The way we read online is different than the way we read a book. We scan the text and jump around from one area to another, reading the headings or first sentences of a paragraph. It is important to keep this in mind when creating and laying out the content for your website. Here are a few tips to help you:
- Sentences longer than 40 words are hard to comprehend. Keep your average sentence length around 15-25 words for good comprehension. You can still use long sentences, but try to limit them or make them a stand-alone paragraph.
- Avoid using jargon and terminology that may be confusing.
- Use nouns and verbs over adverbs and adjectives.
- Provide examples so that your readers can visualize your messages.
- Check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation for errors. Use a spell checker and dictionary.com.
- Use active voice and direct addressing. Tell your audience what you can do for them. An active voice sounds more personal and lets them know you are speaking to them.
- Use infographics, pictures, graphs, and videos to help your audience understand your information and grab their attention.
- Break up large amounts of text and long sentences into shorter ones. Use headers, bulleted and numbered lists, descriptive subheadings, quotes, and icons.
- Use white space to separate paragraphs and sections.
- Review and refresh your content at regular intervals. Add relevant information and new details.
The content for your website should be original. Avoid copying content from other sources as this is considered plagiarism.
Following these tips gives you a start on making your content easy to read for your audience.
Want to learn more about writing for the web or need assistance with content creation? We’re here to help you. Contact us today to learn more.