Internet and Society: Good Content Vs. Bad Content

The internet is constantly changing. It is an idea that is continuously repeating over and over and over again. The more we read, hear, see, this it's kinda scary, because now we have to be even more responsible about utilizing it. The reading pretty much stress that point repeatedly, it's just that one look at in from the perspective of the importance social media. The other is the importance of having that content seen effectively through search engines. The article, "Clairemont McKenna College: How will you change the World through Social Networking" by Deanna Zandt is a clear understand that one my be empathetic to the connection we all have with society as a whole. However, this is not the same position Brian Clark takes in his article, "How to create compelling content that ranks well in search engines". His method is that good content is found by way of using keywords and tags that found in search engines, and how that content is distributed via social media sites and said search engine, such as Google.

In Zandt's article she explain that in order to make one's voice known there is a concept that is derived by Clive Thompson called "ambient awareness". She explains that it is from this method,

"They make a huge portrait of a life shared. Through that sharing

we are becoming passively aware of one another's existance. And

through our own sharing, we infuse the very public conversations

we're having with our values, our experiences, and our versions, our

experiences, and our versions of the story... Here is our chance to say:

No, this what it's like to be a person in these shoes." (Zandt)

This is not the same as the Clark article where in short making content is available and accessible is all based optimizing all the resources. This is clearly pointed out by what stating,

"A writer who has a knack for tuning in to the needs and desires

of the target audience. And because links are so important, those needs

and desires have to be nailed well before that content will show up

prominently in the search engines." (Clark)

So what does that mean for us the reader and the writer of online writing? It means from both articles that we have to cater to an audience that will relate with the content being written. But at the same time spreading the content efficiently, without having it being lost in the confines of just internet junk. I have a bit of a problem with this, because good or bad content depends on the interests reader. IMDB.com is an example of good content because of it's focus on celebrities, the movie industry, and its easy access to finding out about most films that are coming soon or are out recently. Another reason is that it uses news articles from different entertainment newspapers pertaining to that particular industry. But how that does that site apply with the articles? It's application method is based on associating to social circles pertaining people who are interested in the entertainment industry or the media. Facebook and Twitter, and Google become essential since news of that caliber is always up to date and in constant change. Therefore, links, keywords, tags are major contributor in spreading that type of information. Good and bad content is matter of simply, opinion. But it is also how the information is distributed that determines how the content is good or bad. Lets just take another website NYtimes.com commonly known as the New York Times, yes I'm so going to go there. We are in an age where majority of our content is found primarily on the web. Technology is changing on a very rapid level, and causing people to change very quickly with it. The Times is a an example of good content because newspaper sales are decreasing. So what choice does that leave for our friends at the New York Times? Yep, they have to do publish not only on paper format but also on there website too. This applies with more with Clark's article to be able to spread the content through the use of Google andYahoo as a search engine. It is also because this is a newspaper that pertains to a wide spectrum of current events, international news, business, entertainment, and local news. Therefore, tags and keywords become an integral part of the search process. Thus, enabling many readers to track and bookmark the information they found. So what is considered bad content?

Bad content, in my opinion, is about not being able to find any information that is of interest. It is also about if that information is useful or not. The two examples of this are Gawker.com and TMZ.com. The two are both gossip sites on the entertainment industry. Both are easily accessible on the web, but the news they report are questionable and at times insulting. So one can say they are easy to look up, but by Zandt's method the approach is wrong. The whole point is to attract your audience via being empathetic to the masses, not by using negative comments or humilation.

Brian Tayco

Links:

http://www.deannazandt.com/presentations/claremont-mckenna-college-how-you-will-change-the-world-with-social-networking/

http://scribeseo.com/downloads/How-to-Create-Compelling-Content.pdf