by Melissa J Luther

Created on: January 24, 2009

Many people suffer from the misperception that web content writing is somehow not "real" writing; it is not legitimate writing. Even many authors view publication on the web as somehow inferior to print publication.

This misperception may exist because anyone with a website or a blog can publish virtually anything they please. While it is true that a significant portion of what is published to the web today is of questionable quality, it is also true that many high-quality, authoritative websites exist. These high quality websites need high-quality, authoritative content.

Truthfully, the web is not that different than the checkout line displays at the grocery store. Those displays are populated with high-quality, authoritative magazines as well as tabloids of questionable quality. Are we to discount all print publications because a few choose to report that the celebrity of the moment has given birth to an alien baby (complete with pictures of the scaly little being)? Of course not.

Writing web content is, admittedly, different than writing strictly for print publications. This difference does not make it inferior in any way. In fact, in some ways, web content writing is harder than writing for print publications. Web content writing not only has to inform the reader, it has to please the search engines. Incorporating search engine optimization (SEO) into an article or advertising copy takes skill. Poorly written SEO copy is awkward to read, while effective SEO copy flows naturally, and the reader does not even realize it is optimized.

Legitimate writing imparts valuable information in a clear, concise manner. The words capture the reader's attention and keep it there on the page. Clear and informative writing is especially important on the web, where a visitor is only too happy to surf away, looking for something better. If visitors do not find reason to stay in the first few seconds, they will leave and likely never return.

Legitimate writing considers the intended audience. It carries a different voice depending on whether the reader is a child, a parent or a business executive. A financial advice article on loans, for example, would look very different, depending on whether the intended reader is a consumer or a banking executive.

The target audience is especially important on the web. Drawing in visitors interested in the website's content is the goal of every website owner. Website traffic is of no use if it consists of uninterested visitors. So, not only does web content need to appeal to both search engines and human visitors, it must attract the appropriate target audience.

Legitimate writing informs or entertain or both. It is something that people want to read. The words matter; the medium on which they are delivered does not.

Clearly, creating high quality web content takes just as much skill as creating high quality print articles. Web content writing is, without a doubt, legitimate writing. Today, more and more people turn to the internet for their information needs. In addition, print publications are supplementing their hardcopy content with web-based content. As a result, all authors and editors must learn to embrace the value of web content writing. It is not only legitimate; it is here to stay.

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