Learning to Write for the Web

Get practical techniques for writing for the web, including tips on front-loading content, avoiding jargon, and keeping your content up to date.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Introduction to web writing
• What you should know before watching this course
• Using the exercise files

1. Write for Fast Reading

• People scan; they don't read
• Challenge: Editing text
• Solution: Editing text

2. Reading Age and Tone

• Write for an 8th-grade audience
• Formal text is harder to read
• Challenge: Calculate the reading level of a piece of text
• Solution: Calculate the reading level of a piece of text

3. Don't Tease: What's in It for Me?

• Create information-rich signposts
• Answer readers' unasked questions
• Challenge: Creating signposts
• Solution: Creating signposts

4. Front-Load Your Content

• Readers lose interest quickly
• Challenge: Reorganizing text
• Solution: Reorganizing text

5. Remove the Sales Pitch

• Marketing speak and jargon turn people off
• Industry-specific words
• Challenge: Rewriting to remove hyperbole
• Solution: Rewriting to remove hyperbole

6. Provide Detailed Information and Useful Images

• People look for supporting evidence
• People respect authoritative sources
• Stock images are a waste of space
• Challenge: Linking to outside information to enhance your content
• Solution: Linking to outside information to enhance your content

7. Actively Manage the Information You Publish

• Readers are wary of dated content
• Challenge: Setting suitable expiration dates for your content
• Solution: Setting suitable expiration dates for your content

Conclusion

• Well-written content is already SEO-optimized
• Next steps