Writing Effective Web Content

                                                                                         

Count to five. That’s about how long you’ve got to grab your reader’s attention.

You might have aced English 101, but in web world, your finest term paper would probably flunk out. Like it or not, the Internet and its users have always made their own rules. With the web’s unlimited reserves of written information, most users are very selective in deciding what text they will take the time to read. To engage the reader, your web content must be clear, quick, and accessible. Below are 5 rules for keeping your web writing up to par:

1. Start with the Conclusion
In web writing, suspense is definitely not a virtue. Instead of making your reader work through a series of premises and conclusions, simply cut to the chase. In a web context, the reader is best served when main points are directly presented, often in the first paragraph or in a lift-out quote at the top of the page.

2. Use Headings
A typical web user does not want to dig through a dense block of text just to pull out the piece of information they are looking for. Organize your main points with clear bolded headings. These headings can help the user “flip through” your text and locate their point of interest. If the layout is sharp and accommodating, the reader may continue through the rest of what is written.

3. Use Short Paragraphs and Sentences
Keep things tight. Winding sentences might make for great literature, but they tend to dizzy most web users out of interest. Your sentences should hold an average length of 15-20 words—except in the case of cataloging. And your paragraphs should level out at around 100 words. If you are constantly exceeding these figures, then odds are you are making one of two mistakes: 1) You’re saying too much in the given sentence or paragraph, or 2) you’re repeating yourself. So break it up or cut it out!

4. Use Bulleted Lists
When providing a list of items or points, you can keep the page uncluttered by arranging a bullet list. These can be helpful for a number of reasons:

• They are easy to follow
• They convey a lot of information in a compact format
• They prevent the reader from skimming past important points
• They help keep your paragraphs from being overloaded

5. Use Bold Lettering
One way to spruce up your web text is to add bolding to important words or phrases. This can be a great way to convey special emphasis without using extra words. But beware: Overuse of this method will end up diminishing its effect altogether; after all, if everything stands out, then nothing stands out. So as effective as bolding can be, make sure you apply it sparingly.

There will be about 5 seconds for your web content to catch a reader’s eye. To succeed, your text must be clear, quick, and accessible. With the help of these 5 rules you can bring your web content up to speed, and win that ever-competitive 5-second dash.

About the author:
Sharp Innovations is an Internet marketing firm located in Lancaster, PA. Sharp Innovations is a leading Philadelphia web design company that specializes in web design, e-commerce development and Internet marketing solutions. Click here to learn more about PA web site design solutions available from Sharp Innovations.

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