To write effective online articles you need "pitch" your letter to a reader like a salesman pitches a product. Writers may recoil: "I'm an artist not a crass business man," they lament. But online article-writing is a competitive world and consumers (readers) move at lightening-speed. You have a nano-second to grab them, and 10 more seconds to hold them. This article tells you how to capture and hold readers on the Internet.

Think benefits first. Tell the reader how your article will benefit him. Move readers through speedily and package information in easy-to-read (digest) chunks. Be succinct and energetic in your approach. These tips will move you toward quick success with online writing.

Tips for transitioning from academic writing to online writing:

Academic writing teaches you two vital techniques to help you with online writing: creating a thesis and using active rather than passive verbs. But there are important differences to learn.

Online readers want information; they do not want to see your sources or compare your approach to others'. Online readers want to know exactly what your article is about, and how it benefits them to read it. Make your thesis engaging and important, not academic. Do not outline your entire article. Be swift and directive.

In academic writing you must show you've done your research, but online readers just want the information, not the process you went to find it. Do not try and cover all facets of your subject. Instead, hone in on a precise topic and stick to it.

Transitioning from print journalism to online writing:

Print journalists focus on the pyramid article structure, which places the when, where, why, how, what in the first paragraph. Details are filled in later. With online writing, your entire article should be read in a sweep. You want to draw the reader in, so he reads your entire article. Better yet, you want him to hunger for more information. Websites depend on horizontal traffic to move their website page ranks higher.

Nothing is extra in a web article. Space your information throughout the article, ordered from the most engaging to least. Try to hold your reader as long as possible.

Transitioning from ad copy to online writing:

Ad copy depends on quick sales, whereas online writing requires substance. Ad copy techniques can help, because they focus the writer on benefits language.

Sell the reader on the benefits of reading your article. Make him feel as though he can't risk missing the chance to

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