Internet copywriting is different from traditional copywriting for many reasons. I recently remembered a highlight about my trip to Manipal University where I was able to interact with Mr. Raviraj, who is a Journalism professor there. It was interesting to know from him that he is trying to train his students on writing for the web. I am no journalist, but I blog π Here are a few key differences I noticed about web writing and print writing.
- Web Users are active and they suffer from attention defiency syndrome. Click and poof! They are gone forever.
- Long article? Send it to your nearest print press, Internet users are the last people you want to show it to.
- Building up hype around something? Back it up with proof. Internet is so full of BS that people want to see proof before they buy/apply for anything!
One company that has mastered this art online is BBC. Writing for the web is in itself an art. Check out the recent BBC headlines
- Italy buries first quake victims
- Mass Thai protest over leadership
- Ten arrested in UK anti-terrorism raids
- Villagers hurt in West Bank clash
Maximum of 5-6 words and they convey the whole idea about the story. Go to your blog and check how many words do you use on your titles. Incredible use of words in short concise sensible sentences.
So, what can you as a blogger or freelance internet writer can do to keep the visitors on your page?
I used to do heavy article marketing for a few of my niche sites and the following is what I learnt about writing for the netizens.
- Write with the questions – “What, How, where next?” in mind.
- Make it lively. Humour, Satire, fun facts.
Beyond this, the usual web writing rules like Keep it short, Posts with Lists and the usual apply. When was the last time you checked out your writing?
Leave a Reply