Writing for the Web

Reading on the web is different than reading traditional print. Reading from the screen is more difficult because of monitor resolutions. Text is rough rather than smooth. It follows then, that writing for the web should also be different. How does the online audience read? We don't start at the top of the page and read word-by word — we scan a page quickly, looking for headings and links that might relate to the information we're looking for.

We are not patient. We don't want to read a novella in order to get to the point.

We skip the hype. Our eyes are trained to ignore the blinkies and flowery adverbs that signal guerilla sales tactics.

If readers skim so quickly, how do you keep your audience's attention long enough to deliver your message?

• Write scannable text
• Use "inverted pyramid" information structure
• Write objectively
• Write correctly (English 101)

Writing Scannable Content

When you provide your content to us, we will organize the information you want to present into topics that will be useful to your readers. We will use those topics as headings and subheadings, using two or three levels of headings where appropriate, to organize the information into logical subject areas.

We will use meaningful headings. We won't try to be cute, but we can be clever. If a cliché or colorful heading conveys the concept of the body text then by all means, we'll use it. We can add personality without corrupting scannability

We will avoid long paragraphs by using bulleted lists that contain the essence of a paragraph's concepts. We will boil the words down to short phrases but we won't overdo. An effective page will be a harmonious blend of meaningful headings, paragraphs and bulleted lists.

Be forewarned, we will probably edit your words a great deal. We need to keep the audience's attention so we will be succinct and get to the point quickly.

Inverted Pyramid Structure

We will structure the information you provide as if we were composing a newspaper article. The conclusion is first — usually the headline, followed by supporting information in order of importance. If needed, we will present detailed background information last, preferably on another page via a link. Only a few readers who are genuinely interested will take the time to read an entire story.

Writing Objectively

Readers know hype when they see it and they avoid it whenever possible. Yes, you are proud of your product or service and lofty adjectives float like plumb-fairies through your brain when you think of your business. You are sold on it but your reader is not. Not yet. They are suspicious of words like, "marvelous", "fantastic" and "unequaled". But if you give them the numbers they will believe. Instead of saying your service is unequaled, show them the awards you have received and the raw data that supports the claim. Consumers are smart. We will allow them to draw their own conclusions from the facts we present.

Other Writing Tips

Get Personal

The Internet is impersonal so when we write, we like to write as if we were speaking to friend on the phone. We imagine telling a friend about the new product or service, then we write that conversation. A conversational tone will put a personal face on the impersonal screen and make the reader feel comfortable. We will not use slang or sloppy grammar, however. We will maintain professionalism to support your credibility.

Paragraph Structure

Each paragraph should address a single idea. The sentences within that paragraph should support the topic.

We will use a variety of sentence types: simple, compound and complex. We will vary the sentence lengths as well. A series of short sentences in a paragraph creates a childlike effect and a series of long sentences will put readers to sleep. A variety of sentence types and lengths makes a good read. Since it is so difficult to read from a monitor we won't write very long sentences, and the paragraphs should be shorter than print as well.

Grammar and Spelling

We will write grammatically correct sentences and use spellcheck. Of all the mistakes that damage credibility, I think these are the number one killers. Here are some common pieces of grit that get under our fingernails:

By writing for the online reader with objective, well-organized and scannable text, and writing correctly to support your claims of credibility, we can keep your audience's attention long enough to get your message across.

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