Writing web content is different from writing a book, magazine article, or brochure copy. We all know this. When writing web content, you need to keep one eye on SEO and another on the value and consistency of your content. However, it is worth mentioning (and it may make you a better web content writer) that reading online is also quite different from reading in print.
Did you ever think about it? How often do you read plain black text on a plain white screen when reading online? Rarely. There are distractions everywhere. Flashing banners. Brilliant images. Other browser tabs, including the Facebook update you’ve been dying to see, right after this paragraph. Go ahead, check it out. We’ll be here when you get back.
Online reading is usually done at a glance, and that means your copy needs to be pristine and clear to read first and foremost, but also easy to skim through and engaging enough that the reader wants to digest more of your content. Web. . These are just some of the general rules for writing web content. Let’s take a look at some of the most important rules you can employ to take your existing web content writing skills and extend them a notch or two.
Mightier Than The Sword: Tips For The Web Content Smith
Blacksmithing is a process. The metal needs to be heated, hammered, heated again, carefully shaped, heated once again, details added, tempered, brushed, polished, and that’s just hitting the high spots. The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the process of writing great web content can take some cues from the blacksmithing process.
1. Strike while the iron is hot. When writing web content, rather than compose the text in a single paragraph until the metal is cold and no longer malleable, break the text into short, concise paragraphs. Presenting your content in snippets and breaking those snippets up into sections with your own subheadings will make your information much easier to digest and also make it easier for you to craft content. Adding informative subheadings makes it easier for your reader to find the specific bits of information they’re looking for, and that means longer page views, and that’s a factor Google takes into account when determining your overall SEO value.
2. Work one edge of the leaf. Writing a wall of centered text is like trying to sharpen both edges of the blade at the same time, it just doesn’t work. Centered text is fine for short list items and contact information, but when it comes to long-form web content, the left edge is where the metal is most flexible. It is also not necessary to bleed; remember, this is not a book; just leave a single space between paragraphs. This makes the leading edge of your text easy to scan with the reader’s eye, and that makes it easier to find the details he or she is looking for.
3. Temper the copy with content. The downfall of many web content writers is creating bland and empty content. Just as metal must be tempered to fully harden, its content must be immersed in information for it to be truly an effective piece. Give your readers something interesting to read! The marketing fluff and obvious keyword copy added are unattractive, and make it seem like you care more about SEO than providing informative web content. Make sure your writing is actually interesting enough to read: tips, how-to articles, FAQ lists, or other tidbits that are concise, informative, engage readers, and keep them coming back.
4. Keep it simple. The beauty of hand forged metal is in its simplicity. Adding ornate scrollwork and unnecessary decorations may show off your skills, but just as the modern blacksmith understands the aesthetic appeal of the rustic, handcrafted style, the modern web content blacksmith must understand the value of using the English language simply. Unnecessary grammatical stunts can be confusing and unattractive, and excessive use (even if the use is correct) of punctuation, such as commas and semicolons, can lead to unapproachable sentence structure, turning off the reader. . If used incorrectly, you’ll lose readers en masse, so it’s best not to risk it. Write sentence by sentence in fluent, natural language. We’re not writing the great American novel here, so follow the old “kiss” rule and keep it short and simple.
5. The village blacksmith is the heart of the community. The blacksmith provides the necessary tools for the entire town to function and becomes the lifeblood of his community; Similarly, the good web content writer should foster a community of their own. The Internet is a place for communication and interactivity. Make sure your audience can leave comments and feedback by enabling your content with a commenting system and social sharing tools. Also, engage with the community when they engage with you. Thanking people who compliment your work and chatting with commenters will show your readers that you are a real human trying to connect with a community, not a mass-produced web content factory churning out SEO-enabled paragraphs.