Writing great content for you website is incredibly important.  What makes for great content isn’t always obvious. Well, Alphabetix is here in our super-hero capes and tights to help you figure out how to tackle writing great online content.

Many people don’t want to invest a ton of time reading lengthy paragraphs of text on websites. They prefer condensed versions that give them the most important information in an easy to follow format.

Make It Obvious

Using headings breaks up the monotony of paragraphs and draws the eye to the most important information. Keep headings short and to the point. If the heading wraps to a second line, it’s probably too long.

Tell Them What They’ll Read

Just like your writing professor told you in college, you need to have a thesis.  Boil down what your page says in a simple sentence or two that will tell your reader exactly what content they’ll find on the page and let them know up front.

Listing, Listing, 1, 2, 3

Lists are a great way to draw attention to specific information, especially if the information is concise. Lists are not very useful when they are excessively long or when each point on the list is wordy. If the item is long enough to wrap to a new line, it’s too long for a list.

Keep It Simple

While many of us may fancy ourselves wordsmiths, not everyone wants to come to a website and read their day away (although, let’s admit it, there are some of us word nerds who do). Keep things short and informative,  and with a little style if you please, and you won’t lose your reader.

Know Who You’re Talking To

Make sure that whatever content you are publishing is addressing the appropriate audience.  Use appropriate language and avoid technical jargon if you are attempting wide appeal.

Link it Up

When using links on your web site, make sure that the text that is linking (known as “anchor text” in webby jargon) says something meaningful, not just “click here.”

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Make sure you proofread before you publish. Nothing says unprofessional like a site full of typos.

Following a few simple rules will get you well on your way to writing content that appeals to your reader.

Tags: seo, small business, writing

This entry was posted on Friday, May 7th, 2010 at 8:03 am and is filed under web content, writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.