For those keen to get started with content creation, such as blogs, website content and writing for SEO, it is important to write correctly.
Yes, you went to school, and yes, you passed English, but bad habits - and new techniques - can easily have you falling into the the pitfalls of “getting it all wrong”.
For example, did you know that journalistic rules mean that all headings/titles for online articles should never be longer than ten words?
It’s all about speed, efficiency and drawing the reader in.
7 Rules for Writing Online
1. 10 Second Rule
According to research cited by Alex White, it only takes 10 seconds for a user to leave your website, meaning you have to convince them to stay with the first glance they get of your site.
2. Think about goals
Web users are goal orientated; they want to read very little. In fact, journalists live by the rule that online readers only properly read the first and last two paragraphs, just scanning the middle of an article altogether – be snappy, relevant and to the point in everything you write.
3. Be friendly and personable
A conversational tone is always preferential online, it clarifies to the reader that you are a human, not a faceless robot, but a company with heart. Also, be aware that adopting an informal tone is not ‘dumbing it down’, so to speak, it is making your content universally understandable and easier to concentrate on (always think of the 10 second rule to impress).
4. Make it look inviting and read enticingly
Be creative with your layout and style of writing – as well as the website itself, of course – use formatting options such as lists, tables and quotation indents, to make what you are saying flow – remember, if it doesn’t look fun, in your time-pressed user’s eyes, it won’t be any fun reading it, either.
5. Source where your content comes from
Link and build sources, don’t just copy and paste if you are quoting someone. It’s not bad writing to take ideas or quotes from other websites for blogs, what is shameful is trying to pass them off as your own work.
6. Share, share and share it again!
Don’t just write a blog or an article bank, then twiddle your thumbs expecting the masses to come to you. Connect with like-minded blogs and people, using the comment function on their blog to prove you have opinions that need to be heard then direct them to your blog (not in the form of spam). Make the most of social media, email newsletters and mailing lists to spread the word of your blog and engage fans into conversation with each blog you post.
7. Be careful with spelling, grammar and punctuation
Always continue to be aware of the differences between UK and US English – yes, Dave from California might have a brilliant point, but if you quote him or paraphrase what he’s saying, particularly through cut and paste, it’s going to look poor! Readers may even realise you’ve spelt it ‘organize’, not be aware of the American/UK differences and leave your site forever, thinking you’re a terrible writer! Be aware of contrasts such as:
- We use “ll” before the ending of a word unlike Americans, i.e. Traveller/traveler or levelled/leveled.
- In America you’d be in the ‘shopping center’, unlike the ‘shopping centre’ in the UK.
For more differences between the UK & US English language, check out this Grammar.net infographic.
If you want to avoid the statistics and ensure your website meets the goals of your users, make sure you don’t just jibber jabber!
