While the SEO mantra is “more content,” when that content is “thin,” or light on crucial information and quality, simply adding content just to add content can actually work against you. If you are not quite sure what “thin” content is, consider the following examples:

• Excessively short content, meaning less than 300 words is definitely considered thin. Any webpage with fewer than 300 words which is filled up with pretty or flashy graphics needs some fleshing out in the content department. Whenever possible, strive for at least 500 words per webpage. Should you wonder whether there is such a thing as “too long” where content is concerned, Google’s algorithm is rumored to actually have a cutoff point so to speak where it feels you are running on a bit too long. And yes, content that is too long can nonetheless be thin on substance.  Beyond search engine considerations, when you’ve lost the attention of your reader, your content is too long and you should never ramble on simply to add word count to your page.
• Content that fails to get to the point quickly and give the reader the answers they are looking for in the shortest amount of time is definitely thin. In fact, any content which is vague or ambiguous should be ruthlessly cut from your article. Ambiguous content never quite realizes the promise of the jazzy headlines in that you can read the entire article and still not really know what the main idea was. This kind of writing can go in circles or back and forth and its hallmark is a dearth of flowery, high-level words which sound good but leaves the reader scratching his head.
• Thin content in the form of poor spelling or grammar can actually cause you to be penalized by the search engines—yet another reason for endless proofreading prior to publishing. Walk away from your content for at least a few hours, then come back, print out a hard copy, and you may be amazed at the mistakes you can see so clearly that were not visible to you before.

How Do You Know if Your Content is Thin?

If you are not quite sure of how to judge your own content, first take hard look at your bounce rate. Those pages with an excessively high bounce rate could be losing visitors due to thin content. In the same vein, if your content is not engaging enough to keep your visitors reading to the very end, then you will see very short amounts of time on each page. This can also relate to keywords which are failing to target the users you expected them to target.

When people type in a search query they expect to find something very specific. If they land on a page that has nothing to do with what they are searching for, they will leave the page quickly. Of course rate of conversion can also be a good indicator of thin content or content which is vague. Each article should be very clear and direct as far as the intended action of the user. If users are not following through, then the content could be thin.

Thin content can have severe consequences to an otherwise great SEO plan. Low rates of conversion means you are not doing a proper job of informing the search engines that you are an expert in your particular area which may in turn lead them to consider your competition’s sites more relevant.  Thin content can be remedied, but you must learn to recognize it then take steps to correct it by fleshing out your articles with highly informative and engaging information.

You’ve probably heard about content that “works for a living,” but may not be entirely sure what that means. In truth, web copy is largely written by people who are not truly writers, don’t have sufficient time and under circumstances which are far from ideal. Considering the financial state of our nation, this is not a trend that is likely to improve any time soon. What we can do is insist that anyone who touches our cop—whether it is the writer, the proofreader, the editor or the owner of the website—makes sure that every chunk of text is actually doing something concrete. All copy should have a specific goal in reaching the targeted visitor.

Most of us have typed in a search query and somehow landed on a page that appears to have absolutely nothing to do with what we were looking for. Other times we encounter copy which is baffling enough or poorly written enough to send us hitting the “back” button as fast as we can. Users encounter jargon, buzzwords and fluff in overwhelming amounts with meaning which is apparently hidden so deeply as to be unrecognizable. Don’t do this to your own web visitors, rather make absolutely certain that your copy both has a goal and is consistently meeting that goal.

Look at Your Site, Then Answer These Questions

If you can answer the following questions in a meaningful way for each and every page on your legal website, you will have reached the level of excellence you were striving for—if not, never fear, there is help available. First, who is the product or service for, and can that targeted group clearly see that you are speaking directly to them. Can people who are not within the targeted audience tell that you are not speaking to them quickly and easily? What exactly is your product or service? This sounds like a no-brainer, but have you clearly spelled out—in simple language—exactly what your firm is and what you do?

Remember that your nouns should be as concrete as you can possibly make them. What does your particular service actually do for your target client? If you can’t answer this question from looking at a specific web page, then your user won’t be able to either. If your service’s primary features and benefits are laid out clearly and concretely, then it will be readily apparent what you will do for a potential client. Finally, does each page tell your user why your service is better than the vast array of available alternatives? Do you have evidence to back up your claims, and have you presented that evidence in a clear, professional manner?

Using Your Title Tag

The title tag is meant to build your visitor’s expectations, giving them an honest peek into the content located on your pages. The primary reasons website visitors leave a page is because the title tag misled them into thinking they would find what they were looking for, yet leaving them disappointed. Be as descriptive as possible in creating a title tag so as to eliminate any guesswork on the part of your visitors.

Further Thoughts on Content

Next, the content on your pages must fill a specific need, must be a practical solution to a serious problem and must give your reader an idea of how you can help them. In addition to all that, your content must also be interesting and capture the attention of your reader, coaxing them to spend more time on your website and, ultimately, to return. Your content must not only be unique, it must be organized in such a way that your users can easily scan through the pages, finding what they need. Finally, consider the fact that people like clicking on buttons and getting the desired result because it is a form of communication and it gives them quick results. Use this fact to create interactive content related to the subjects on each page and you may just be able to hold the web user’s attention long enough to garner a conversion.

Writing captivating website content is likely much less a product of incredible imagination and skill and a bit more tied to perseverance and a thorough understanding of the best practices for web content writing. While print writing allows the author to slowly build up to the crux of the story, web content dictates you get your main idea out there right off the bat. Web readers have little time to spend on a specific page and almost always have a goal of locating specific, high-quality information in the most expedient manner possible. Writers must be aware of the “formula” and follow it consistently in order to hold their reader’s attention. In part one we discussed the importance of thoroughly researching your target audience then spending the necessary time and effort writing those oh-so-crucial headlines and subheads. Now it’s time to actually write the body of your content. With your headlines and subheads in place, you should have a solid idea of what each paragraph will contain.

The Crucial Hook

After your headline, your immediate hook is likely the most important part of your content, requiring your very best writing. The hook isn’t required to be more than four to six sentences, and if you follow the most widely accepted guidelines, creating the hook can be a straightforward process. In short, your hook is created by artfully describing the symptoms of the issue you plan to solve with your writing. Rather than starting out talking about the actual issue or the subject of your content, seek to describe in great detail the current experience of your intended reader. At the end of your hook, hint that you have a solution to what ails by saying “You don’t have to put up with this…” or something similar. Once you’ve mapped out awesome headings and your initial hook, it’s time to move on to the actual body of your content.

The Primary Sections of Captivating Copy

You’ve hooked your reader with your headlines and the actual hook, now it’s time to detail the actual problem or issue which causes the symptoms you just explained in your opener. Next, you will give more detail about the particular issue and why it might keep cropping up then it is time to offer a solution. At this point you are likely less than halfway into your total word count. While in a print book the actual “solution” to the problem would likely come much further into the book, remember this is the web, and web readers want quick solutions, so now is the time to ante up the resolution. The remainder of your content will be dedicated to telling your web reader how they can turn your ideas into result or how to apply what you’ve just taught them. When you have faithfully followed the above formula you should have solid, persuasive, high quality content which will be highly optimized for search engines, resulting in increased highly targeted traffic.

Summing It Up

In order to write web content which captivates remember to focus on your target audience constantly asking yourself how they can benefit from what you are about to write. Stress the benefits of the information you are offering and make sure you are consistently using action verbs and active sentences. Spend the necessary time on your keywords and headlines rather than adding them as a slapped-on afterthought. Add images when appropriate, but use them judiciously and only add an image when it will both grab the reader’s attention and add another dimension to your writing. Finally, remember why you are a writer, and enjoy what you do for a living.

What is it about certain web content that truly captivates the reader, compelling them to read to the end of the piece? Think of it like a spellbinding novel that you were simply unable to put down until you reached the very last sentence, then found yourself disappointed that the journey was over. Unfortunately, as most web surfers are aware much of the focus tends to be on the website design while the actual content gets thrown in almost as an afterthought. Captivating content not only engages your reader, it effectively builds trust with each website visitor.

When your web content lacks hype and offers useful information, credibility is established. Should it answer your reader’s most burning questions, they will return time after time. What writers—especially those in the early stages of their career—may not realize is the secret to incredible content is rarely genius levels of ability rather is found in structure, planning and thorough research. True, these words can sound a bit boring for the writer itching to make his or her mark on the web, but like the tortoise and the hare story, success may lie in the steadier approach.

Know Your Audience

Before you can captivate your readers you must have a clear idea of who those readers are.  This is not to say you should toss out some vague demographic about your target audience being single mothers age 20-35—although that information can be helpful. Ask yourself what those who will be looking up your particular topic are interested in. Knowing what those who land on your article are looking for can help you narrow the focus of your writing, preventing you from veering off course. It’s important that you keep up with any breaking news or changes in information regarding your particular topic—when it is clear from your writing that you take the time to stay on top of things, it helps readers trust your content. Read what other authors are saying about your subject—you will likely learn something. Of course you must never plagiarize another author however learning from their style or content is always acceptable.

Using Proven Headline Formulas

In the fickle web world, your first ten-fifteen words can count more than the 500 plus words that follow. In other words, writing captivating website content can all boil down to whether your headline and subheads grab your reader’s attention or simply take up space. Many experts feel that your headline is so important that it can actually count for as much as 50% of the success of the entire page. Yet many headlines are written in haste, more as an afterthought than as a critical piece of the overall content. While coming up with one great headline after another may seem about as appealing as going to the dentist for a root canal, there are formulas in place which can help you facilitate writing your captivating headlines.

Generally speaking, create a headline which is question rather than answer-based. Ask yourself whether your headlines evoke the necessary level of curiosity which makes your reader want to continue reading. A direct statement headline can be particularly effective as can a simple how-to headline. Since readers are generally seeking specific information, the how-to headline can assure them their questions will be competently answered. The guarantee or implied benefit headline can also be very effective however you must ensure that your finished article delivers the promise you are making or implying. Your primary headline, along with your subheads can truly make or break your web content, so give them the respect they deserve. For more information about writing website content which captivates, see part two of this article!

A shockingly large portion of web content is being written by those with no writing experience or those with no time to ensure the final product is worthy of taking its place on the Internet. While most all web content has—or should have—a specific goal to accomplish, unfortunately there are millions of words floating around in cyberspace with no clear purpose. Developing your content requires serious planning and effort if you want to ensure you fully meet the interests and needs of your target audience.

Content Purpose and Goals

Ask yourself first what exactly you want your words to communicate to your web readers. Every single page of your text should seek to accomplish a very specific—and measurable—goal, and that goal should fit into your overall strategy.  You may be trying to reach a specific demographic or your goal may be to rank for a particular keyword or phrase. When you have a clear goal in mind, your next step is to determine how you will write your content to most fully achieve that goal. Research is your next crucial step in writing great copy—research allows you to identify the angle or slant you plan to take with your words as well as decide on your targeted keywords. Aside from the obvious advantages to thorough research, such research can unexpectedly provide invaluable inspiration.

Shaking Up the Creative Process

When you have your strategy, keywords, research and a healthy dose of inspiration it’s time to engage in an idea free flow, also known as brainstorming. Try mixing up the brainstorming method you generally use to encourage creativity.  Freewriting is one technique writers used when suffering writer’s block which simply means you set a quantitative goal of 300 words, a page or ten minutes then write without worrying about editing as you write. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you end up with when you use this technique. Using a technique known as listing can also be valuable when writing web content. Simply jot down a list of phrases, single words, sentences, facts, questions, goals, arguments, etc. Your list will include all the elements you want your finished words to possess. This is not an outline, per se, rather more like making a “to do” list.

Drafting Your Final Piece

Once you have done your research, chosen your keywords and engaged in brainstorming or listing it’s time to put your words on your computer screen or paper. Web content must be both informative and engaging while clearly getting your message across. Adhere to best practices for web writing including chunking your content in short, concise paragraphs of around a hundred words. Introduce your key points through the use of highly descriptive headers and subheads. Use bulleted lists to make your text easier to read and to slow your reader down a bit. Use links in the body of your text sparingly as they can be a distraction to your reader. Put your most important facts right up front with less important details following. Remember your target audience at all times while writing, and although web content is generally 50% shorter than print content, don’t get too caught up in word length until it’s time to edit.

Editing Your Content

Once your draft is complete, it’s time for a thorough edit to ensure your piece is as crisp and informative as possible. Never depend 100% on your computer program’s spell check—words can be spelled correctly while making absolutely no sense within your context. After you’ve run spell check, engage in a human check meaning reading your words preferably from a printed page to see how the words actually flow. Web content can become immortal on the web—both the great and the extraordinarily bad—you want your content to reflect the degree of skill and care you’ve put into it.

Though most web writers are well aware of the need to keep their copy short and succinct, it can sometimes be difficult to determine just how much information is enough, how much is too much, and how much is just right. Depending on your intended audience, combining brief overviews with comprehensive coverage is often the best strategy.  The brief overviews come in the form of eye-catching headlines and sub-heads. The meat of the story must remain—but with fewer words than the same story in print.

Cutting Word Count without Cutting Value

While some writers may struggle to meet a designated word count many more find themselves consistently over the recommended word count. So how do you say everything you want to say while keeping your web content brief, crisp and informative? Write what you want to say then check the word count to determine how much editing is necessary. First take a critical look at your adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, pronouns and other descriptors to see what can be eliminated without sacrificing your content. Of course descriptors add color and depth to your writing, but in many cases some of them can be eliminated.

Next take a look at your copy for any redundancies such as using the phrase “past history.” Obviously history is in the past, so getting rid of the word “past” does not detract from the meaning. Also, it can be helpful to read your piece on a printed page rather than on your computer monitor. Many times seeing your words in print will help you see areas where you may have repeated yourself. Read each sentence with an eye toward ensuring it relates directly to your main theme or idea—you may be surprised at how many sentences are superfluous or do not relate.

When You Might Want a Longer Article

There is merit in the idea that in some cases, even on the Internet, a long article is the better choice. Think about who you are writing for when determining the perfect length. If you are writing for those who need a serious solution to a serious issue, then comprehensive coverage may be the better choice. On the other hand, if your goal is only to reach the largest amount of web readers possible, the better choice may be to focus on short content that is optimized for quick scanning. While it’s true that most web readers are in a hurry, many times they are looking for thorough research on a subject, and many times it’s impossible to be thorough and comprehensive in a short article.

Using Hypertext as a Solution to the Longer Article

The web offers you the ability to offer a short and long treatment for the same subject by offering short, simplified overviews with links to more in-depth pages. This approach allows you to give the hurried reader and the in-depth reader exactly what they need, while allowing the hurried reader to return when there is more time to find out more about your subject. Your ultimate goal is to offer your reader a value-filled experience and a solution to their problem or issue. Don’t simply assume that the only way to accomplish this task is through a very short article. Many times a longer article is exactly what your reader needs, or better still, combine the best of both worlds through the use of hypertext. Uppermost in your mind should be your reader’s needs. When you are able to thoroughly meet those needs, whether your article is short or long will be much less of a burning question and merely one piece of the overall formula for reaching web readers.