Writing for the Web

We are in an information age. People want information and they want it fast and now. 

When we look for content on the web we want information that is easy to digest and easy to locate.

Web writing breaks traditional conventions of writing.

1.     Paragraphs should be no longer than three sentences

2.     Use bullet points and lists to make information easier to scan

3.     Language on the web is much more conversational and informal than print writing

4.     Citing sources has become as simple as linking to the source page

In my own experiences, I have found that print reading is easier to read in longer paragraphs because we can take our time, read, analyze and reflect.

Reading on the web tends to slow reading down so only highlight the important parts of your writings and don’t include unnecessary fluff.

Also, I think that print reading is easier because there are less distractions on the page; it is just words.  On the web, there are links to other stories, flashing ads and shiny buttons and so many other distractions.

Most readers tend to scan pages instead of reading word-for-word

Odds are you are probably scanning this page right now.

Just remember

-Keep writing simple

-Make the writing fun and engaging

-Chunk the text with headings, subheadings and lists so that it is easy to read and navigate.

However, some web writing is longer and is still engaging.  For example, news stories and even blogs can be longer than expected.

So why do people read these longer articles?

1.            It is a compelling story
2.            It is a follow up story to a news report that they may have seen on TV
3.      It is relatable to their own life

Here are some examples of web writing to look at! 

Good writing : this is an example of good web writing because it breaks information down by headings; writing for the readers who scan.  You can get the basic info just from the headings but if one is particularly interesting to you, there is more info for you to read more.