Rather than paste print content to the web, write for the web the way people read on the web. | Read more at schipul.com/writing-for-the-web

1. Writing for the Web
BY KATRINA ESCO
kesco@schipul.com

2. WHY CAN’T YOU WRITE THE SAME
ONLINE AS IN PRINT?
• Physical Difficulty
• Attention Span

3. Web Writing:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• How to write for readers who scan
• Headlines matter
• Marketing speak doesn’t
• Some grammar rules can be broken

4. WRITING FOR READERS WHO SCAN
The F-Shaped Pattern
An ‘About Us’ section A Product Page Google search results

5. The F-Pattern in Action
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized
attractions that draw large crowds of people
every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the
most popular places were Fort Robinson State
Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National
Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State
Historical Park & Museum
(100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of
the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill
Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).

6. The F-Pattern in Action
In 1996, six of the most-visited places in
Nebraska were:
• Fort Robinson State Park
• Scotts Bluff National Monument
• Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum
• Carhenge
• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
• Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

7. What the F-Pattern means for writing
1. The first two paragraphs the most important
information
2. Begin sentences with the most important
words
3. Write fluidly to move readers through the
text.

8. WRITING FOR THE WEB
“A long article might contain more
information, but if it takes too long
to read, users will abandon the
website and read shorter, easier
pieces elsewhere.”
– Jakob Nielson (Alertbox)

9. Headlines Matter
“The lady is a Trump”
– NY Daily News headline (2005)
“The lady is a Trump”
– NY Daily News headline (2005)

10. Headlines:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• Writing headlines is a craft.
• Keep them short and direct.
• Sell it. Your headline is the introduction to
your text.

11. Good Headlines
“New burger targeted for McLean times”
“Superman to die, so steel yourself”
“Small step for man, big gaffe for NASA: agency
erased tapes of 1st moon landing”

12. It's no longer just reporting the headlines of the
day, but trying to put the headlines into some
context and to add some perspective into what
they mean.
-Bob Shieffer, CBS

13. Drop the Marketing-Speak
• Web writing needs to be 3 things:
1. Concise
2. Scannable
3. Objective

14. Concise
“A good editor should be able to cut 40% of the
word count while removing only 30% of an
article's value.”
– Jakob Nielson (Alertbox)

15. Scannable
1. Bulleted/Numbered lists
2. Bold text
3. Images that represent text

16. Objective
“Just the facts ma’am.”

17. Grammar Rules to Break
1. Use actual numbers
2. Use ‘single quotations’ in a headline
3. Break up chunks of text so that blocks /
paragraphs are 3-5 lines rather than 3-4
sentences.

18. Let’s Review
• Reading online is physically difficult
• Online readers have short attention spans
• The F-shaped Pattern increases reads
• Headlines matter
• Marketing speak doesn’t so be direct.
• You can break some grammar rules

19. Other Tips
• Use photos of real people rather than stock
photos when possible.
• For long posts, draft an abbreviated version
and link to the full-version.
• Your newsletter counts as web writing.
Approach it the same way.

20. THANK YOU
kesco@schipul.com