Clients often ask, what’s the difference between writing on the web, as appose to writing for print. Well, writing for the Web needs to grab your attention and gets the results you want. This needs special skill, and inclusion of keywords to also help with SEO, whether you are selling products or services or if you just want to let people know what you are up to on your personal site.
One of the impediments to online reading is physical: It’s harder to read on a screen than it is to read on paper. Even the best computer monitors are hopelessly fuzzy when compared to the crisp images on a glossy magazine page, and the extra effort this requires from human eyes and brains slows
readers down. The longer the document, the bigger the problem.
Today’s monitors are vastly better than the ones in use years ago—especially the latest
generation with flat screens and liquid crystal displays. Better software is also
helping. Microsoft, for instance, has created a superior family of fonts
specifically designed for online reading (Arial and Tahoma are two of the most widely
used).
But the more significant barrier web writers must overcome is behavioral, not physical. Everyone who has studied online reading will know that people behave differently when online. When viewing a new page, they don’t read—they scan. They look at headings and subheadings first; they scan for hyperlinks, numerals, and keywords. They jump around, scrolling and clicking—their fingers never far from the browser’s “Back” button.
The challenge for the web writer is to overcome readers’ impatience by keeping things as brief as possible.
Do you know of some good articles, tutorials, newsletters, Web sites, books, or other resources related to writing for the Web, Web site content, or related topics? Recommendations are welcome and encouraged!