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Title Selection and O&O sites
Since you have been properly introduced to the Titling portion of Demand Studios at this point, I’m happy to go into detail about some of the sites that benefit from the Titling process. To start, I am Danielle Maddox - Title Manager. I help manage the communities that distribute titles to Demand Studios' O&O sites, including: Trails.com, GardenGuides.com, Livestrong.com and Answerbag.com. Titles are selected for each of these sites by a community of qualified freelancers, called Title Selectors. Every Title Selector is assigned one of these sites and using its guidelines becomes an expert in understanding the site's content needs.
After a title makes its rounds in Title QA, Keyword QA and Title Edit—as explained earlier in the week—it comes through the pipeline and is vetted by Title Selectors. They decide if the title a) is a good fit for the site, and b) fits the requested template. I review selectors' work on a regular basis and aim to provide them with constructive feedback and guidance on how to improve their understanding when needed (quick shout-out to all those Title Selectors - you guys rock).
As I mentioned before, not only does a selector need to be an expert on the site they represent, they also need to anticipate if a title fits a requested template based on its intent and syntax. This can get really difficult because many titles are very ambiguous! For example, would you think that a reader asking, "Can I Use Live Rocks in My Tropical Fresh Water Aquarium?" really just wants a "yes" or "no" answer (belonging in the Tip template)? OR, is he looking for directions on how to go about selecting and introducing certain types of live rocks into a fresh water environment (a Strategy template)? Hopefully, this provides an example of how subjective interpretations of titles can vary.
Regardless of the obstacles these Title Selectors encounter during the selection process, they produce some pretty great titles for their respective sites. I'd like to recognize some of the articles that have been executed on the O&O sites as a result of the Titling Process, along with a short description of each site.
Answerbag.com is the leading online resource for great answers to every question. Answerbag strives to provide detailed answers to specific questions. Here are some examples of what type of content that includes:
Do I Need Satellite TV in an RV?
How Frequently are Credit Scores Updated?
Why are men at higher risk than women for heart disease?
Does acai berry antioxidant drink work?
GardenGuides.com is the destination for all things gardening and has been a leader in online gardening information for more than eight years. It provides articles written with an expert voice, and the site has high standards when it comes to accepting titles, as exemplified by the following articles:
Comparison of Plant Fertilizers
Fall Care for Perennial Plants
Proper Bed Prep for Planting
What to Do to a Lawn After a Flood
LIVESTRONG.COM is an online resource that lives up to the name and respect of the LIVESTRONG® brand and attitude, as typified by Lance Armstrong. They generate high-quality content written by passionate and qualified writers. Titles like those below are selected for LIVESTRONG to contribute to a daily conversation about living well:
How Acne Works
How to Parent Bipolar Kids
Fitness Ball Uses
Macrobiotic Diet Food
Trails.com is the most comprehensive and reliable online resource for outdoor enthusiasts. The site covers outdoor recreational topics ranging from bird watching to white water rafting. Articles have been executed on titles like:
How Do I Size an Internal Frame Backpack to a Person?
How to Choose Cross-Country Skis
You can see that Title Selection plays an integral role in maintaining a consistent voice on each of Demand Studios' O&O niche sights. With the aid of the Title Selection process, Demand Studios is able to create loyal audiences on these sites and provide them with quality expert-driven content.
After a title makes its rounds in Title QA, Keyword QA and Title Edit—as explained earlier in the week—it comes through the pipeline and is vetted by Title Selectors. They decide if the title a) is a good fit for the site, and b) fits the requested template. I review selectors' work on a regular basis and aim to provide them with constructive feedback and guidance on how to improve their understanding when needed (quick shout-out to all those Title Selectors - you guys rock).
As I mentioned before, not only does a selector need to be an expert on the site they represent, they also need to anticipate if a title fits a requested template based on its intent and syntax. This can get really difficult because many titles are very ambiguous! For example, would you think that a reader asking, "Can I Use Live Rocks in My Tropical Fresh Water Aquarium?" really just wants a "yes" or "no" answer (belonging in the Tip template)? OR, is he looking for directions on how to go about selecting and introducing certain types of live rocks into a fresh water environment (a Strategy template)? Hopefully, this provides an example of how subjective interpretations of titles can vary.
Regardless of the obstacles these Title Selectors encounter during the selection process, they produce some pretty great titles for their respective sites. I'd like to recognize some of the articles that have been executed on the O&O sites as a result of the Titling Process, along with a short description of each site.
Answerbag.com is the leading online resource for great answers to every question. Answerbag strives to provide detailed answers to specific questions. Here are some examples of what type of content that includes:
Do I Need Satellite TV in an RV?
How Frequently are Credit Scores Updated?
Why are men at higher risk than women for heart disease?
Does acai berry antioxidant drink work?
GardenGuides.com is the destination for all things gardening and has been a leader in online gardening information for more than eight years. It provides articles written with an expert voice, and the site has high standards when it comes to accepting titles, as exemplified by the following articles:
Comparison of Plant Fertilizers
Fall Care for Perennial Plants
Proper Bed Prep for Planting
What to Do to a Lawn After a Flood
LIVESTRONG.COM is an online resource that lives up to the name and respect of the LIVESTRONG® brand and attitude, as typified by Lance Armstrong. They generate high-quality content written by passionate and qualified writers. Titles like those below are selected for LIVESTRONG to contribute to a daily conversation about living well:
How Acne Works
How to Parent Bipolar Kids
Fitness Ball Uses
Macrobiotic Diet Food
Trails.com is the most comprehensive and reliable online resource for outdoor enthusiasts. The site covers outdoor recreational topics ranging from bird watching to white water rafting. Articles have been executed on titles like:
How Do I Size an Internal Frame Backpack to a Person?
How to Choose Cross-Country Skis
You can see that Title Selection plays an integral role in maintaining a consistent voice on each of Demand Studios' O&O niche sights. With the aid of the Title Selection process, Demand Studios is able to create loyal audiences on these sites and provide them with quality expert-driven content.
