Bethesda Web Design Company

Tips for Writing Web Content

There's a reason the twitter rule, "140 characters or less," has led to a boom in microblogging. People don't like to read online. They scan, they skim, they scroll, but reading big blocks of text is tiring. Avoid fatigue and learn how to write web content that people will actually read.

Writing for the web is different than writing for print. People read twice as slow online, so your content should be half as long. Rather than read every word, people scan and look for bolded items. Use this to your advantage. Avoid making your reader scroll to read content. Keep it short and sweet.

Here are some general guidelines to follow:

1. Short sentences and paragraphs
2. Use lists
3. Clear, concise headlines
4. Bold important text

Anyone can write web content, but not everyone does it well. Challenge the perception that web content is less trustworthy by staying on point. Don't make claims or embellishments. Don't be cute or phony. This is your chance to make your pitch. Nobody wants to be taken for a ride, especially when they're in a hurry; just get to the point.

Imagine you're on the ever-present elevator trying to make your pitch. Now imagine this elevator was designed by the Japanese engineers who built the Bullet train. The 30 seconds you thought you had is really only 5. All of your web content should be designed as if you were riding a Bullet train, not an old fashioned elevator.