Striking Internet Gold - The Art of Writing Web Copy

While many of us are professional authors, we have no idea how to write for the web. It's an art in itself, and it could make or break the success of your website. Here's some food for thought:

• Write in narrow columns of text - they are easier to read and less likely to fatigue your reader.
• Use bullet points and Read More buttons - research shows that people will scan a page for interesting tidbits of information before they read it. If you have a lot to say, try summarizing it into a succinct paragraph and then link it to the rest of the article on a landing page deeper in your site.
• Stay on Point - you should distill your web copy down to the most important points and eliminate everything else. You have less than a second to grab someone's attention, don't risk overwhelming your reader.
• Use captivating headlines - Be sure to make your message obvious, use headlines, lists and bold text to convey your message.
• Use links - an obvious benefit of web writing is that you have an opportunity to link to other important areas on your site. Here you can reference resources, news sources, audio clips, other relevant web sites and your own call-to-action.
• Use relevant keywords - try to use words that are relevant to the content within your site or article, words that other people might type into a search engine looking for the information you offer. The more you can do to help people find you, the better.
  

Tip offered by Jeniffer Thompson of Monkey C Media, a full design house offering Web design and development, book cover designs, editing and photography services. Learn more about Monkey C Media at: www.monkeycmedia.com.

Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com.