0 Items

A whistle-stop guide for the web content wannabe – the five basics of web content writing

by | 4th Dec 2013 | Copywriting

Another great post from Diarmuid O’Connell – O’Connell Copy.


If you’ve been tasked with writing the web content for your website, it can be a little daunting. Up to now, your writing may have been limited to reports and policy guidelines or even the odd sales or admin letter. Web content is a whole new ball game. So, today we’re looking at how to write web content for the novice web writer and how it differs from anything you’ve ever written before.

  1. Less is more – the Internet is based on finding information quickly and effectively. Make sure your readers do not have to wade through layers of waffle to find out what they want.
  2. Short and sweet – keep your sentences short and your paragraphs too. In fact, if you are partial to the odd long word, remove them too if possible. Websites are usually scanned or read at pace so make it easy for your reader. Paragraphs should be six lines or less and no more than four or five sentences. Contract other phrase like ‘you are’ to ‘you’re’, ‘I will’ to ‘I’ll’ and in general keep your copy short and snappy.
  3. Lingo – whoever your audience is, make sure the language you use is their language too. Consumers are different than business buyers, business buyers are different then information seekers and so on. However they converse, make sure you do it the same way.
  4. Heads up – as web pages are scanned usually and not read in-depth, use headings to make your page more digestible for the average reader. It breaks up the text and allows people find what they are looking for quickly. It also means that your reader will take away your intended message much easier.
  5. Bulleted lists or numbered lists are one of the tried and tested techniques for web writers. They’re easy to scan, read and remember so if they fit, you should use them where possible.

 

So, now you’re ready to write your first web page. Keep your readers in mind at all times and you won’t go wrong. Crisp, engaging web content will help you connect with your target audience with ease. Why not try it out and if you can’t get the hang of it, you can always outsource it to a professional copywriter. See how you get on…good luck!