Writing for the web and writing for print are two totally different monsters. And by saying "monsters," it’s safe to admit that many folks are practically scared to death about actually trying to sit down and write something. Unlike the fear of public speaking, most of the fear of writing comes from lack of understanding the objective — but more on that later.
Writing for the web, and writing for maximizing online sales, can certainly vary from one niche to the next. But there’s one thing that stays the same in all web writing — making it effective for web readers’ eyes. Might sound a little silly, but the truth of the matter is that doing this is vital to your success online.
Here are four cornerstone guidelines to keep in mind:
- Use a font your readers can read.
Enough about web standards, and so on… just make sure your website’s visitors can read your copy easily the first time without having to take extra steps to increase the font size by zooming or enlarging. Bottom line is most visitors won’t know how to enlarge a small font that is uncomfortable to read; these visitors are as good as gone from the moment they become frustrated. - Talk to your visitors.
Writing effective online copy — sales or otherwise — is simply not the time to practice writing the next great novel or prize-winning poetry piece. Instead, web writing needs to be conversational. Talk to your visitors through the copy just as you would talk to them face-to-face. This is the best way to build that all-important one-on-one rapport. - Get "write" to the point.
Short and sweet is usually the number one ambition when writing effectively online. No need to ramble or carry on… just build trust and then tell your readers what you want to tell them. Almost no one wants to read through a 5,000 word academic-style dissertation to find more information or learn more about a product or service they’re interested in. - Use whitespace to your advantage.
White space is the web writer’s best friend. Or at least it should be, anyway. This means using plenty of sub-headlines and short paragraphs to break up the intimidation factor of staring at an overloaded page of content. Also helpful is using numbered or bulleted lists where practical. It’s a great tactic that helps on a number of levels — in fact, graphic designers have lived by the philosophy of whitespace for years.
And that’s really about all there is to laying the right foundation when writing content. By following these four steps to start with, you’ll be making it pleasant and easy for your readers to browse your site and read your copy!
Until Next Time.
George Chaney
President/CEO
SEO King, Inc.
