Is writing for the web different?

The short answer is yes. According to one study, people scan text on a computer. Headlines need to be clear. Text should be presented in small chunks. Publishing content on the web has advantages: instant delivery, easy updates, and  hyperlinks. But web content doesn't have to be short. Not all content needs to be read on screen. There's always the print button. Write for the web: make your message accessible.

 
Who are you talking to?

A successful business website attracts the right kind of visitors. If you’re selling medical equipment, you don’t want people looking for a vacation package—at least, not until after they have bought your product! Are you speaking the language your audience understands? Is your copy friendly? Is it clear how you can help your website visitor, or is your web copy all about you?  Know your audience.

Where are you?

Flannery O’Connor wrote A Good Man is Hard to Find. But a good website is easy to find.  At one time, all you had to do was buy a few keywords. It’s not like that anymore. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a serious and complex business. What you write about and the words you use can help search engines find your site. There are always two web audiences, humans and search engines. Updating your content regularly with fresh material attracts search engines. SEO is both an art and a science. Don’t hide on the web.

Did you say boring?

Describing what you do isn't enough. If you want to keep visitors engaged, your site must be interesting. It doesn’t need to be interesting to everyone – just the people you are writing for.  Is your subject matter designed to attract, educate, persuade, inform, engage, and even amuse?  You want your visitors to take action. What do you want them to do? Is it to call you? to sign up for a newsletter? subscribe to your RSS feed? contact you to learn more? make an appointment? take the first step toward a business relationship? purchase an item? come to an event? or just think you’re nice? Interest your readers, and keep them coming back for more.

What’s next?

The first writing task is to clarify the one thing you want your site visitor to do.

 Clear communication is your best marketing investment.