During Writing
In the process of writing for a website, an individual should:
- Put conclusions at the beginning: Think of an inverted pyramid when you write. Get to the point in the first paragraph, then expand upon it.
- Write only one idea per paragraph: Web pages need to be concise and to-the-point. People do not read Web pages, they scan them, so having short, meaty paragraphs is better than long rambling ones.
- Use action words: Tell your readers what to do. Avoid the passive voice. Keep the flow of your pages moving.
- Use lists instead of paragraphs: Lists are easier to scan than paragraphs, especially if you keep them short.
- Limit list items to 7 words: Studies have shown that people can only reliably remember 7-10 things at a time. By keeping your list items short, it helps your readers remember them.
- Write short sentences: Sentences should be as concise as you can make them. Use only the words you need to get the essential information across.
- Add sub-headings: Sub-headings make it easier for the reader to scan the content. The audience will be able to straight away jump to the portion of the writing that is most relevant for his/her needs.
- Make your links part of the copy: Links are another way Web readers scan pages. They stand out from normal text, and provide more cues as to what the page is about.
Other items to keep in mind while structuring sentences are:
- The content must have the key words that point directly at the theme of the article.
- The piece of writing must be error free and authentic and describes the product well.
- The writing should provide basic information about the topic and later describe it on the whole.
- The content must be compelling and invokes the reader to buy.
- The style is generally impersonal and the language is not too difficult for people with basic knowledge of the language to understand.
- The start of the article must be a catchy line or a simple and informative one that makes the reader think he would find something good in the writing.
- Sentences need to be short. Long sentences may limit the immediate comprehension of the reader.
There is no specific degree to get in the field of content writing though the basic formats must be kept in mind. If once trained a person can learn and earn a lot from content writing.
