How To Write for the Web-Part 2

Mary Bowling | 27 January 2008 |

People are generally not seeking great writing when they read web pages. They want answers and information. Here how can you make it easier for them to get it from your website’s content:

Get to the point quickly. There are billions of web pages out there and people are investing their time reading your web copy. Respect that.
Write to inform, not to impress. Write in a conversational tone, which can be easily understood. Be concise. Use small, understandable words and short sentences.
Make your content scannable. Break it up into easily digested sections. Use short, 2-5 sentence paragraphs. Leave white space between your paragraphs. Bulleted lists help with scanability, as well.
Bold your keywords on the page to demonstrate that the information you present is about what the searcher is looking for.
Tell readers where to go and what to do next and make certain your navigation paths are clear. Use keywords in links to other pages on and off your site. Use calls to action several times in your copy, and link them to the page you want readers to go to next, like an order form or signup page.

Did you read How to Write for the Web-Part 1?