We're in a learning curve here, but Websleuths will not always be editing
titles anymore unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e. blatantly incorrect information or critically important to the understanding of what the discussion is about).
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) research is showing that every single time we have edited a thread title in the past (i.e. added a name, changed an age or date, number of victims, added detail, etc), it has given Websleuths a black eye in google analytics. Every single title edit has been resulting in driving our case discussions further down in the google search results which equates to less exposure for the cases we discuss. This is not fair to the victims that we care about or to Websleuths reputation as a go-to site for true crime discussion.
Websleuths is learning and reviewing current SEO research, but while members and WS staff are used to how we've "always done it", it turns out a "
Less is More" approach in our titles has a much more positive result when it comes to the public finding our discussions closer to the top in search results. That's why you'll notice MSM headings such as "Texas Mom Accused of Drowning and Decapitating Son, 5". The general public does not necessarily remember the name "Lihui Liu" or that it was November 2018 ... but they remember it was Texas, a child was murdered, decapitated. If we edit a title every time there is a change or addition to the specifics, the public will be less able to find the discussion at Websleuths.
So, with Dave's help and guidance, the Websleuths team is now learning how the public searches for information and how we can help that information be more accessible to the public. We have to think like the public ... catchier words, less specifics and less punctuation will actually bring better results and more exposure for the case. (Apparently too many commas in a title is a negative while hyphens are okay. Yeah .. who'da thunk it?)
Additional important details and changes in the specifics can still be contained in the Opening Post and subsequent responses where editing does not have negative consequences. It's only editing of the titles that has given us a lot of black eyes over the years when we were actually thinking the more info we included, the better the exposure. Not so.
Long story short .. for now this title will remain as is rather than starting a whole new thread with a different title.
Any questions, please Report to ask or send a PM, but let's not get into it on the thread which I have already derailed with this long, convoluted explanation
