There are many differences between web writing and writing essays, newspaper articles or magazine features. It takes practice to get into the right Web writing format.
Web writing has its own style and its own set of criteria. Though the writing is generally less formal, there are still several things to learn about Web style. The first of these is to throw out many of the rules you may have learned in high school or college about writing.
The Use of Style in Web Writing
For people used to writing in either MLA, AP, APA or Chicago styles, it can be difficult at first to figure out just what style is required for the Web. The answer is usually none of the above. Much of the content available online is written in a hybrid of styles that borrows from each. Unless the site in question is a medical site, which will usually use APA, or a news site, which will generally use AP, there are no real guidelines about the specific style.
The Length of Web Content
When writing Web content, the length is often more important than how much information is given. In general, people reading content online want fast answers. They're looking for an answer to a specific question, and they want it fast. They're not willing to scroll through page after page of content to find those answers. The ideal length for a Web article is between 300 and 1,000 words that is divided into short paragraphs. This is long enough to convey specific information without making the reader scroll through the page and lose interest.
Using Subheadings
Because readers want their information quickly, Web writers provide information in small chunks. These can take the form of lists or just a short article that is cut into sections. The use of subheadings better organizes the information. The reader can then scan the subheadings and zero in on the information they most want.
Notice the way this article is divided into subheadings that are clearly labeled. Some readers will read one or two of the subheadings before moving on while others will read the entire article from start to finish. If it were more than 1,000 words or one large chunk of text, it's likely that no one would read it in its entirety.
Using Keywords
Keywords are the terms that people search for in search engines like Google. Unlike print writing, there is no subtlety in Web writing. The writing must explicitly state the topics it covers, never alluding to them or using euphemisms. To get people to find the content, the keywords must be present.
Many Web writers use keyword density to bring in a higher number of readers. The density is the percentage of the copy that is made up of the keyword. The target density is usually at least one percent, but there is no perfect density. Search engines do not reveal the density that they look for when ranking a website.
Web writing may not be as formal as print writing, it can still take time to master. Practice breaking up paragraphs into just a few sentences each and supplying information without wandering away from the topic. Keep content short, informative and on topic and it's much more likely that it will get noticed.
Related articles: Why Online Work Needs Keywords
