6 Important Tips for Content Writing:
1. Keep it short
Studies show that web-surfers don’t read all the text on a web page.
Instead they skim the material, drawing out ideas at lighting speeds, resonating
with some ideas and disposing of the rest. Research shows that web users read
less than half the information on a page if their are more than 120 words on it.
Analyst conclude that web-readers only read 25 percent of the printed mater on a
computer screen.
The more words written, the less people will read.
Not all content on a web-page should be short. Some arguments should be
made for complex subjects (you’re browsing/skimming one now) but when in doubt,
limit text to the bare necessities, then eliminate more.
2. Keep it relevant
Web-surfers are fickle, and likely to leave a web page if the content
isn’t closely connected to the page title. How many browsers are open on your
computer monitor now? Hopefully you didn’t count the number of windows open,
because if you did, it’s likely you didn’t revisit this article.
Consider your targeted audience before writing an article. Web users
are typically looking for specific information. The writers job is to anticipate
the visitors goal, and to provide them with the facts their searching for. Keep
the text relevant and focused so readers don’t have the urge to leave and check
their twitter account, read email messages, or go watch YouTube
videos.
3. Keep it clear
When people write for one anther, they commonly switch to the quaker
language they’re comfortable using. This type of language is full of jargon and
shorthand that makes them clear to fellow colleagues, but opaque to people that
don’t have authoritative knowledge in that subject area. Don’t use this “insider
language.” Also, writers often bury leads and construct flowery evocative prose
that sound good, but doesn’t add any factual or purposeful information.
Precision and clarity should be the priority.
When writing for the web, especially if writing a short article,
arrange the conclusion towards the top, limit each paragraph to one main
idea, without using the passive voice.
4. Keep it scanable
Web visitors don’t read web pages — they scan them. Write the article so
readers can quickly locate the information that’s important to them. Use
subheadings that are easy to understand and clear, highlight
keywords in bold typeface so the text jumps out at readers (but don’t
present to many headings that it becomes distracting).
Studies have been performed using heat maps that identify the areas of
a web page most frequently scanned by users. A consistent F pattern emerged,
because visitors scan two horizontal lines near the top of the page, then down
the left side of the page. To address this, and other common reading habits, try
the following recommendations:
- Start a paragraph, bullet points and subheads with
information-carrying words that readers will see when skimming down the
left side of content page.
- State the most important information in the first two
paragraphs. The most critical information should be in the first
paragraph as they’ll be less likely to read the second paragraph.
5. Have an editor
We all need an editor. Every writing you put on the
World Wide Web should get a final review by a person who wasn’t involved in the
written work. Whenever you publish something on the Internet, have at least two
or three people give the piece of work a final review.
Throughout our education, we’ve got used to writing and editing our
material without having a person to do the final review, but you shouldn’t write
that way for your own blog or website. Plan on having someone responsible for
the editorial word before publication.
6. Learn from others
There’s lots of great sources available online about how to write well,
how to write for a website, and how to write well online. There are blogs
devoted to teaching people how to write for blogs, and websites devoted to
teaching web masters how to write web content.
The more words written, the less people will read.
Not all content on a web-page should be short. Some arguments should be made for complex subjects (you’re browsing/skimming one now) but when in doubt, limit text to the bare necessities, then eliminate more.
2. Keep it relevant
Web-surfers are fickle, and likely to leave a web page if the content isn’t closely connected to the page title. How many browsers are open on your computer monitor now? Hopefully you didn’t count the number of windows open, because if you did, it’s likely you didn’t revisit this article.Consider your targeted audience before writing an article. Web users are typically looking for specific information. The writers job is to anticipate the visitors goal, and to provide them with the facts their searching for. Keep the text relevant and focused so readers don’t have the urge to leave and check their twitter account, read email messages, or go watch YouTube videos.
3. Keep it clear
When people write for one anther, they commonly switch to the quaker language they’re comfortable using. This type of language is full of jargon and shorthand that makes them clear to fellow colleagues, but opaque to people that don’t have authoritative knowledge in that subject area. Don’t use this “insider language.” Also, writers often bury leads and construct flowery evocative prose that sound good, but doesn’t add any factual or purposeful information. Precision and clarity should be the priority.When writing for the web, especially if writing a short article, arrange the conclusion towards the top, limit each paragraph to one main idea, without using the passive voice.
4. Keep it scanable
Web visitors don’t read web pages — they scan them. Write the article so readers can quickly locate the information that’s important to them. Use subheadings that are easy to understand and clear, highlight keywords in bold typeface so the text jumps out at readers (but don’t present to many headings that it becomes distracting).Studies have been performed using heat maps that identify the areas of a web page most frequently scanned by users. A consistent F pattern emerged, because visitors scan two horizontal lines near the top of the page, then down the left side of the page. To address this, and other common reading habits, try the following recommendations:
- Start a paragraph, bullet points and subheads with information-carrying words that readers will see when skimming down the left side of content page.
- State the most important information in the first two paragraphs. The most critical information should be in the first paragraph as they’ll be less likely to read the second paragraph.
5. Have an editor
We all need an editor. Every writing you put on the World Wide Web should get a final review by a person who wasn’t involved in the written work. Whenever you publish something on the Internet, have at least two or three people give the piece of work a final review.Throughout our education, we’ve got used to writing and editing our material without having a person to do the final review, but you shouldn’t write that way for your own blog or website. Plan on having someone responsible for the editorial word before publication.
6. Learn from others
There’s lots of great sources available online about how to write well, how to write for a website, and how to write well online. There are blogs devoted to teaching people how to write for blogs, and websites devoted to teaching web masters how to write web content.
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