Writing website content is different from writing for a print publication to some extent. Site visitors focus differently on the web; they skim rather than read. You can’t change their behavior, so if you want to get your point across, you need to change the way you write. Therefore, apart from the rules of proper grammar and spelling, making your paragraphs somewhat short and punchy is what you need to keep in mind.
- Start with the short summary; think of it as an executive summary if that helps. Then fill things in. Journalists often write this way, putting “who, what, where, when, how and why” at first.
- Do not put too many words into a paragraph or too many paragraphs on a page. You still need to have good, solid content; strive for between 250 and 500 words per page.
- Direct your readers’ attention; use bullet points and bolded text to help draw their eyes to the most important parts of your article. Headings also help; they will give your readers a preview of what will be covered in that section, so they can decide whether they want to skip it or spend some quality time on the subject.
- Avoid passive voice; do not use the passive voice in writing for the web except in headings. Using passive voice can let you front-load important keywords in headings, blurbs, and lead sentences. It can help enhance skim ability and thus SEO effectiveness.
- Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and on topic.
- Conform to your keyword strategy; use your top organic and paid keyword terms in your headers and key paragraphs. Use 2-3 words per page as an emphasis, see how the page does, change and test again.
- Make sure the content is consistent, visually appealing and in easy to click areas so that the visitor can respond quickly and easily.
Remember write your content concisely with consistency, for its intended purpose, and you will see a good return on your investment.
