Writing For the Web-Why is it So Important?

Writing is writing isn’t it? So why making such a fuss about writing for the web? Simple: On the web people do not really read, they skim through. This makes a world of difference! 

​By Alain Houle, Alco Web Design LLC

On the web people scan through a lot of content within a short period of time simply because they have so much information easily available at their fingertips. If they are unable to find what they are looking for at a glance, they will simply move to another site. Unless they are interested, market research has shown that on an average, a viewer will stay on a site only for 5-20 seconds before they leave.​

Tips to create the best Web content
Knowing that you have just a few seconds to make an impact and hold the attention of a visitor, here are a few tips to create engaging Web content:

• Ensure that the content you post is relevant. The information that is displayed on your site has to be updated and relevant to the service or product you are offering.
• The information should be precise and to the point. Keep in mind that visitors to your website are skimmers and they want to be able to judge at a glance whether your site has what they need. 
• Be topic specific with what you are posting. Break down the content and have dedicated sections or pages for specific topics. Don’t confuse your visitors with too much content- that will only send them away. If you feel that you want to add some more relevant information to a particular page, you can insert hyperlinks in the text.
• Proofread your text and ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors. If your content has too many errors, visitors will only perceive that you are unprofessional and that you run your business in the same manner.
• Most Web content professionals use the Inverted Pyramid Method to create content. It means you should place your conclusions at the start of the page and then work your way down from there. 
• Write assertively and for your audience, not just for SEO and Google. Use short sentences and intersperse the content with relevant images and videos.

For any question or for some help with writing content for your website, visit our website or simply contact us, we can help!