Writing For The Web
by The Blazing Lucidity Staff
Common wisdom holds that online content is best written when it follows accepted guidelines. Here are a some of them:
- Write in short sentences
- Use blocks of text instead of long paragraphs
- Use basic, friendly vocabulary
- Avoid long words and complex phrasing
Generally these are good, fundamental guidelines for writing on the web. Online content differs from traditional forms of written media because eye-tracking studies show that people skim online content instead of reading it. From a design and information structure viewpoint, your site should to allow for this tendency. There are situations where it is best to depart from convention, though; the determining factor is a combination of your product or service and the audience you are targeting. We'll take a look at two companies who sell very different products on the web.
Scenario 1
You sell accessories for portable music players
You have a commodity product that you want to appeal to a lot of people. Given this, you can successfully appeal to people within the above guidelines. Your goal is to build customer confidence, convince them that your product is one that will satisfy their needs, and convert them by leading them to place an order. A $15 accessory is not one that a lot of people are going to want to put a significant amount of time into researching. Note that keeping it basic and straightforward should not preclude you from thinking of other ways to make your site and products memorable and appealing.
Scenario 2
You appraise and sell rare rugs
Following the guidelines too closely could actually hurt you. In the rare rug business, it makes sense to go into a lot of detail about rare rugs. Your target audience -- those who can afford to consider a rare rug -- is more sophisticated, so you don't have to worry as much about overloading them. You want your site to be a reservoir of information on your topic, so take the liberty to use technical terms and offer detailed descriptions, historical accounts, and additional information that is beyond introductory. Your audience will still skim your homepage, but if your homepage is properly conceived, visitors will identify your site as a resource for rare rugs, and will be receptive to the in-depth knowledge you provide. As long as you don't sacrifice clarity, you will win points with your visitors by offering juicy information.
Note that in this scenario the rug owner may not actually sell the rugs directly on the web, as many people prefer to see expensive items in person before they purchase them. By piquing curiosity and excitement, you encourage people to contact you for further information or decide to visit your brick-and-mortar location to see the rugs in person.
Conclusion: When you offer a niche product and target a specific audience, you don't have to worry about pleasing everyone. If you are courting a sophisticated audience, be sophisticated! If the goal is a call to action that will result in a quick conversion as in Scenario 1, short and sweet is best.
