8 tips for writing content for your website

Writing for the web is very different than writing for print, such as for brochures, books and leaflets. There are many things you'll need to take into consideration such as keywords to help improve your page ranking, lower literacy rates, non-native speakers, as well as resisting the "noise" all fighting for your users' attention. When people read on devices which also have access to email, other websites, social media updates, and perhaps even phone calls and text messages, not to mention other "real-world" distractions, you need to be sure that your content is engaging, informative and easy to read.

All this can make writing for the web seem a difficult, so we've put together some simple tips to keep-in-mind when writing for your website. Follow these simple rules and you're sure to have informative and interesting content for your website.

Making the most of your website content

There are a few simple rules / tips for writing content for your site, to make the most of it. Follow the tips below and improve the readability of your site’s content for your visitors. Make the content easier to digest, and scan.

Don't just copy content from company brochure or leaflets

This a mistake people often make when writing for the web, and whilst cherry-picking information can be a good start point, people reading on the web tend to ‘scan read’, with longer passages of text likely to put people off.

Write your content in an inverted pyramid style

If you think of your content as a pyramid, the broadest coverage of the topic should be listed first. Then move on to more and more specific as you get further into the site. This is useful to your readers as they can stop reading and move onto something else once they've got to the level of detail they're looking for. The more useful you are to your visitors the more they will read your content.

Keep landing pages brief and to the point

There’s nothing worse then having to read through five paragraphs on a landing summary page when really you only want information on one subject. Detail pages, blog posts and news pages are where you can get stuck in. If your visitor has got this far through your website, it's likely they'll want more detailed information on the topic, so a clear call to action is essential.

Don't just copy content from company brochure or leaflets

This a mistake people often make when writing for the web, and whilst cherry-picking information can be a good start point, people reading on the web tend to ‘scan read’, with longer passages of text likely to put people off.

Write your content in an inverted pyramid style

If you think of your content as a pyramid, the broadest coverage of the topic should be listed first. Then move on to more and more specific as you get further into the site. This is useful to your readers as they can stop reading and move onto something else once they've got to the level of detail they're looking for. The more useful you are to your visitors the more they will read your content.

Keep landing pages brief and to the point

There’s nothing worse then having to read through five paragraphs on a landing summary page when really you only want information on one subject. Detail pages, blog posts and news pages are where you can get stuck in. If your visitor has got this far through your website, it's likely they'll want more detailed information on the topic, so a clear call to action is essential.

Don't just copy content from company brochure or leaflets

This a mistake people often make when writing for the web, and whilst cherry-picking information can be a good start point, people reading on the web tend to ‘scan read’, with longer passages of text likely to put people off.

Write your content in an inverted pyramid style

If you think of your content as a pyramid, the broadest coverage of the topic should be listed first. Then move on to more and more specific as you get further into the site. This is useful to your readers as they can stop reading and move onto something else once they've got to the level of detail they're looking for. The more useful you are to your visitors the more they will read your content.

Keep landing pages brief and to the point

Sometimes you can become so involved in a subject, writing about it in a clear and concise way can become quite a challenge. Contact us for guidance on writing for the web, or to find out more about how we can provide copywriting, editing or proof reading for your website. It's the content on your site that matters most to visitors, so getting it right is crucial. Call us on 01539 720877 to find out more.