Do you have a website which is running with all information you can think of but is not attracting buyers? Has your web content been written like a novel? Do you wish to have your website minting money while all it is doing is boring people to death?

You have overlooked a fairly simple fact. Web content writing is very different from other forms of writing. You need to take care of certain rules while writing your web content.

Consider some facts.

• 77% of readers on net scan rather than read.

• 25% of the reading speed decreases while reading from the internet rather than some other source.

• 50% of the word count of a paper equivalent of a website should decrease in the web content.

The above mentioned facts are not fictional numbers but statistics derived from scientific study aptly highlighting the difference between web content writing and other forms of writing.

What is Web Content?

The information left after we strip a website off images, navigation systems and links is known as Web Content. It may also be called the text or copy of your website.

For a successful website, it needs to be winning, effective and conductive for repeat visits.

What is the difference between reading Web Content as compared to some other form of writing?

The aforementioned facts make it very clear that there lies an inherent difference between Web Content writing/ reading as compared to some other form.

• Shorter paragraphs: websites are visited by people from all walks of life including people from low-literacy group with limited knowledge as well as teenagers with poor reading habits. Thus long paragraphs are not only cumbersome to read and unattractive, they also seem intimidating.

• Scanning ability: unlike reading from a newspaper or a book, most web users look towards 'scanning' the page for the information they need instead of reading it fully. Hence readability and organized text becomes a must.

• Design and length: a book can sell itself on basis of content alone but a website needs to attract visitors with its appealing design and optimum web content in order to be successful.

• Spilling the beans: a writer might not buy the idea revealing the crux of his article at the very beginning but a web content writer needs to do exactly that. This would help the reader know whether the topic is of interest to him. Bulleted points increase readability and interest.

Things to remember when you write web content.

• Don't write - just talk: use of conversational language helps to connect with the reader and is much more effective than mundane jargon-filled language which limits the audience.

• Links: while writing for the www, you have the liberty to set links wherever you want. This increases reader's interest and also shows your expertise.

• Bulleted points: net users can be impatient to jump from your website to another easily if yours seems uninviting. Bulleted points help in conveying more information in lesser time.

• Style: try and involve the reader by using 'you' or 'us' whenever possible and write in a language a layman can understand. If the usage of technical lingo is indispensable, add a link for explanation.

• Structure: Web content must be structured according to the reader; an explanatory headline helps as it lets the reader know where he is. A brief summary with frequent sub-heads makes the reading easy and hence more effective. A web content writer must not aim to deal with more than one topic per page as it breaks flow of reading.

• Content: Outdated and redundant information must be removed from time to time. A date or a specified period of time, in place of vague terms such as 'soon', 'in some time' is much more appealing on a website with regular postings. Also, if images are used, they must be totally relevant to the text.

• MOST IMPORTANT: Though you are attracting visitors, it must not be forgotten that you are writing for search engines too which would give your website incredible exposure. Strategically placed keywords with relevant content ensures good rankings, which in turn would ensure good sales.

• Call for action: Don't hesitate to state your firm's name again. It helps build recognition. Blowing your own trumpet (even in classical music style) is not beneficial. Rather than focusing on your products, highlight the advantages of your products. Provide all information required to contact you.