3 Tips to Improve Your Online Writing

by Kevin D. Hendricks

Writing for the web is a whole new game. People don’t have time to read and you can’t afford for people to miss what you have to say. So here are three tips to improve your online writing:

1. Keep it Short

People tend to skim when they’re looking at a computer screen. They won’t read as much online as they will if something is in print. So keep your copy short. Be succinct.

2. Chunkable Content

While keeping it short is good, one of the advantages of the web is unlimited space. Giving extra info can be helpful, but you have to make sure it’s accessible. You need to chunk your content. Break it up into lists whenever you can (like this one). Use headers to break out sections and bold text to emphasize important points.

3. Have Some Personality

A big danger of the web is dry, boring copy. Don’t be dull—give your text some personality. It’s OK to be funny. It’s OK to have some character. Keeping people awake is a good thing. Keeping people reading is even better.

Got it? Good.