Issue #26- Writing Faster & Google Penalties

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Hey Bestie,

I know, I know, it's late.

But I didn't want to miss this month. It feels like forever since I was in your inbox.

So, what's new with me?

I hired a branding expert to help me create logos, choose fonts, and revamp my branding. I've received the final products, and I'm in the process of implementing them. I'm really excited about all of it.

I was also finishing up a course I bought several months ago. (Don't judge me)

Besides work, I went to look at some beautiful murals in my hometown and went to the beach.

I'm sure you've had a more exciting April, right?

Anyway, today, I will share some tips to help you write faster and find out if Google penalized your website.

Writing Tips

When you're staring at a mountain of writing tasks, I'm sure you wish to finish them quickly. I know I do. Unfortunately, good writing takes time. But there are things you can do to speed up the writing process, such as:

• Request a writing brief- If you're writing something for someone else, a writing brief can be an amazing time saver for both you and the client. If no brief is available, ask as many questions as possible. For example, I may ask for keywords, the target audience, and formatting guidelines.
• Write an outline- While taking time to create an outline may seem counterproductive, I've found that an outline with headings, reference articles, and an introduction helps me finish faster.
• Set a timer- I like to set an hour or so for when I focus on writing an article. I may not finish in the hour, but it helps me stay focused and closer to the end.
• Put your phone away- I know that not everyone has the luxury of disconnecting for extended periods. However, if you want to truly focus and get your writing done, put your phone out of reach. Whenever I write and periodically check my phone, I realize it takes so much longer to finish the piece. Can you relate? If you're looking for another solution, I used an app called Forest in college to help me focus on studying. Check it out if you're easily distracted by your phone.
• Get a transcript- As writers, sometimes we have to repurpose a video or grab quotes. A transcription tool like Temi can save you time. It has saved me hours.

If your writing is lagging because of writer's block, I have a whole blog tackling this.

SEO Tips

Are you monitoring your blog using Google Search Console?

While Google Search Console can tell you many things, such as performance, it can also tell you if Google has penalized you.

You can be penalized for many reasons, such as having duplicate content, buying links, and engaging in other practices that search engines frown upon.

The crazy thing is you may have been penalized and didn't even know.

If you were, you may notice that your traffic has taken a hit.

Unfortunately, your target audience will have trouble finding you.

However, once you've set up your blog with Google Search Console, go to "Manual Actions" on the left sidebar and click on it. If you were penalized, you'll see why and can take steps to fix the problem.

Resources

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See you in May!