Who are you writing for?

There are many different styles and registers of writing, but writing for the web has a specific set of techniques and styles, and a number of factors that you need to think about.

Who is your target audience?

When you’re writing, it is important to consider who your target audience is. What do they know already? What do they want to know? What do they not know, and not even know that they need to know it? If you’re writing sales and marketing copy, you need to consider who you are writing for.

Most people skim-read online, so writing succinctly is very important. Break up your content visually with plenty of bullet-points and short paragraphs. Try to avoid the breathless style found in most AI-generated content.

If the reader is using a screen-reader, they may switch it to read only a list of links, so don’t label your links with “click here”, “here”, or “read more”.

It’s also really important to use semantic headings (h2, h3) to indicate a new section, so that screen readers and search engines can parse the content properly.

Keep it simple and plain

Many of your readers may speak English as their second language. Try to avoid long sentences and overly complex sentence structure.

Make it easy for your readers to find the information they need, understand it, and make use of it.

Review and edit

Once you have written your piece, you will probably need to edit it to make sure it is clear and readable. Try reading it aloud to yourself and see if it flows nicely. You can also run it through a reading ease checker.

Writing for the web involves a constant process of revision and has its own unique set of tips and tricks.

Stay tuned for more blogposts about the art of content writing.