Usable Words

Language and writing

on the web and beyond

Usable Words 2: People are using your words to decide that you can’t help them. (Or, more rarely, that you can.)

CrowdHow do you handle rejection?

If your answer is along the lines of “I curl up into a ball and whimper”, it’s probably just as well you can’t see what happens when people look at your website or see it listed in search engines. Because most of the time they take one look, shrug their shoulders and go “Next!”.

It’s a truism that web users have short attention spans. Perhaps this is exaggerated sometimes. But when it comes to searching for a product or service and “shortlisting” a few possible websites, you really do only have a few seconds to convince someone that they really, really need you.

So what can you do to make sure they make the right decision? read more >


How does something like this become good web writing?

Cut out the fat.

Break it up.

Plug in the keywords.

Add the links.

The call to action.

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Writing content for the world wide web web content is different from writing for brochures, magazines, or other print media. Good web copywriters know what web users need (the reasons they use the web, what they are looking for, and their habits), and how to help them get it. Here's what they do. There are five main elements of effective web writing.

1: Keep it web content short and relevant

First, Most web users don't have a lot of time and are doing several things at once - checking their email, updating their Facebook status, browsing newspaper sites, and maybe even working. Your target audience needs to know you're exactly what they're looking for...right away.

So the best thing to do is to write web content in short, punchy sentences. Write directly to the customer, as if you're talking to one person. And cut out anything that's extraneous, any words or phrases you don't need.

2: Lay it out for people who skim

Second, On the web people tend to skim, and they get intimidated by big, uninterrupted blocks of text. Use signposting methods such as

to break up the page and also to make your readers focus on your main points so that they are unmissable.

3: Use keywords strategically

Third, Although you're mainly writing for people, you have another audience: that audience is search engines. To make search engines such as Google love you, it's necessary to use keywords strategically, in web content but preferably without making your text read awkwardly.

4: Use links in web content to help people navigate

Fourth, well-written Web content should make it easier for people to find their way around a website. Use hyper links liberally, and make sure you always think about what's useful to readers when you decide on a label for them.

Finally, you should always try to 5: Include a call to action

Tell readers what you want them to do next. You'll be quite surprised how often they go ahead and do it.

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