Writing for 
the Web
Audience
Device
Context
Writing for the Web 
Write Outwardly 
Don't bury the lead. 
Don't say too much. 
Make strong calls to action.
Writing for the Web 
Write Outwardly 
Don't bury the lead. 
Don't say too much. 
Make strong calls to action.
Image Credit 
It's not about us.
"What's in it for me?" 
"Do you have my 
major?" 
"How much will it 
cost?" 
"Will I fit in?"
Features: 
Benefit: 
Experience: 
What we offer. 
What it means. 
Why it matters.
Features: 
Benefit: 
Experience: 
Up to 100 cycles per minute. 
Faster Production 
Getting more product out the 
door per shift means you’ll blow 
away your productivity goals and 
be a hero. You might even get a 
promotion.
Main Page Secondary Page 
Features 
Experience 
Benefits 
Features 
Experience 
Benefits
...people don’t buy quarter-inch drill bits. 
They buy quarter-inch holes so they can 
hang their children’s pictures. 
John 
Caples
Quick Tips: 
Collect Feedback from your current 
audience. 
Start with an outline: 
Feature > Benefit > Experience 
Show a copy of your draft to your audience. 
Do they get it?
Writing for the Web 
Write Outwardly 
Don't bury the lead. 
Don't say too much. 
Make strong calls to action.
Jakob 
Nielsen 
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/page-abandonment-time.html
"To gain several minutes of user attention, 
you must clearly communicate your value 
proposition within 10 seconds." 
Jakob Nielsen 
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/page-abandonment-time.html
Your most important message is here., sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt 
ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud 
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. 
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore 
eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, 
sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. 
Or 
: 
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod 
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim 
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea 
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate 
your most important message is here. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat 
non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Wall Street Journal: 
“Companies cranked up hiring in April to the fastest pace in five 
years…” 
“European markets snapped a three-session losing streak as gains in 
the banking sector and better-than-expected US jobs data for April 
sparked a rally.” 
“Women may have fared better than men during the recession, but 
they are not making up lost ground as fast as men in the recovery.”
Quick Tips: 
Ask yourself: What is the key takeaway? 
Highlight your lead idea in a bold font. 
Use plain language. 
Most important points: 
above the fold 
sub-headings 
the first sentence of a paragraph 
bullet points.
Writing for the Web 
Write Outwardly 
Don't bury the lead. 
Don't say too much. 
Make strong calls to action.
Brevity 
arouses curiosity. 
projects confidence. 
By telling the whole story, 
you leave nothing to the imagination.
Writing for the Web 
Write Outwardly 
Don't bury the lead. 
Don't say too much. 
Make strong calls to action.
Four types of Calls To Action 
Place an order 
Enroll, subscribe, enter 
Get a quote 
Learn more 
High 
Commitm 
ent 
Low 
Commitm 
ent
Main Page Secondary Page 
Request More 
Information 
Download PDF 
Brochure 
Enroll Now 
Apply Now 
Talk to an Advisor
A call to action must be clear and compelling: 
“Order now to save 15%.” 
“Get your artist’s rendering within 24 hours.” 
“Learn the 5 secrets to permanent weight loss.”
Calls to action are strengthened by: 
Testimonials: It’s worked! 
Credibility statements: It’s reliable! 
Warranty or guarantee: It’s risk-free! 
High value: It’s worth having! 
Urgency: It’s now or never!
Two Tips for Strong Calls to Action 
Identify your action steps. 
Consider having a primary and secondary call to action on 
the main page. 
"Buy Now" or "Learn More"
?

Writing for the Web - Internet Studio 1

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    Writing for theWeb Write Outwardly Don't bury the lead. Don't say too much. Make strong calls to action.
  • 7.
    Writing for theWeb Write Outwardly Don't bury the lead. Don't say too much. Make strong calls to action.
  • 8.
    Image Credit It'snot about us.
  • 9.
    "What's in itfor me?" "Do you have my major?" "How much will it cost?" "Will I fit in?"
  • 10.
    Features: Benefit: Experience: What we offer. What it means. Why it matters.
  • 11.
    Features: Benefit: Experience: Up to 100 cycles per minute. Faster Production Getting more product out the door per shift means you’ll blow away your productivity goals and be a hero. You might even get a promotion.
  • 12.
    Main Page SecondaryPage Features Experience Benefits Features Experience Benefits
  • 13.
    ...people don’t buyquarter-inch drill bits. They buy quarter-inch holes so they can hang their children’s pictures. John Caples
  • 14.
    Quick Tips: CollectFeedback from your current audience. Start with an outline: Feature > Benefit > Experience Show a copy of your draft to your audience. Do they get it?
  • 15.
    Writing for theWeb Write Outwardly Don't bury the lead. Don't say too much. Make strong calls to action.
  • 16.
  • 17.
    "To gain severalminutes of user attention, you must clearly communicate your value proposition within 10 seconds." Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/alertbox/page-abandonment-time.html
  • 18.
    Your most importantmessage is here., sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Or : Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate your most important message is here. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
  • 19.
    Wall Street Journal: “Companies cranked up hiring in April to the fastest pace in five years…” “European markets snapped a three-session losing streak as gains in the banking sector and better-than-expected US jobs data for April sparked a rally.” “Women may have fared better than men during the recession, but they are not making up lost ground as fast as men in the recovery.”
  • 20.
    Quick Tips: Askyourself: What is the key takeaway? Highlight your lead idea in a bold font. Use plain language. Most important points: above the fold sub-headings the first sentence of a paragraph bullet points.
  • 21.
    Writing for theWeb Write Outwardly Don't bury the lead. Don't say too much. Make strong calls to action.
  • 22.
    Brevity arouses curiosity. projects confidence. By telling the whole story, you leave nothing to the imagination.
  • 23.
    Writing for theWeb Write Outwardly Don't bury the lead. Don't say too much. Make strong calls to action.
  • 28.
    Four types ofCalls To Action Place an order Enroll, subscribe, enter Get a quote Learn more High Commitm ent Low Commitm ent
  • 29.
    Main Page SecondaryPage Request More Information Download PDF Brochure Enroll Now Apply Now Talk to an Advisor
  • 30.
    A call toaction must be clear and compelling: “Order now to save 15%.” “Get your artist’s rendering within 24 hours.” “Learn the 5 secrets to permanent weight loss.”
  • 31.
    Calls to actionare strengthened by: Testimonials: It’s worked! Credibility statements: It’s reliable! Warranty or guarantee: It’s risk-free! High value: It’s worth having! Urgency: It’s now or never!
  • 32.
    Two Tips forStrong Calls to Action Identify your action steps. Consider having a primary and secondary call to action on the main page. "Buy Now" or "Learn More"
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