7 Ways To Improve Your Writing For The Web
Smart-phones, tablets and desktop computers are changing the way we read. Many of us are no longer spending long time soaking in the morning papers, or reading a print out of a report. The vast majority of what we read is on the web. Most news or marketing material is now received or requested is digital form, whether its someone who is searching for news, brands, businesses, non-profits, or like many people I connect with, those checking out churches.
The vast majority of us never have never written with a gorgeous fountain pen like the one above. If you are like me, the only constant is the click of the keyboard, not the sound of the nib on paper.
If the truth be told, I’m not a natural writer. I am however a natural at anything visually creative. But I have learnt through persistent blogging and through my job, what does and doesn’t work. Here are some tips from what I’ve learnt over the last few years:
1. Begin with the end in mind
The way we read has changed. We skim and skip, rather than absorb ever word. Keep the information you REALLY want your reader to know upfront.Let them know they are in the right place, right away. Identify where they are. Then have a very short and sweet summary of where you will take the reader through the page.
2. Be brief
Tell the reader what they want to know and no more. People scan the web rather than read and will automatically skim over important content if you have too much fluff in your content.
3. Say it quick. Say it REALLY well
It’s not enough to be brief. Your words need to pack a punch. Surprise the reader. Think about tone and attitude. People now have no patience and will click away very quickly if you are not engaging, or if you have typo’s or bad grammar.
4. Have fast loading times for your website
Believe it or not, this is a massive turnoff for people.
32% of consumers will leave a site if it is slow to load. A one second delay will mean 11% of your readers will leave your page.
We live in an age of instant gratification and we want to get where we are going straight away. No flash. Please. No introduction pages. PLEASE. We no longer want to wait for that crafted animation. We want our information instantly.
5. Use bullet-points and subheads
Bullet-points and subheads will break up the information into bite size chunks that is easily digestible. And present the information in a logical and presentable pattern.
6. Mix your media to maximise your message
Consider pictures, video, audio, graphs and charts as an alternative way to engage if it will improve the cut-through, clarity and brevity of your message. The saying ‘A picture says a thousand words’ is true for a reason.
7. Learn from others
I’m not an expert, but I know someone who is. Check out these priceless tips on how not to suck at copywriting from a real writer.
Your turn
Are you a writer? Or someone like me who has learnt from experience. What advice would you give for someone writing for the web? Please comment below.
When it comes to writing for a blog, I’ve seen consistency to be key. Even if it’s just copy on a static web page, consistency between pages is a must. If one page reads as if you wrote it and another page reads as if someone else wrote it, ats a problem. Love your tips, Steve!
Thanks Jason!
Writing for the web is a very different medium. While I like to meander through a narrative that takes people on a journey, that style isn’t useful or suitable for my blog audience. All the points you make here Steve are techniques that I have experimented with in my blog over its relatively short life. The practice (and discipline) of saying more with less is a theme defining how my blog posts are developing. I believe it is a very useful practice although more challenging to write well.
Like you, I’ve learnt from others – including yourself 🙂 – and I appreciate reading such a good collection of valuable tips here today in your post. Thanks!
Thanks Gail. I’d actually add an exception to the short is better rule. If you are telling story it doesn’t necessarily apply.
I’ve only just started out on my blogging journey so tips like this are fantastic. Thanks.
Awww thanks darling! Everyone, this is my beautiful bride! check out her blog 😉 *gush*