Clarity

If I had to put my thumb on just one lacking aspect of copy on the web, I would pick clarity. Every word written must be interpreted by the reader, and clarity is lost through interpretation. I believe that every writer should strive towards clarity in their work, because without clarity your words are just pixels on a screen.

Beware non-descriptive titles

The title of your copy is the foundation to the entire piece of writing. Try to steer away from titles that sacrifice semantics for humor. Many people will not even read copy with headlines that they don’t understand. This is a shame, because while your post may be titled “Dancing with Monkeys” your copy may be about something they would otherwise be passionate about — like inter-office relationships.

Keep the word-count down

Copy on the web is rarely read its entirety, so you must be cautious to limit your words. The less words you write, the less words readers will skip — resulting in increased comprehension of your intended thoughts. Be careful to limit your superfluous banter to a minimum, and delete sentences that are non essential. Every non-essential word you add is one more word that contributes towards confusion.

Tighten up those paragraphs

Nothing hurts comprehension more than a page full of solid text. Break up your copy into smaller paragraphs with descriptive headlines. If possible, use bulleted lists to convey your point rather than lengthy descriptions.

If you absolutely require long blocks of text, try and keep them towards the beginning and the end of your copy. Readers naturally gravitate towards these areas and are more patient with longer blocks of information here.

Have someone proof-read your writing

If you’re still questioning the clarity of your copy, there’s one simple solution: have someone else read it. Take note where they stop and ask “what does this mean?” and push them to tell you what doesn’t make sense. In the end, it’s always easier to have a friend’s opinion than to guess what your readers might think.