by James Richardson

Created on: October 02, 2008   Last Updated: October 07, 2008

Any block of text that you plan to use on your website, whether it be a business site, a blog, a personal site, etc. needs to be edited with Web-copy guidelines in mind.

To begin, place yourself in the seat of a typical Internet user. What do you want to see as you peruse a website? Chances are that long, blocky pieces of text lose your interest in a snap. You may even become discouraged by the sheer length and choose to just move on. A first consideration in editing text for the Web then is the old acronym KISS: Keep It Simple & Succinct (ok, so I changed that one a bit - it's less insulting this way!)

We have evolved into an "information at your fingertips" society, and for better or worse, the trend is here to stay. People expect to see sought-after content with minimum reading and "digging" through long paragraphs. Is there a place for in-depth and lengthier writing on the Web? Sure. Old articles, archived information, and in-depth coverage/opinions may be precisely what some users are looking for. Well-written introductory copy should lead them there. Making use of bullets, subtitles, and boldface type to highlight key points in text is a good format to start with in preparing Web copy.

When you have the brevity thing nailed, another editing consideration is called Search Engine Optimization or SEO. SEO involves lacing your text with vital keywords that will be indexed by search providers such as Yahoo! and Google. Think about the very heart of what you're trying to convey. Whether it's a blog on travel to India, or an introductory paragraph for your widget factory's homepage, you need to make the important points stand out by using focused wording. Search engines "crawl" or read your site and index it according to content. The higher up your site is indexed, the higher it will appear in the results when users query a search engine.

Proofreading Web copy is also important. While the Web is generally less formal than say, an encyclopedia, sound grammar, sentence structure, and spelling is still paramount. It affects credibility with your readers and it helps ensure that everything flows well. Not to mention, a misspelled keyword could negatively impact SEO.

Finally, think about the interactive features of your website that will complement the copy. Will the writing be intertwined with links to related content? Will photos and/or video accompany the text? Can users contact you for more information or leave comments on a blog? Tailor your writing accordingly - the Web is the only medium that allows for this level of interactivity for the end user.

No matter the purpose behind your website, the body copy needs to be edited with the end user in mind. Writing that is succinct, grammatically correct, and informative will yield the best results for readers. Selecting good keywords that get categorized by search engines will ensure that your site is found by Web surfers looking for the information you provide. And as you edit your Web copy, never forget that this medium allows for an unsurpassed level of customization and interactivity for the end user. Whether you develop your own Web copy or outsource the task to a copywriter, one thing remains certain: write in a manner that is geared toward this unique medium and you are sure to reap all of the benefits that the Web can provide.

Learn more about this author, James Richardson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.