Writing web content

Writing web content that gets read can be a tricky business.

I’ve been involved in making radio shows since 1983, (employed to do it since 1991/92) and the best presenters are often those who throw away the rule book and do their own thing.

The same applies to writers in my view - there’s no accounting for taste, and some people you’ll love, others you’ll hate ... it's a very subjective matter.

So this article is an attempt to pull together some general rules which apply to everybody, but which remove the ‘personal taste’ elements.

Top 5 'musts' for writing web content

1) Check your spelling ... but don't get too hung up on it. We all make mistakes ... just try not to make too many! Proof read your work.

2) Check your grammar and punctuation. Again, the web is about communication, not literary excellence.

Don't get hung up on this, but do your reader the courtesy of checking a page before publication.

3) Be consistent with spelling. If you're going to use American spellings - like optimized and categorized - do so throughout your website, don't chop and change with English spellings like 'optimised' and 'categorised'.

4) Produce great content when you're writing articles. You've heard the phrase 'content is king'? Well it is, and the search engines love it.

5) Write pages that read easily. Adopt an easy, chatty style. Avoid writing formally for the web.

In summary, don’t worry too much about correctness.

Most readers will overlook, and nearly all will forgive, occasional errors in punctuation and spelling.

Find your voice and use it - be natural, not stiff and formal.

Check your work, but don't think that you have no right to be producing websites just because you have never won a Booker Prize.

Top 5 article tips when writing web content

Here's a list of what people love to read on the web.

Notice how often articles using these techniques end up at the top of Google searches or passed around on social networking sites.

1) Use lists, people love them. You'll notice how I use lists throughout this website.

They're straightforward to read and easy to get to grips with.

A 'Top 5' or 'Top 10' of anything looks good on a page and is attractive to a reader.

2) Produce 'How to' articles such as 'How to build a website', 'How to create a table arrangement in 10 simple steps' and so on.

Like lists, they're attractive to readers and easy to read and absorb.

3) Start at the beginning. This is the 'inverted pyramid' style of article writing.

BBC News stories are an excellent example of how to do this.

You can read the top 3 lines and know the news story ... subsequent paragraphs are detail, description and background information.

4) Use a case study as the basis for your articles.

Titles such as 'Should you quit the day job to work at home?' lead to a 'pros and cons' style article in which you might use a bit of research or even a new survey.

5) The 'straw man' principle ie set up a premise, then knock it down.

This might include 'Is keeping the day job really the safest option?' or 'Is computer work really bad for your eyes'?

You take a point of view or a statement, discuss it, step around the argument then come up with a new conclusion.

Top 5 style tips for writing web content

I've already touched on writing style by talking about finding your own voice when you write.

By this I mean that we should get a sense of your personality when we read what you're writing, don't be afraid of revealing who you are and what makes you tick when you write.

Here are some other practical stylistic tips for writing web content:

1) Write in short sentences and break those sentences up.

Notice how I separate all the lines in my own web pages?

Nobody wants to be overwhelmed by lots of text.

Break it up, make it easier to read, use paragraphs.

2) Use headings and sub-headings.

Point to the reader to the information that they're looking for.

Make the page layout clearer, notice how it works on this page.

3) Use an active writing style.

Make your writing urge the reader to take action ... by checking out other articles, by subscribing to your e-course, by contacting you, by signing up to your newsletter.

Don't be passive and uninspiring with your writing, make it feel like it has direction and is engaging.

4) One sentence, one idea.

Nobody likes great, long rambling sentences with too much information.

Keep your sentences short, sharp and to the point.

Web readers scan pages, they don't tend to read them word-for-word.

Make the process easy for them.

5) Be relevant and on topic.

Don't ramble or beat around the bush.

If we want to read 'War and Peace' we'll get it out from the library.

Tell your readers what you're going to do, then get on with it.

Writing web content: Download a free guide

The science of writing is not an exact one, but there are certainly many key principles which you can use very easily to give yourself a head start.

The free download below is packed with useful tips to help you to improve your writing for the web.

If you are just not a writer, you may want to get a quote from Website Content Providers for writing custom-made content for you. Their prices are affordable and they will steer you in the right direction.

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