Writing for the Web

A common mistake made by many who write for the Internet is to assume that writing for the computer screen is like any other kind of writing. Writers often see only one significant difference. Web text, they conclude, should not be limited by length. The web is limitless, so there is no need to be succinct, precise or brief.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Consider this. Reading online is 25 percent slower than reading on paper. Therefore, web content needs to be about 75 percent the length of its paper equivalent.

Most web readers (as many as 79 percent of them) scan the information and do not read word for word. Therefore, it's a good idea to use "eye anchors" when writing for the web, and make it easy for your reader to move through the text quickly. But avoid highlighting too many words in a row. Most of us can see only about three highlighted words at a time. Bulleted or numbered lists are helpful, as they give visual form to the text, which makes for easier reading and better comprehension.

Journalists are accustomed to writing in a style known as the "inverted pyramid," and it's a good idea to organize your web writing in the same fashion. The inverted pyramid calls for putting the most important information at the beginning of the article, then adding the detail throughout the article, leaving the least important information for the end. This is particularly important when you consider that most readers are not seeking your web page for any other reason than to find information and move on. So, getting your most important points made early in the piece is the best strategy.

Writing style is a very personal issue; everyone has a different tone. However, writing for the web can, in general, be less formal and more conversational than writing for print. Humor can be a useful tool, but because most web readers are truly information seekers, avoid overuse of clever headings, cute headlines, puns or trite turns of phrase. Remember that the web is an international medium. What we find humorous in our culture may be offensive elsewhere on the globe.

As with any writing, keep sentences short, concise, clear and full of active verbs and powerful adjectives and adverbs. Keep paragraphs the same way. Limit your paragraphs to one major idea per paragraph and write as much about it as you need to convey your message—no more.

Edit your work. Always edit your work. Leave the piece alone for a few hours or a few days. When you return to it, read it aloud and listen for redundancies. Find a shorter way to say things. Scrutinize each sentence for unnecessary descriptors. Try to cut what you have written by at least 10 percent. 15 percent is better. Use your electronic tools to edit for spelling and grammar, but don't depend on them 100 percent. Print your work and proofread from the bottom up, line by line, sentence by sentence. Have someone else review your work if possible; it's difficult for us to catch our own mistakes.

Then, rely on a talented web designer to give your writing some visual appeal. Colors and graphics can add a great deal to your written word and can help move the reader through the text. But don't overdo that either. Balance is key.

Once the information is ready to load, review it one last time for readability and accuracy. Be sure to check back frequently to update the material. The web is a very fluid medium. Static documents discourage visitors from returning to your site. Timing is everything; keep your content current!

- Mary Paulsell, MO SBTDC 1/13/08