The same basic principles apply to writing content for your website with a few adjustments, which is the focus of this article.  One of the fundamental errors made when writing content is to use words that are familiar mainly to you and your immediate community.  This is a big no-no because of how the brain works.

There is a section of the brain referred to by the experts as the 'non-conscious'.  This is where familiar processes get executed without you having to 'think' about them.  When driving home from work you could hold a cell phone conversation all the way without 'thinking' about where to drive and still don't lose your way.  However, if you were visiting a friend's house for the first time and following directions from memory you would be 'thinking' about where to go and not want to be distracted.  In fact, you may use your cell phone to get further directions and then you may even turn off your car radio.  In the first example your 'non-conscious' brain does all the work while in the second you had to be 'thinking'.

A similar scenario occurs when you are reading.  If you encounter unfamiliar or infrequently used words you think about the meaning and lose the essence of what is being said.  However, when you encounter words that are more familiar the 'non-conscious' brain processes it while you grasp what is being said.  This basic principle applies to both offline and online content except that the latter requires you to write more efficiently.

Writing for the Web isn't as simple as it might seem.  Without proper knowledge of how the medium works and what visitors to your page want and need, you could inadvertently be driving them away!  Before sitting down to write your content, you must understand that you must tackle writing Web content differently than you would writing for traditional print media.

You have to write in a way that will get your point across without losing your readers' interest.  The following three tips will help to make your Web content more accessible and engaging to your readers, helping to make your website a more effective tool for your business.

Get to the good stuff

Let's face it: reading text on a computer monitor is more difficult than reading off a paper copy.  In fact, a study by Sun Microsystems states that it takes up to 50 per cent longer to read on-screen copy than it does traditional paper copy.  Because of this, most Web users tend to scan the screen first to determine its relevance, before actually reading the content.  Knowing this, you can adjust your content accordingly to enable easier reading and 'scanability'.

First, be sure to start with what's most important - keep your most relevant information at the top of the page, so readers can see it without scrolling down.  The first few paragraphs of your home page should give a summary of what readers will find on all pages, not just a general overview of your company.

Since they can't scan the entire 'document' like they could with a paper copy, you need to make sure that they know what other relevant info they will find on inner pages to encourage them to venture further into your site.  Herein lies the importance of creating an intuitive site navigation structure allowing your visitors to locate the information they are looking for in a timely and efficient manner.

If a visitor to your site doesn't find what they need off your home page, they are unlikely to browse through the rest of your site, where the 'real' information lies.  As journalists would say, 'never bury your lead' - don't make your readers search for your main message.

Use language effectively

Reading Web content shouldn't feel like reading an essay; paragraphs should be short and concise, and sentences should be kept simple.  You want your readers to actually read the content, not skip past it because it looks daunting and 'solid'.  White space, or, text-free space, on the page is easy on the reader's eye, so try to break up large blocks of text.  If the content you wish to portray is particularly complex or lengthy, utilise the 'read more' format, where the first couple of paragraphs are shown, and the reader can click to read more, or download a white paper on the topic.

Make the most of your content by using simple, 'tight' copy.  Leave out unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, clichés and exaggeration, as they take away from the factual content, which is what your readers are actually interested in.  One way to make your copy tight is to use the active voice instead of the passive, and write in the present tense.  For example, instead of writing "Our products have been used by customers to improve their visibility on the Internet," you could write "Customers use our products to improve their visibility on the Internet".

Avoid technical jargon and acronyms whenever possible, unless your website caters solely to technically-minded people.  Use easy to understand language to ensure that your message is clear.

Know when to use it, and when to leave it out

Graphics and hyperlinks can add value to your website, but when used unnecessarily, they can actually decrease the impact of your copy.  It is said that a picture says a thousand words but are they the words you would like to use.

Images should help support your text, adding a graphically pleasing element to the page, thus augmenting the impact of your text.  However, images must be topical and not interfere with the text.  Also, file size of graphics should be kept to a minimum to ensure that they do not increase the time it takes to open the page.

The same concept holds true for inserting hyperlinks.  While some links that lead your reader to more information on external websites can be useful, you must determine the relevance and necessity of the links.  Do you really want your reader to stop reading your content to leave your site and read something else?  Over-linking can work against you, since it forces the reader to decide between continuing through your content and reading the information in the additional link.  Don't force your readers away from your content unnecessarily!

When written effectively, your website can be a great asset to your business.  Why not make your website work harder for you?

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