Hard Truths Sharpen Web Writing

When the billboard for the new fast-food salad is different than the ad you see in a magazine, you aren't surprised. Although similar, a single photo with words, we know that the billboard will only get a passing glance, while the person holding a magazine can spend more time reading the nutritional details. A good ad takes this into account and adjusts to match the environment.

So, what do we need to know about the online environment to make a good match? Just that, compared to other mediums, reading a web page is hard, slow, and impersonal. Knowing these truths, we can compensate to make our writing easier, faster, and more friendly.

Reading a web page is hard

What happened to the paperless office? The e-book phenomenon? Neither has materialized mainly because it's simply more difficult to read text on a screen than on paper. Walls of intimidating text drive people away.

To make your content easier and more enticing:

• Edit the text ruthlessly. It's not unusual to reduce content by 50% when moving it online.
• Break up long passages. Start a new sentence or paragraph when the text starts to look dense.
• Substitute bullets or a numbered list for three or more items in a sentence.

Reading a web page is slow

People come to your website with a purpose in mind. And, since it's 25% slower to read text online than on a printed page, they don't read much. Instead they scan, hoping to spot words related to what they are looking for. A successful website helps visitors find information quickly.

To speed things up:

• Add plenty of descriptive subheadings. People use these to skip to the right sections of text.
• Highlight key words or phrases. Use boldface, not underlines. People assume underlined words are links.
• Use plain language. Avoid jargon and overly creative phrasing. For example, web visitors know what "About Us" means. Using "Our World" instead just slows people down.

Reading a web page is impersonal

A corporate brochure typically doesn't stand alone. It comes with a sales person or at least a letter to make a personal connection between the company and you. Websites do typically stand alone and need to work harder at bonding with visitors.

To start building those connections:

• Adjust your wording so it sounds more like a real person talking. Break a few grammar rules if it helps you get your point across. It's OK to use contractions, colloquialisms, or even (gasp!) end sentences with prepositions. What are you afraid of? Personality sells.
• Rewrite anything that sounds like bad corporate or marketing speak. If you "synergize the latest paradigm" or yell at someone to "BUY NOW!!!" you will lose them.
• Solve visitor problems. Don't just list your products, organize them by how they help people in different situations. Provide comparisons to help people make decisions. Find out what people want to know related to your business and provide it.

Ever see a billboard with impossible-to-read text? How about a TV commercial where you remember everything but the company name? These are examples of wasted money. Writing to suit the online environment is key to making money on your web investment.