Therefore, when writing for your website, you should think about the following:
- Salient. Get to the main points at the top of the page.
- Paragraphs. Try not to exceed thirty words per paragraph.
- Sentences. Use one idea per sentence, and try not to exceed seventeen words per sentence.
- Critical. Make sure every word needs to be there. A good rule is to write what you want to say, cut it in half, then half again. Be brutal.
- Tense. Write in the present or present perfect tense.
- Language. Use language your visitors would use instead of language (abbreviations etc) your organisation may use internally.
- Direct. Use “we” and “you” rather than “the company”, “the customer” etc.
- Positive. Use “glass half full” rather than “glass half empty” language.
- Honest. You might think your company is the best, but unless you can back your claims up with solid evidence, avoid hype and superlatives.
- Keywords. With your web designer establish a list of keywords important to your organisation, and incorporate as many as possible into your text. Search engines like this. Aim for up to 5% of this text being keywords – you can check this at http://www.live-keyword-analysis.com/.
- Humans. Whilst it’s important to cater for search engines, your customers are human. Ensure your sentences make sense.
- Proof. Carefully read your text to ensure spelling and grammar mistakes are corrected. Bad spelling and grammar might not matter to you but it could do to your customers. And it looks unprofessional.
- Interest. Above all, make sure your content is interesting for your visitors. You might find your subject fascinating, but if your visitors don't agree you won't see them for dust.
This is a lot to keep in mind, but gets easier with practice. If you need help or advice, let us know!
