Every Day with Rachael Ray Seeks Help from Search Engine Optimization

Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine’s online component recently turned to Search Engine Optimization to boost readership in the online community through search friendly results and headlines.

SEO uses information, such as Web sites’ data of online traffic, to determine which key words in an online search would produce the best searching results. A repetition of embedded words within the search is utilized to help a specific Web site gain a higher ranking in the list of search engine links.

Every Day with Rachel Ray’s Executive Editor Online Diane Dragan was hesitant at first to consider the importance of the SEO results. But she soon realized that SEO could provide valuable information to improve the Web site’s search engine rankings.

Dragan describes the process as a “tug of war” with constant “pushes and pulls” to increase online audience traffic while also maintaining valuable content. The Web site for Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine hopes to use the results of SEO to provide the readers with online friendly headlines and interactive material to balance with the printed magazine.

By turning to SEO, the online division of Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine intends to turn a person’s simple online search into a way to help increase the scope of online visitors to the Web site. For example, when online surfers are searching for the newest recipe for a dinner or planning a menu for a party, Search Engine Optimization would allow for more traffic to come to the magazine’s Web site by utilizing vital key words in the embedded data.

The ultimate accomplishment of SEO would lead Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine to the much-coveted first link in the Google ranking.

Ethnic Groups Reach Roadblock

Tables were set in a C-shape facing a wooden podium where a microphone stood. The board members filled in the chairs as the clock neared 6. When the meeting began, the members of the public, who had signed up to speak, stood up before members of Community Board 5 to plead their causes. A major part of the committee’s agenda consisted of the approval or disapproval of a group of ethnic celebrations to take part in Midtown.

            The atmosphere in the board meeting had a sense of uneasiness as numerous representatives of the ethnic groups stood before the board in the public session in order to speak on behalf of five cultural groups that were planning to have celebratory parades on Madison Avenue between 23^rd and 26^th Streets at various points in the year. One by one members of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Pakistan Day Parade & Fair Committee, Sikh Cultural Society, the Muslim Foundation of America, and the Federation of Indian Association asked for their events to be approved.

            Conflict ensued because the Joint Parks and Consents & Variances committee of Community Board 5 recommended denial of the events until “City Agencies [agreed to] engage in a tripartite dialog with Community Board 5 and the applicant” to find the best venue suited for these growing cultural events. The decision of the board greatly affected the members of these groups who attended the meeting because they wanted the board’s support for the events. The board’s main concern was that as the events grow, the city has to deal with more crowd control, more sanitation problems, and more strain on the communities where these events take place.

            When the decision was made with a unanimous vote to deny approval of the events, the members of the cultural group stood up without making a scene and walked out of the meeting. Dipak Patel, the elected president of the Federation of Indian Association, was angered by the board’s decision. After speaking with him and the other representatives, I realized that their main initiative was to provide a learning experience for the members of the communities of New York City. Patel, originally from Punjab in India but now residing in New Jersey, remarked, “New York City is supposed to be a melting pot, and here I am seeing nothing is being practice. There is a lack of awareness of these celebrations.”

Patel and the various sponsors of the other ethnic groups say that they are open to discussion for the future of the events. They want to compromise but not at the extent of losing the approval of the board. Patel made the fascinating analogy that the board’s denial of these immigrant and religious groups’ events would be similar to an educational institution denying students out of state to come and study in the college.

            David Diamond, a Community Board 5 member and former board president, said in response to the board’s decision, “We denied the request in order to stop and take a look at the problem to figure out a solution.” He remarked that the board’s suggestion does not actually have political power. It is up to the Street Activities Permit Office to supply the groups the permits needed to have these events. Yet support of the community board in which the events take place seems like a necessity in order to have a successful celebration. 

Chinatown Frenzy

Frustrating is the first word that comes to mind when I started my interviewing for the Chinese New Year by going to the Chinatown parade. People swarmed the area surrounding Mott Street as they waited impatiently for the parade to begin. I set out to interview shop and bodega owners in the area to find an angle for a story, especially in reference to the declining economy. Many owners did not speak English or did not want to be interviewed. This set the tone for the rest of the afternoon as I attempted to find people in the crowd of parade-goers to talk about their personal financial experiences in the present state of the economy. Once a few started talking with me, it got a bit easier to find people more willing to talk. I realized that I had to put myself out there and ask as many people as I could because eventually people started responding to the questions.

            During this experience, I learned a lot about reporting and interviewing in New York City. I never realized how difficult it is to interview people. Going into it, I had no idea what people were going to say in regards to my questions, so I did not know what article I would be able to write from the quotes I would receive. After my first time interviewing, I learned that it is necessary to get full contact information for any people that I interview. I forgot to ask my interviewees their ages as well as their hometowns because in the heat of the moment I did not remember all the essentials. I also need to learn a better short hand so that I can accurately write down everything that the interviewees say. You never know what gem of a quote a person will say, so you always have to be ready for it. I also want to improve my professional demeanor when reporting so that I develop a mutual respect and comfort with the person I am interviewing.

            One story that I believe would be interesting to pursue would be the takeover of Little Italy by Chinatown. When I was in the neighborhood, I noticed that the once historic neighborhood of Little Italy has been shortened to a few blocks along Mulberry Street. This story could be done at different angles, such as a reaction piece with perspectives of Little Italy residents and business owners as well as Chinese business owners who have taken over the neighborhood. The impact of this story may not be on a national level, but it is important to the people in that neighborhood as well as tourists who are going to this area.

            Next time, I plan on being more prepared with questions and a positive outlook, and hopefully I will get a few good quotes to make a good news story.