Writing for the Web in 10 Simple Rules

Writing for websites is not quite the same as other areas like print, though some of the standard rules still apply, like knowing your audience and, of course, using proper spelling. How to write for an internet audience, however, requires some different writing guidelines in order to get your point across quickly for users searching through a huge range of information.

• Be specific: Content for the web should be user-driven. Focus on specific topics rather than a wide range of issues that won't answer the reader's questions without having to sift through a bunch of content.



• Get to the point: Too much content, even on a specific topic, is more likely to drive a reader away than keep him or her interested. Make your point early on and don't stray from your chosen topic.



• Easy reading: Use short sentences and paragraphs and things like bullet points, sub-headers and bold words to allow readers to quickly scan an article.



• Know your audience: Knowing who your readers are will help you focus your content and determine your writing voice. Writing to a general audience will require less technical language, while specific audiences in a certain industry will want more involved insights from an informed voice.



• Personality: Take advantage of the more informal nature of blogs, if appropriate. Showing a little bit of your personality will help the reader engage with the writing and keep them coming back. Wikis requiring facts and neutral language are an obvious exception to this rule.



• Be Active: Use active verbs in the headline to grab the reader's attention and use the active voice as much as possible throughout your writing.



• Avoid too much jargon: Especially for general audiences, avoid overly technical language. When jargon can't be avoided (and in fact may be useful) make sure you're using the right language and terms for your topic.



• Stand out: See what other headlines are out there on the web through a quick Google search. Use keyphrases and place them in front of your headline to draw in the user who is glancing quickly down a search page.



• Double-check: You want to be an informed voice in any writing medium, and writing for the web is no different. Spell-check is not enough! Double-check your spelling, grammar and facts.



• Some rules need not apply: While some basic rules apply to all writing styles (see #9), some rules are different, like using a single space after a period rather than two spaces. The serial comma is also discouraged because it adds excessive punctuation.

Sam Saltis is the Managing Director at bwired, a web design services company based in Melbourne, Australia specializing in web design, development and internet marketing. bwired has also developed coreDNA, a enterprise CMS solution for website publishing and management.