Archive for December 29th, 2009

I recently attended a ‘writing for the web’ presentation where the subject of how to write for a web audience was covered.  It was a fascinating hour of learning how users read online, how to structure content in order to keep the highest level of users engaged, and points to consider while writing content for the online reader.

I was interested to learn that the online reader

• skims content
• reads 25% slower on screens than on paper
• reads in an inverted N pattern

Therefore, a smart Web copwriter will

• write in short, easy to understand sentences and words
• use plenty of bullets and ordered lists
• write content that a fifth grader could read and understand

I love learning new things about the web, communication, and how users interract online. Next time, I’ll delve into how to discover if your website is easy to read and understand, and how making a few small changes in how you write could greatly increase the impact of your website online.