Two Critical Words You Must Keep In Mind When Writing For the Web
Fattening up your web site with informative articles is an essential aspect of marketing on the internet. Information-rich writing attracts search engines, which in turn lead clients to your well-spun web. That simple fact has lead to an explosion in writing. "Content is king!" the SEO experts sing, and suddenly everyone is bent over the keyboard, hammering out articles. But while we're all concentrating on what we've been told are the rules for writing for the web (pack it with keywords, use bulleted lists) many are making a grievous error in overlooking two critical words.
The two critical words you MUST keep in mind when writing for the web are "World Wide." That www. in every URL isn't just for decoration. It directs you to remember that your message is going out around the globe, to be read by potential clients and customers in cultures vastly different from your own. You may be writing in Iowa but be read in India. Or you may be writing a newsletter aimed at search engine experts but wind up being read by a home-based business owner new to the internet. Writing for the World Wide Web means you've opened up the door to everyone on the planet. The least you can do is put out a welcome mat in the form of language almost anyone can understand.
To be universally understood, your message must be stated in language that is free from regional accents or fully supported with examples and explanations. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:
Don't use slang. Phrases like "My shizzle's gone fazizzle" don't travel well.
Don't use local or regional dialect expressions without an explanation. For example, folks outside Montana will appreciate being told that prairie oysters are bull testicles, not seafood.
Don't use non-standard English, as, for example, "ain't" instead of "isn't."
Don't use abbreviations as, for example," i.e." instead of "for example."
Don't use expressions from television commercials. Phrases like "Where's the beef?" and "Just do it!" rarely cross borders.
Before shortening a term to an acronym, write it out in full. For example, write out Federal Bureau of Investigation, and only thereafter use F.B.I.
Before sending your message out to the World Wide Web, give it what I call the Antarctic Test. Imagine you've been locked away in an igloo in the Antarctic for the last year, deprived of radio, television and magazines. Now read your copy. If you don't stumble over any references to popular culture, your ready to launch your message to readers around the world. And, as Tony the Tiger, the popular Kellogg's cartoon character would say "That's G-r-r-reat!"
Bonnie Boots publishes The Internet Wizards Magazine, the premier multimedia publication for people doing business on the internet. Filled with interviews, tips, tools and techniques to help you in every aspect of your online life. Register for a no-cost one-year subscription at http://www.theinternetwizards.com
