This document provides tips for writing effectively for online audiences. Some key points include: 1) People read differently online, scanning quickly and jumping around, so writing needs to be scannable with short paragraphs, lists, and explanatory subheads. 2) The most important information should be at the top as people may not read the entire post. 3) Links to related content are important to keep readers engaged on the site. 4) Analytics can show what type of content and stories are most popular with readers.

1. WRITING
FOR THE WEB
by Chris Snider

2. Chris Snider
• Digital editor at Des Moines Register
• Adjunct professor of journalism at Drake
• ChrisSniderDesign.com

3. WRITING FOR PRINT
≠
WRITING FOR ONLINE

4. The way that people use the
internet and, in particular,
search engines to find and
consume content is very
different to the way that they
find it in print publications.

5. How people read online
They don’t read every word
They scan (quickly), looking for information they want
If they don’t find it fast, they click on something else
They jump from site to site (now that we have faster
internet connections)
They avoid ads (and anything that looks like an ad)
They read across the top, then down, then across, then
down, like an F...
They don’t scroll

6. The overwhelming odds are that people
will not read your entire post – or even close to it.
Make sure they will get something valuable,
even if they only read one or two paragraphs.

7. HOW DO WE KNOW?
Eyetrack research.

9. Eyetrack research:

10. Newspaper home pages

11. Battle of the sexes:
Women are drawn to faces.

12. What gets read online
Short paragraphs
Bulleted lists
Occasional use of bold to prevent skimming
Short sentence fragments
Explanatory subheads
No pun headlines

14. Which of these encourage you to read longer?

16. The web is very literal.
No metaphors.
No puns.
Use plain english.

18. Print headlines
don’t work online

19. Put your most important information at the top.
Avoid feature lead-ins.

20. Use links.
Reader expect you to help them find more valuable info.
Links also offer good will (more on that later).

21. Don’t create things that look like ads.
People try to avoid ads online.

23. Blame the monkey for ruining online advertising

24. Take advantage of online’s capabilities:
A writer/publisher has many more
tools available online than in print.
So mix things up.

25. Alternative forms of stories

26. List

27. Photo

28. Video

29. Thought post

30. Interview

31. Live chat

32. Live video

33. Slideshow

34. Best-of post

35. Chris Brogan’s most-linked-to posts

36. Set up a series of posts (even if you don’t call it a series).
Use new posts in the series to link to
older posts in the series.
This helps reinforce the original content.

37. Link to related content.
This benefits new readers and RSS/e-mail readers:

38. Comment back to
people who leave
comments.
This builds
community and
keeps people
coming back.
It also extends the
life of your post.

39. Make sure your
content is easily
sharable.

40. Promote
subscribing
via RSS and
via e-mail.
Use Feedburner
if that’s not set up.

41. Comment on other blogs

42. What leads to comments
Make a
claim –
Surely
there is
someone
out there
who feels
different.

43. What leads to comments
Express
an
opinion –
It gives
people
something
to react to.

44. What leads to comments
Invite a
response
– the
perfect
invitation
for people
to disagree
and
discuss.

45. Know your metrics.
What stories are popular?
What isn’t popular?
When do your readers come to your site?
How do they get to your site (twitter,
google, etc.)?