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Resources Marketing Tips 3 Golden Keys to Writing for the Internet
Resources Marketing Tips 3 Golden Keys to Writing for the Internet
| 3 Golden Keys to Writing for the Internet |
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I often see new copywriters, when they complete their training, begin by writing for the Internet. A mistake I see, however, is they fail to keep in mind the key differences between writing for the Internet and writing for print. We will cover some of these differences here, and I promise if you keep these "golden rules" in mind as you write for the Internet, you will achieve much success.
I often see new copywriters, when they complete their training, begin by writing for the Internet. A mistake I see, however, is they fail to keep in mind the key differences between writing for the Internet and writing for print. We will cover some of these differences here, and I promise if you keep these "golden rules" in mind as you write for the Internet, you will achieve much success. Traditional publishing and writing for the Internet differ in three crucial ways: Audience Format Lifespan It is important to consider each key difference while writing for the internet. Audience Audience consideration is a primary factor when writing for the Internet, just as it's a key consideration for any writer. But while writing basics may remain the same - understanding who your primary audience is, for example - there are some major differences. The first consideration is that in an offline publication, such as a newspaper or magazine, it is almost a given that you have a captive audience. Once a person has spent the money, they are most likely at least going to give the entire publication a quick once-over before tossing it aside. You have no such luxury on the Internet. The only thing keeping your reader from moving on is one click of the mouse. You must not waste time. Stay focused and stay on target. This does not mean, however, that as a writer you must go after the 'lowest common denominator'. Please do not consider your audience stupid. What it does mean is you need to know your audience inside out and know exactly how to deliver what they want and need. Format A second point to consider when writing for the Internet is the fact that some online readers simply skim and don't read every word. Quickly scanning your copy, they will only commit to reading the entire thing if you catch their attention. Therefore you must be concise and clear in your writing. Punchy headlines, accurate subheadings, and solid introductions and conclusions are important to use with "skimmers." An error that new writers might make, is trying to make their articles look like text in a magazine article or a book. However, writing on the Internet has big differences. A reader will actually read the Internet differently from 'physical pages', so different techniques are needed. 'Point of entry' is one of the most important. A search engine can send a reader to the middle or even the end of your document. If you have written accurate and concise content however, a reader and yes, even the 'skimmers' could likely go back to the beginning of your article to read it entirely. There is a way to skip this step though, and that is by splitting up your text into several stand-alone pieces that will fit together as a complete article, or separate documents if looked at the same way. (A good example of this? Did you see how I broke this article into individual stand-alone segments?) Lifespan Last, but certainly not least, an important difference you must consider when writing for the Internet is what is called "lifespan". On the surface, due to the rapid nature of the Internet, it appears that electronic documents have a limited lifespan. But actually the opposite it true. Whereas a printed publication may only have a lifespan of a week, a month, or worse yet, a day, one thing most publications are doing now is archiving online. The beauty of the Internet is that archives may last for years, if not indefinitely. So as a writer you want to write fresh and current content, try to resist being too topical or you may date your material. Remember, potentially your readers may be accessing your words well into the future. By keeping these three "golden keys" in mind when writing for the Internet -- audience, format, and lifespan -- you will find success. About the Author: Anthony James Goolsby (Jim) is a freelance copywriter and creator of the Ultimate Web Copy Academy. Discover how you can write effective copy that sells, go to his site and download your free e-book, "Is Sales Copy Dead? Internet Copywriting Basics." |
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