Writing web content isn’t as easy as some might think. Well, writing decent web content that folks actually want to read isn’t. Whether you’re someone who doesn’t mind opening a new Word document from time to time or a person who would sooner pull out their toenails than sit down and write, writing strong content calls for a particular set of skills.
Having a good grasp of basic spelling, punctuation and grammar is not enough. Web content that connects to your reader and has the desired effect — whether that’s building trust, gaining subscribers or bagging a sale — has to be engaging and optimised for the search engines.
Here are a few easy tips to help you improve your content writing:
Write in a natural way
Don’t be scared of using sentence fragments – you’re not writing a high school essay. Phew. Imagine you’re talking to just one person (preferably your ideal customer!) and write in the way you might speak to them. Lose the boring corporate-speak. Life’s too short for formal, jargon-filled communications (and toe-curling words such as ‘solution’ and ‘methodology’ while we’re on the subject!). Instead, write in a natural, conversational way to make a connection.
Write with rhythm
Keep your reader engaged by using a variety of sentence lengths throughout your web content. Do this and give your piece some cadence and flow. Use long, complex sentences to add depth and to draw your reader in. Add a short sentence for impact. Pay attention to how the punctuation you use creates stress patterns in your writing, creating light and shade. The highs and lows of music. Use a range of different sentences and add some rhythm to your writing.
Write with your ear
Listen to the sounds your words make. Hear your writing. Don’t be afraid to swap words and move paragraphs, so they sound better. Make your copy easy on the ear. Listen to your arrangement.
Write with clarity
Keep your writing clear by keeping paragraphs, sentences and words short. Take out any words that don’t add any value to your content. Remove the fluff. Don’t say in twenty words what you can say in ten.
Remember: It’s not about the number of words you use; it’s about the power of those you choose.
Write with the search engines in mind
Unfortunately, all of the above are pretty much wasted on web content if you don’t have a good understanding of on-page SEO. After all, it’s all very well putting clear, well-written content on your website but if nobody’s finding it, it’s about as much use as me in a netball match. A bit bloody useless.
To do your writing justice, you’ll need to optimise your web content with the keywords and phrases you want to be found for. Don’t stuff them in like a handful of Quality Street at Christmas time. Sprinkle your keywords into your content. Make the words weave in naturally. The search engine bots are getting increasingly smart, so use synonyms too. These will help your rankings and improve your writing.
And don’t forget to write a strong meta description and link to other relevant content on your site.
There’s no getting away from it; content marketing is a must for any business serious about bagging more customers and not lagging behind. But if you don’t have the time to write, and would rather not get Kyle from the customer service department to do it, let us write for you.
We’ll make sure your website is regularly updated with relevant, topical articles that will do wonders for your organic SEO and will be great for sharing, giving your social media efforts a boost too.
Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help improve your online presence.