The document provides guidelines for writing effective web content and style. It recommends using a persuasive promise, unique offering, and descriptive wording and images. Content should introduce who the company is and why customers should do business with them. Web writing should be brief, clear, and use a direct marketing style with shorter sentences, sub-headings, bullet points, plain English, and emotional language. It emphasizes the importance of capturing attention immediately as web readers scan first and read afterwards.

1. Writing for the Web: Content
Content:
 A persuasive promise
 A unique offering
 Descriptive wording and images that are quickly understood
 How?
• Who are you? (this is not a mission statement)
• Why do business with you?
• Brainstorm with internal and external teams.

2. Writing for the Web: Content
Why?
 A visitor’s positive impression starts with a clear value
proposition, “your promise(s)”
 You build trust by fulfilling your promise(s)

3. Writing for the Web: Writing Style
Brief,
Clear,
Compelling …
…direct
marketing style

4. Writing for the Web: Writing Style
 Shorter sentences in fewer paragraphs
 Heads, Sub-heads, call-outs, sub-sub-heads
 Bullet points
 Plain English
• ”walk” not “ambulate”
• No shop talk
 Emotional language
 Calls to action!

5. Writing for the Web: Direct Marketing Style
 Make it personal “You” and “I” are ok in the right context
 The first sentence in a paragraph
• Can stand alone
• Should capture attention
• Can be only one sentence!
 Sub-heads should be
• Action words, compelling, motivating
 Sentence fragments are OK
• Really!
• For variety!
• For emphasis!

6. Writing for the Web: Writing Style
Remember!
Web copy rules of thumb:
 Web readers scan first, read
 Just because you CAN, doesn’t
afterwards.
 Web readers are very impatient.
 You must capture attention
immediately.
mean you SHOULD
 Get rid of half the words on each
page, then get rid of half of
what’s left
 Build easy to scan copy blocks
with plenty of subheads, images,
and other graphic elements that
convey and support your
“promise”

7. Writing for the Web: Writing Style
Lisa’s Seven C’s
 Clear
 Concise
 Complete
 Compelling
 Clean Code
 Compatible
 Call to Action