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| Writing to be
Read—Writing for the Web |
| Reprinted from
MyComputer.com |
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Most Web users don't read-at least in depth. There are probably many
reasons for this, including the following:
- Reading from the screen is tiring on your eyes, and the screen decreases
your reading rate by about 25 percent.
- The Web is an interactive medium where users feel like they should be
moving around and clicking on things. If they stay too long on one page they
feel unproductive.
- There's lots of competition out there, each page fighting for the attention
of the reader.
- People are simply in a hurry and don't want to work hard searching for
information.
As a result, the writing you do for your site should reflect the fact that
most of your visitors won't be reading your site -they'll be skimming it.
A key consideration then, as you build your Web site is who will write
the copy? Why is this so important?
You need to understand what it is
you are writing for. Newspapers are loaded with content, which they want you to
read. They make it easy by putting the text in narrow columns so you do not
really have to "read" the text, but you can easily scan it. Magazines are
loaded with content that no one reads. Magazines are designed to sell
advertising. In any worthwhile magazine article there are headings, bullets and
other tricks to allow you to scan and then read what you selectively want to
read. Brochures are designed to tantalize the reader with a little bit of
information and draw your eye to the Call To Action.
In this myriad of
mediums where is a Web site? Actually, in the middle. The one difference is
that a Web site has click links to go to another page rather than having to
turn a piece of paper. You need to realize why this is important. Before you
start pouring out a stream of consciousness, think through what you are trying
to accomplish.
If you are writing an article or a white paper that
will be displayed on the Web site then that amount of text is okay. But beyond
the general pages that describe "About Us" and "Who We Are" and some general
fluff, follow these Web site guidelines: |
| TOP OF PAGE |
- Write to be entertaining. If you do, then people will read what you
write. If you are boring then all it takes is one click and they are off your
site.
- Be brief. Get your main message out in the first paragraph.
Elaborate later. Do not put more text on a page than one, or at most two,
vertical scroll clicks. It is okay to continue on another page but because the
Web is mostly entertainment, people would rather click to a new page than
scroll to eternity. You can accomplish this by putting the first paragraph on
the main page and use a "Next" or "Click here to read more" to take them to
another page that contains all the text
- Be informative. Directly address a problem that your customer base
might be having and how your product or service can solve that problem. Use
examples and make an effort to use testimonials. Put the testimonials right up
front but allow people to click to examples. Keep your testimonials short.
Remember, no one reads the testimonial itself, only the person or company whose
name it at the end. This is the validation.
- Sell! If you are selling a service or a product, sell it! Some
analysts will say people do not want to be sold on the Internet, but that is
bunk. What they want is to be sold at their own pace rather than by a
fast-talking commissioned sales person. So sell!
And, by the way . . .
- Don't forget the call to action. What do you want people to do? Give
them as many options as possible to contact you or place an order and pay for
it. Provide incentives and create a sense of urgency.
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| TOP OF PAGE |
I have used some of the following methods:
| 1. |
On the contact page there should be a telephone number, fax number, email
link and a fill-in form. If you use a form, be sure to ask the questions that
will collect enough data for you to communicate intelligently with them. Then
give them an option to be contacted by phone or email. |
| 2. |
If you have a form that you want people to fill out, give them the option
of downloading a PDF version they can print and mail to you. This is very
helpful if you do not provide a secure server site for credit card payments.
|
| 3. |
On a site where I put a course registration form, we provided several
payment options once they register. We allow them to enter their credit card
information in the registration email form, send a check, or have someone call
them for the payment information. |
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Write in a word processor before you put text on a Web site. It is easier
to edit and check grammar and spelling than in most HTML editors. Give your
file to other people to read. Unless you are a professional copywriter, you
probably will not catch your own mistakes.
And, remember, Web sites
are only "sticky" if they change. As much as you would not like to see the same
cover and articles every month in your favorite magazine, your Web site viewers
need something new to look at once in a while. You'll benefit most if you keep
your copy fresh. |
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