Writing for the Web

If, as we've suggested before, the pages of static content on your website are the conference room, think of your blog as the reception area of your office where engaging with new and existing customers is a bit more relaxed and personal.

We've talked about the tone of blogging, and some points to remember when communicating with your audience via this medium, but today it's all about the details. Assuming you already know what you want to say, and approximately how you want to say it, now it's time to get it onto the page.

Writing for the Web: Give Your Content a Boost
Anyone who feels like they've finally perfected the discipline of thorough, in-depth writing may be disappointed to hear that, for blogging, some of that might have to be 'unlearned.' Thesis papers, whitepapers, research papers, and other writing of the ilk are meant for a very specialized, discriminate audience. Whereas blog writing should be written, to some degree, for the masses.

To that end, here are a few easy tips to keep your content attractive and easily accessible by human eyes:

Short Paragraphs
Given the option, most visitors would rather read a series of short paragraphs than a few long ones. It's all about the first impression your page gives the reader. Does this blog post look manageable? Can I get through this in a few minutes? If you can make it easy for the reader to start, you'll increase the chances of your reader getting through to the end.

Try this sometime: scoot back from your computer a little, squint your eyes, and see which paragraphs stand out as the biggest blocks of text. Odds are, these are the ones that need to be pared down slightly.

Make It Easy to Scan
People who use the Internet have been trained to scan web pages rapidly, seeking out the most useful pockets of information where they can. As such, a lot of your readers may glance at only the first sentence of your paragraphs. This is another strong case for excellent lead sentences.

Use the first sentence in a paragraph to make your point, and the following one or two sentences to support it. Your content can be intriguing without being a mystery. That is, don't make readers dig for your main ideas.

Lists Are Our Friends
Just for a moment, forget everything you've been taught about writing papers in school. One of the most useful and courteous things you can do for your readers is to include a list where practical.

Reasons that using a list can help readers:

• Lists naturally attract the eye's attention
• Lists allow you to touch on items briefly without using extra space
• Step-by-step processes are easier to visualize in a list form
• Lists free up space on the page, making it more appealing at first glance

Businesses and non-profits have trusted the development and marketing of their sites to August Ash for over ten years. For more information about our search engine marketing services, or for a free estimate, contact the Minneapolis Internet marketing team at AAI today.