Write For The Web basics
It’s easy to write for the web, the experts say. Just write as if you were talking. Yes, but there are still certain tricks to remember as you write. In this article, you’ll find some easy strategies.
My experience with web writing started some 15 years ago, when everything was much simpler. You could get traffic just because you had a website. Nowadays however, you need a lot more than a site to get traffic, readers, and customers. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Always be brief. Avoid long, esoteric words and long sentences. Keep sentence length to under 25 words. If you can say it in one line, do so. No one will be impressed by your run-on sentences and convoluted wording.
2. Grab them with the headline. Use a headline with about eight to ten words that will encourage readers to read on for more information. Check out the headline for this article: don’t you wonder what those eight rules are?
3. Add eye appeal. Admit it: long paragraphs make your eyes glaze over. We’re all lazy, so use bullets, lists, subheads — anything that will make your content seem short and easy to read. That way, readers will quickly scan it, find the information they need and move on.
4. Get to the point. Remember your reader does not necessarily know you and may even be from a different country or culture. Therefore, he or she may not get your joke or the reference to that ancient TV show. You’re better off just stating your point and moving on. If you need to explain an acronym, do so.
5. Always check your work several times before posting it on the web. Use a spellchecker, yes, but also read your work several times yourself, preferably after you’ve set it aside for several hours. Have someone else read it too. You can never proofread too often.
6. Don’t forget the keywords. Keywords will always be very important for web content as they are the means for search engines to index. However, it is possible to overdo it. If you are using a keyword too much your web page may never be indexed at all: no traffic, no readers — a waste.
Web writing is not difficult. Write simply and clearly and content will be found — and your readers will enjoy it.
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