If your website has poor online content it has little or no value to your audience. Online content can be read, watched, listened to and shared. It can be a written article (like the one you’re reading now), a blog post, a report, an eBook, an online tutorial, a video or an audio file.
But one of the most challenging tasks that most website owners face is writing or producing online content that their audience will find useful and engaging. Here a 5 tips to help you create online content that your audience will love.
1. Understand The Difference Between Offline And Online
Content that is published in the offline world, like in newspapers and magazines, is different to the content published on most websites. Content in newspapers and magazines generally appeal to a broad audience. Whereas your website content will be quite specific to your audience. You still need good grammar and spelling in your online content but many other traditional rules of writing are broken online.
2. Small Paragraphs
When people read online they want short paragraphs of text that can be quickly scanned. Your website visitors don’t want to be overwhelmed with large blocks of text. Short paragraphs of text make it easier for your reader to focus on what you have written, and skip from section to section.
3. Bullet Points And Subheadings
When you use bullet points and subheadings it also make your content easy to read on a screen. Subheadings provide your reader a basic idea of what the content is about, which can help keep people’s attention for longer. Bullet points are brief and concise, delivering important information in a simple style.
4. Use Images And Photos
People expect to have images included with online content. They make your website look better, articles easier to scan and enhance to your brand. Personal photographs are great for a personal blog and you can also find lots of free pictures, images and photos on numerous stock photo websites.
5. Overall Tone
Web content can be more conversational. Keep your writing tone light, casual and interesting if you are writing informal content. Of course, if you’re writing for a technical website you will have to use the proper descriptions and appropriate language structure. Having said that, in many instances, an informal tone shows off your individuality and is a great way to connect with your online audience.