10 Tips for Writing Blog Post Titles: Blawg Titles are Important for Both Google and Your Reader

When you are writing your blog post, it's tempting to let all those creative juices flow that must be contained when writing briefs, memos, motions, and the like. Emotional titles. Catchy titles. Puns. What to title your short blawg article - for all the world to see - can be very, very fun to ponder.

You are Writing for Two Readers: Human and Machine

However, you have to remember that you are writing for two readers: (1) the human (whether it is a client, colleague, a perspective client, or the public at large) and (2) the search engine robots or spiders that crawl the web looking for content.  If you don't satisfy the bots, then there's a strong likelihood that many of those humans will never find what you've written.  (For more on these bots, read my earlier post, "How Search Engines Work - Part 1".)

Incorporate Search Engine Optimization in Your Blog Post Titles

Your goal becomes writing a title that interests the human while simultaneously pleasing Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Here are a few tips to help you accomplish this:

1. write the title last - after your post is in its final form;
2. consider the theme of your post and determine the ONE word or phrase that describes what you've written;
3. place that word or phrase at the beginning of your title;
4. use vocabulary in your title that can be seen in your first paragraph (second, if you must);
5. don't make your title too short, have a 5-7 word minimum; 
6. don't make your title too long, keep it under 20 words (some will argue this is too long, but I have found success with a longer title, 20 word limit);
7. avoid the "&" sign in your titles for coding reasons (see how the amp was automatically stuck in here by my blogging platform?);
8. avoid all caps since many veteran social media readers interpret capitalization as YELLING AT THE READER;
9. search Google and Yahoo for the topic of your blog post and see the top results - don't steal their work, but consider their titles and ponder what they've done that has put their post in the top positions; and
10. don't italicize or bold-face your title. 

Tweets as Evidence: Authenticating and Admitting Twitter Tweets and Facebook Pokes

The State Bar of Texas has been offering continuing legal education for awhile now on how attorneys can use tweets as evidence.  That's right: the 140 character tweets (or retweets) that millions are publishing on Twitter 24/7, and sharing with more and more followers, will be appearing in the future as evidence for jurors to consider in their deliberations.


Next month, a replay is being offered by the Texas Bar of a Summer 2010 presentation entitled "Authenticating Tweets: Use and Admission of Social Networking Evidence," where attorney John Browning of Dallas shared with his fellow Texas lawyers all about not only authenticating tweets but getting them admitted into evidence under both state and federal law.  (Of course, we all know that authentication and admission are two different hurdles ....)

2012 UPDATE:  See my article in Florida Defender, "Twitter at Trial: Tweets and Messages as Evidence 2011"  which includes discussion of evidentiary rules and issues of admissibility and authentication.

It also looks like Mr. Browning will be covering more than just Twitter - the outline of his speech references Facebook pokes, as well as a general discussion of social media as fodder for discovery and evidence in civil cases.  He should know: John Browning has also written a book on the legal ramifications of social media entitled The Lawyer's Guide to Social Networking: Understanding Social Media's Impact on the Law published by West in December 2010.

Of course, this isn't news to some.  Paris Hilton faced having her tweets used by Las Vegas prosecutors in the drug charges she faced last year.  But then again, Paris Hilton is always trendy right?


For more on authentication and admissibility of social media:

1. New Jersey Criminal Defense Lawyer - using tweets, Facebook pix in NJ criminal trials
2. South Carolina Family Law Blog - using social media in family law cases
3. U.S. Department of Justice  - Directives on use of socia media in the courtroom

AVVO - Reviews to Consider B4 You Claim Your Profile

AVVO.COM is a lawyer rating site - maybe you've seen it.  However, before you include your name - or that of your law firm - on Avvo, consider the following 5 (+1) issues:

1.  Avvo is on the Ripoff Report. 

2.  Last year, New York HR attorney Charles Krugel gave an in-depth review of the site - it's worth your time to read.

3.  Read the Wikipedia article (I know, I know) and find, among other things, info regarding a lawsuit filed against the service (which reviews both doctors and lawyers) where the plaintiffs alleged that Avvo.com is a sham since its review system isn't scientfically sound -- and where the case was dismissed not because of the allegation that the ratings are bogus, but on 1st Amendment Free Speech grounds.  The Judge ruled that assuming arguendo that they are bogus, they are constitutionally protected nevertheless.  (Justia has Browne et al v. Avvo here, pleadings and opinion, if you're interested.)  Since then, fyi, there's been another suit filed (in 2010, out of Florida - read the pleading here).

4.  There's a search engine optimization strategy here that lawyers (and doctors) don't recognize is part of the Avvo.com agenda - details explained here by Barry Hurd, and you need to read his comments, too. 

5.  Debra Bruce of Lawyer-Coach, Inc. provides a good summary of the Avvo controversy here, in a pdf available online from the State Bar of Texas. 

Here's my suggestion -- before you jump into Avvo, go read the reviews of lawyers and law firms in your community.  You may find some shocking results ... as Ms. Bruce points out.  Consider the raison d'etre of this site: to build ranking on the web.  Avvo.com is focused upon building its own site authority on the web, and lawyers who sign up benefit from dovetailing with them.  Read Hurd's discussion of this for details.

6. And, one big reminder:  it's important to check with your State Bar to insure that any Avvo listing is okay with them. 

It may not be -- remember, there are testimonials on the site and that's a big no-no in many states (at least for lawyers).   Earlier this month, the Broward County Bar Association discussed this in their latest meeting ("AVVO Testimonials on Florida Attorney Profiles") and the latest from Florida is that lawyers there can "claim" their Avvo profile, but they cannot solicit testimonials for the site - tho Florida allows these testimonials to appear. 

And nope, I don't know the answer to the question "how can the Florida Bar enforce this distinction?"  Your guess is as good as mine on that one.