There are huge differences in writing for print and writing online. Most small biz owners aren’t aware of them, or don’t care.
But it’s crucial that web copy be designed for web readers. And when I say readers, what I mean is skimmers. And skimmers are actually scanners.
So, basically, you have to write your website for people who won’t read it. They want what you’ve got (or they’re at least interested), but if you make them work for it, they’re gone.
Why? Because someone else (your competitor) made their experience better. They’re easier to understand. Their info is clearer. They wrote with web readers in mind.
This is where design and copy and text and function come together. Here are five rules to follow when writing for the web:
1.) Breaking Usage Rules Is Okay Because text is so closely integrated with design, it’s fine to tweak your usage a little.
Write like you talk, and talk like you look. If your design is fun and irreverent, go ahead and make it more personal. If you go with a straight edge, professional look, match your copy to it.
2) Understand Passive and Active Space It’s easy enough to remeber that passive space is in the margins and active space is in the text, but consider how you’re using that.
Make sure your active space allows readers to separate thoughts, ideas, and catagories. And remember to keep space between bullets and numbered lists.
3) Don’t Center Your Text If every line is centered on your page, it’s hard to read. Even if you’ve used your active space well, centered text still makes eyes jump to find a different starting place for each line.
Instead, using headings and lists. Break down your text into categories, marked clearly with bold headings.
4) Keep Your Headings From Floating If your heading is the same space above the text it’s describing as it is below the text it follows, it’s called a floating header. It’s confusing. Don’t do it.
By laying the heading right on top of its text (or directly in it, like this post), you clearly define what it is you’re trying to describe.
5) Less is Way, Way More Clean pages, lots of space, direct copy, clear instructions: These are the things that comprise successful integration of copy and web design.
Try not to push every single thing about who you are at your visitor at once. Think of it as a conversation. What kinds of things would get you to stick around?
Use these five guidelines as principles for the entire process of creating text for your web page. Everything you make should fit in here somewhere.
Tags: Copywriting