Online Writing Tips

These guidelines have been developed through partnership with Internet Broadcasting, a variety of print and online resources, and our own online writing experiences.

1) Strive for approximately 400-500 words in length.

- According to studies by Jonathon Fox, editor-in-chief of Sun Microsystem’s site, Web content should be roughly half the length of a comparable print piece in order to be effective.

2) Inform and educate. When appropriate, structure your article around helpful tips for online readers/consumers.

3) When possible, write in an easy to digest format: bullet-points, subheads, etc. Online readers want quick-hitting points.

- The Web demands your writing deliver "joltage" in a concise manner. Crawford Kilian, author of Writing for the Web,” compares the newspaper-reading experience to a warm bath. Web reading, by comparison, is a 30-second shower - get in, get the job done, wake you up, don't hang around.

- Likewise, Jonathan Fox found that 79% of Web users scan the page versus reading word-for-word. He recommends bulleted lists and focusing on only one main idea per paragraph as techniques to best get your message across to Web users. 

- In Call to Action the Eisenberg brothers recommend short paragraphs for online readers. Avoid “impenetrable blocks of text” whenever possible.

4) Short, concise, catchy headlines. Shoot for 6 words max.

- Good Web headlines need to be like soda pop or champagne, according to Rachel McAlpine, author of Web Word Wizardry: "crystal clear and fizzy." The enigmatic, cryptic, poetic, ironic, or witty heading is should be avoided on the Web.

- Here is an example of a headline that could use some trimming: “Car Buyers to Find Better Vehicle Technology in 2006, but Fewer Special Incentives – Tips Can Help Drive Smart Loan Deals”

- Here are some good headline examples taken from some popular news and information-based Web sites. All are concise, to-the-point and catchy. (Article headlines were found on MSN, MSNBC, iVillage, Internet Broadcasting, CNN, and other major media sites.)

   

Buying the Ring She’ll Love   9 Small-space Home Décor   Sins Saving Options Beyond the   Bank Which Type of Water is   Best? 8 Common Old-house Hazards Top Tactics for Financial   Sanity The Myth of Midlife Crisis Warm, Hearty Risotto   Recipes 10 Real Estate Deal Wreckers What are Today’s Hottest   Careers? How to Earn Income by   Investing

Child Abuse Warning Signs Do-it-Yourself Wedding   Flowers Unique Wedding Invitation   Ideas One More Reason to Lose   Weight The 20-Minutes-a-Day Diet Fast Food Cravings   Conquered Finding Childcare:   Questions to Ask New Moms: Work or Stay at   Home? Low-carb Diet? Toss These Foods New, Unusual Kitchen   Products 8 Creative Ways to Pay for College

 5) Write effective call-to-actions:

- The Web suits "response" writing which prompts the user to carry out an activity. Make sure the CTA is action-oriented. Saying “learn now,” inspires action more effectively than “learn how.”

- Clearly identify exactly what you benefits you are offering to the reader: Eisenberg states, “Optimize your copy to give them what they want and get out of the way.”

- You can drive traffic from articles to other areas of their own sites or to drive readers to online partners. The goal is to keep them moving.

Examples:

· See more sports stats at www.newspaper.com/sportsstats .

· If you’re looking for a job, visit our online classifieds at www.newspaper.com/classifieds/jobs

· To post an online car ad, visit our auto section at www.newspaper.com/autos

· To see photos of wide plank floors installed with this application, visit the company's Web site at www.wideplankflooring.com.

· Visit www.newspaper.com/newsletter to subscribe to our free newsletter with your weekly local news updates.

· The energy conservation study is available for download at www.foreverhotwater.com.

· Online resources like www.wbfi.org and www.wilddelight.com can be useful in learning about wild birds and outdoor pets, their diets, and how to feed them.

Additional Resources:

BOOKS

• Call to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results by Brian Eisenberg and Jeffrey Eisenberg
• Writing for the Web by Crawford Kilian
• Web Word Wizardry by Rachel McAlpine

WEBSITES

• http://img.icbdr.com/images/aboutus/pressroom/writer_guidelines.pdf      (CareerBuilder.com writing guidelines)
• http://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html      (general website guidelines from Google)
• http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/frontpage/columns/sbcolumn04.asp     
• http://www.ewriteonline.com
• http://www.ewriteonline.com/index.php?display=Articles&cat_id=31&PHPSESSID=0fc528479a4f2fdd67cb918062c87091     

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