Tips on writing for the web

by Ryan Johnson

It’s important to target your audience when writing for the web. By knowing who you are writing for, you can write at a level that will be meaningful for them.
Here are some tips for writing for the web:

  • Write clear, simple and effective content. The content of your site should be easy to read for everyone, preferably in a conversational style.
  • Front-load your text. Put the most important content on your page in the first paragraph, so that readers scanning your pages will not miss your main idea.
  • Chunk your content. Cover only one topic per paragraph.
  • Be concise. Write short paragraphs and minimize unnecessary words.
  • Choose lists over paragraphs. When possible use lists rather than paragraphs to make your content easier to scan.

For more extensive information on how to write for the web, please watch this Lynda.com tutorial: http://www.lynda.com/Web-Content-Strategy-tutorials/Writing-Web/180104-2.html?org=psu.edu
In addition, this YouTube playlist has shorter modules that introduce the basics for writing for the web: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAABFB40F4906E8A9