How to Write for the Web

Writing for the Web, like all good writing, is determined by its audience. Most Web readers skim pages looking for specific information, and computer monitors are less comfortable than the printed page. Therefore, good Web writing is concise, normally 50 percent less wordy than print, it's up-to-date, and most of all it's easy to read. In addition, effective Web writing is tuned for search engines, using key words in abundance.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Outline your material. A good outline is a necessary step with any writing. For Web writing, it's particularly vital to ensuring that only the required information is provided in the fewest words. Your Web outline will vary from a standard outline—post the most important information first, to catch readers who skim the first paragraph and then move on.
2. Identify your keywords. Evaluate your topic and perform some Internet searches to see which keywords most often show up. Only identify keywords that make sense for your topic, even if non-related keywords are more popular.
3. Write your copy. Use your favorite text editing tool to put your words on-screen. Write in an active, conversational voice, use as few words as possible, and use your keywords whenever possible. Make sure that your keywords make sense. Search engines penalize pages that use keywords illogically.
4. Edit your work. Edit your Web writing as you would any other writing, except pay particular attention to wordiness and keyword placement. You may be tempted to let mistakes slip because you can always change a Web page later. Remember, though, that some search engines create and maintain copies of Web pages, and so any mistakes might remain on the Internet indefinitely.
5. Design your page. If you can't design your own Web pages, work with a Web designer. Create a design that complements the copy that you have written and where the copy dominates the page. Avoid pages that require a great deal of scrolling, and make sure that headlines and keywords are prominent whenever possible.
   
   
6. Update your pages. Web sites are meant to be dynamic, and static information makes sense primarily in the case of news and scholarly works. Keep your content current and fresh to appeal to search engines and attract new visitors.