Writing for the Web

Three tips to creating copy that clicks

by Ann Wylie, president, Wylie Communications Inc.

Yeah, yeah, you know your Web copy should be chunked into smaller pieces and written even more tightly than printed prose. Now what? To take your online writing to the next level, make your Web copy more:

Scannable.
Try Ann's Skim Test: You should be able to get the gist of a page from the microcontent — the headlines, decks, subheads, bullets, buttons and links — without reading the text.

Objective.
Increase the fact-to-fluff ratio to 19:1. Compare:

Fluff: We offer unique perks.

Fact: Our Life Cycle account pays for self-improvement, from guitar lessons to ski lift tickets to digital cameras.

Personable.
Online content is more intimate than paper communications. That means your Web copy should be: 1) conversational; 2) written in the second person; and 3) dare I suggest, amusing.

Need more techniques for creating a structure that makes your copy easier to read and write? Check out Ann's workshops and learning tools.

About the author

Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. Ann works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. To learn more about her training, consulting or writing and editing services, call Ann at 816/997-8753 or e-mail her at ann@wyliecomm.com. Get a FREE subscription to Ann's e-mail newsletter at http://www.wyliecomm.com/newsletter_signup.shtml.

Editors and webmasters: Want permission to reprint this article in your publication or on your site?