Writing for Digital Media Flashcards

Which social media platform's algorithm most heavily weights 'dwell time' as a signal for content promotion?

Answer: TikTok

TikTok's algorithm uses completion rate and watch time (dwell time) as primary signals to push content to wider audiences.

What writing technique involves placing the most newsworthy information at the top of a digital article?

Answer: The inverted pyramid

The inverted pyramid puts the most critical who/what/when/where/why details first, then supporting facts, then background.

What is a 'content pillar' in a digital content strategy?

Answer: A comprehensive long-form piece that supports multiple related shorter pieces

A content pillar is a broad, authoritative resource on a core topic that links to and from more specific cluster content.

Which practice is considered a black-hat SEO writing technique that should be avoided?

Answer: Keyword stuffing to inflate keyword density

Keyword stuffing—overloading content with keywords unnaturally—violates search engine guidelines and can result in ranking penalties.

What does a 'canonical tag' help a digital writer manage?

Answer: Duplicate content issues across similar URLs

A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a duplicate or similar page should be treated as the authoritative source.

When writing email marketing copy, what is the single most important element that determines open rates?

Answer: Subject line

The subject line is the first thing recipients see and is the primary factor influencing whether they open or ignore an email.

What is 'UGC' and why is it valuable for digital content writers?

Answer: User-generated content; it builds social proof and community trust

User-generated content includes reviews, testimonials, and social posts created by customers that authentically validate a brand.