By Nigel Cooper
If you don’t know your target audience, you can’t communicate with them. Use the language and tone they expect and understand. If you are writing in the latest youth-speak and your readers are all over 50, you’ll alienate them and they won’t bother reading it.
Open with the main point
Like newspaper journalists, online writers should get to the point quickly: who, what, where, when, why and how. The content of the page should be apparent from the opening paragraph – then your reader can choose whether or not to read on.
Use the one-point rule
Online, always stick to one point per sentence, one subject per paragraph.
Be concise
Know what you want to say and say it succinctly. Web copy needs to be significantly shorter than print – users don’t want to scroll through endless text. If you try and make them, they’ll go elsewhere.
Write in short sentences and paragraphs. It’s more punchy and has greater impact. Cut your copy back, then cut it back again.
Be direct
Passive language is weak and wordy. It doesn’t work online. Use active language – it is forceful, direct and dynamic.
‘The increase in sales was rapid’ is passive. ‘Sales increased rapidly’ is active.
Be consistent
Consistency in your use of language is incredibly important. For example, using ‘3’ in one sentence and ‘three’ in the next shows you have no attention to detail. If you can’t follow simple and consistent rules in your writing, what does it say about your business?
Create your own rules (a style guide) and stick to them. You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes.
Use subheadings
If you have more than 250 words on a page, use subheadings to break the text up. White space is even more important online than in print. Subheadings allow your readers to scan the page and to pick out the information relevant to them. Bold text and bullet points also help to break the page up.
Use links
Unlike print, websites are interactive. Use links to drive your readers to the information they want. Make sure your link text gives your reader a reasonable idea of the information they will find if they click through. Avoid using long sentences as links – they’re ugly and uninviting.
Proof your work
Avoid spelling, grammatical and factual errors by stringently proofing your work. This will greatly increase your credibility.
Keep it fresh
To have a dynamic website, your content must be dynamic. No matter how well written your copy is, if it isn’t updated regularly, it will soon become old news and people will stop visiting.
This piece was originally featured as a white paper on Wired Sussex.