Writing for the web should be different than writing for any other medium. The web is visually a low-resolution medium (much lower than print), and users are often distracted (they can easily click to more rewarding websites). Good web writing should be concise, and should give users the information they seek as quickly as possible.
The following links point to articles about writing for the web that will help you, the content developer, write a better website.
Writing for the Web — Explains how users read on the Web and how authors should write their Web pages; mainly based on studies by researchers Jakob Nielsen and John Morkes. These are the best articles available about web writing; read all the articles linked to from this page.
Improve your HTML <title>:
- Web Page Title Tags for Search Engine Optimization & Web Usability
- Write Clear Titles
- Microcontent: How to Write Headlines, Page Titles, and Subject Lines
Writing and editing for the web — Copy as user interface, from A List Apart.
Writing Content that Works for a Living — “Most web copy is still being written by people who aren’t writers and don’t have time. The good news? Anyone who touches copy can make a difference by insisting that every chunk of text on the site do something concrete.”
When Search Engines Become Answer Engines — “The website is becoming a less prominent locus of experience as people use search engines to bring up answers to their current questions. How can sites cope with masses of freeloaders?”
Effective Writing for the Web — “In the land of the Internet, content is king. A site may be well publicised, load quickly, and look good, but if it doesn’t engage or entertain readers, it isn’t going to hold their interest. So let's take a few minutes to explore how you can write fantastic, riveting, and gob-smacking content that will keep them coming back time and time again.”
Metadata: seven tips for writing better keywords — “The shift in how search engines treat keywords is significant. They tend to ignore the keyword metatag and rather look for keywords in the actual page content. This means that you need to figure out your keywords before you write any content. Then, you include them throughout your content, particularly in headings and summaries.”
“Click here”: Needless words — “The words ‘click here for...’ and ‘click here to...’ serve no purpose within links. Unfortunately, many sites still use them.”
Why Jargon Feeds on Lazy Minds — “Never use a fancy word when a simple one will do. If your idea is good, no hype is necessary. Explain it clearly and people will get it, if there truly is something notable to get.”
Politics And The English Language — The classic George Orwell essay.
The Elements of Style — “This classic reference book is a must-have for any student and conscientious writer.”
A note about e-mail subject lines
In business e-mail correspondence, a well-considered subject line can make a big difference to your colleagues. The key thing is to make your subject line specific to the body of the e-mail.
Some examples of bad subject lines:
- hey [or any other common greeting]
- Company X [name of business or organization]
- website
- my stuff
- website stuff
- updates
- link
- correction
- [blank]
