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Writing for Your Website
Now that you’ve got a new web site, it is crucial to update it with fresh content. However, keep in mind that writing for the web is a lot different than for print media. The best companies realize that their clients search and synthesize information on the web in a very specific way. That’s why successful companies use specific strategies when developing copy for the web.
So when you’re adding or updating web copy, keep these tips in mind:
- Make it short
Web users don’t read, they scan. There is too much information on the web for people to make sense of, so they need short blurbs, not big essays. Every single word and punctuation mark needs to be essential—anything else is overkill.
- Maximize entry points
Entry points are logical starting points for users to begin reading. If you have a huge paragraph, the only entry point for the reader is the first word. Instead, maximize your entry points by using headlines, bullet points, multiple-shorter paragraphs, graphs, charts, etc. The more hooks you put out there, the better chance you have of reeling in someone.
- Break it up
- Instead of large paragraphs, use bulleted lists that outline the essential points.
- Headlines serve as introductions to the text. By breaking up large chunks of text, headlines allow users to decide if they want to keep reading or if they should move on to the next item.
- Lots of scrolling is intimidating to users. If you have a lot of information, create more pages. A good rule of thumb is that users shouldn’t have to scroll down more than two page lengths—anything beyond that should to be transferred to a new page.
- Keep it relevant
Think about the different audiences that visit your web site. What does each of them want? Craft your content accordingly.
- Update it
Nothing makes a web site lose more credibility than stale content. If your content is time-specific, make sure it is updated constantly. It’s not enough to simply build a new web site and then abandon it.
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