Digital Boomerang Singapore 

A big part of the work we do is content development for websites. The most common question we face is: “Is there a difference between writing for the web and for print?”.

Our answer? Yes and no.

First “No” …

Writing is writing. You need to have the basics: strong language skills, good vocabulary, good grammer, etc. You can’t run away from these essentials. Also, the principles of communication are the same:

• Know your audience
• Be clear on your message
• Communicate your message

Simple? Absolutely.

The first step, “Know your audience“, is really important. Who are you talking to? If your audience isn’t tech-savvy, it would be pointless going on about SSL, XHTML, SOAP, mySQL, load-balancing, etc. Technical jargon would just put him/her off. If you’re selling a technical product, you’re better off writing, in simple terms, about the benefits of your product.

“Be clear on your message” involves a little soul-searching. It’s like walking around with a sniper instead of a machine gun. If your product could stand for only one thing, what would it be? If you had 30 seconds to describe your product, what would you say? Be clear and relevant.

Finally, it boils down to “Communicate your message“. We do this with words, slogans, clever taglines, etc. Choose your delivery method. Is it a blog? A webpage? Your medium is just as important as the words you put into it. Essentially, you want to make it as simple as possible to understand. Always write simply. Writing is not a contest of vocabulary, it’s a means of communication. Write so your words are understood.

Then “Yes” …

The web is a very different medium from print and it has its own set of challenges.

The main challenge on the web is that anyone can click away from you in a split second. Web users scan and assess your credibility. The moment they don’t like what you are saying, they can just click away. They don’t have to politely “hang around” while you finish your sentence. It’s no cocktail party on the web. You are at the mercy of millions of other websites.

Second, it’s a lot more tiring to read on the screen than on print. Users cope and adapt by scanning and browsing instead of reading. They want to be able to get the answers FAST.

• Chunk your text into more chewable bites.
• Avoid lengthy paragraphs and wordy sentences.
• Use bullets where possible.
• Keep sentences short and sweet.

Finally, keep it conversational. The web is a much more impersonal and social medium. The web community thrives on connecting people from all over the world. If you’ve got a lofty, corporate and formal voice, you won’t fit in. They will sniff you out as being a non-webbie. Many studies, including those conducted by usability guru Jakob Nielsen, show that web users have little tolerance for marketing spiel.

Essentially …
The principles of communication apply to both the print and web medium. On the web, the rules are even more important. You need to rigourously follow them to hold the attention of web users.

p.s. If you got to the end of this article, we’ve managed to hold your attention! Thanks for reading.

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