management Plan for Tinambacan District, Calbayog City proposed by the Tinambacan Federation of Fisherfolks stressed the need to stop the continues destruction of the mangrove ecosystem through rehabilitation of the mangrove areas, its species diversity, and associated organisms, to develop a sound management plan for the sustainable utilization of mangroves and to ensure that there is sustained production of Bangus and Shrimp fry which will provide income to men and women fry gatherers in the area.

(This news article appeared in The Samar Reporter dated January 21-27, 1999, Vol. XXII, No. 4)

1998 is Human Rights Year

By Klenn Salde B. Tinapay

This year marks the worldwide observance of the Human Rights year in recognition of the 50^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

“All Human Rights for All,” so goes the anniversary’s theme which aims to underscore the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights – civil, political, economic, social and cultural.

The UDHR was produced in 1946 by the UN Commission on Human Rights, chaired then by human rights activist Eleanor Roosevelt, widow of former US President Franklin Roosevelt.

It was adopted on December 10, 1948 in Paris by the UN General Assembly for the international promotion and protection of human rights.

As defined in UDHR, all persons are of equal worth and dignity and all have the right to the basic necessities of life, to self-determination, cultural identity, and minority distinction and to religious expression and practice.

Although it does not have the binding of a treaty, it has acquired universal acceptability, including inclusion in the basic laws and constitutions of many countries.

Leah Levin, in her book Human Rights: Questions and Answers, emphasizes that “human beings are born equal in dignity and rights. These are moral claims which are inalienable and inherent in all human individuals by virtue of their humanity alone.

She says, “these claims are articulated and formulated in what we today call human rights. The basis of these legal rights is the consent of the governed, that is the consent of the subjects of the rights.”

(This news article appeared in The Samar Reporter dated December 17-23, 1998 Vol. XXI, No. 51)

National Book Week

Calbayog Library holds book exhibit

By Klenn Salde Tinapay

Calbayog City – The public library here recently concluded its Book Exhibit during the National Book week celebration with the theme “Ang Aklat sa Ika-100 Taon ng Kalayaan”.

The library personnel headed by City Librarian Sofronia E. Delabajan with some government officials, employees, teachers, pupils and students gathered together for this exhibit which was aimed to promote the use of the library and its reading materials with focus on books.

Books played an important role in the history of the Filipino people and their continuing struggle for economic, political and cultural emancipation.

“The city library, together with the archive, is under the Sangguniang  Panglungsod but is being supervised by the National Library, “ Mrs. Delabajan said in an exclusive interview with this writer.

She added that the city library received 213 encyclopedias, almanacs and centennial books from the National Library, Asia Foundation and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas this year.

The National Library, as part of its annual book allocation to the city, delivered 160 volumes of books, an average of 100 volumes yearly,” the librarian stressed.

The Asia Foundation and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas gave 50 volumes and 3 volumes of books respectively,” she further stressed.

The Sangguniang Panglungsod,on the other hand, has a P50,000 annual allocation to the city library,” she disclosed.

But with ever increasing prices of commodities including library materials, the said amount seems to be insufficient to meet the ever increasing demand of Calbayognons for more learning.

As of October 1998, the library counted some 9,608 volumes of books but only 400 books have been reportedly distributed due to the scarcity of barangay reading centers.

(This news article appeared in The Samar Reporter dated Nov. 26 – Dec. 2, 1998, Vol. XXI, No. 48)