Many writers are not fully aware of the influence their content can exert on those who read it. Human beings are incredibly susceptible to the opinions of others, and on the web those opinions come in the form of words on a page. As one example, if you buy frequently on Amazon then you likely read the reviews for any book or product you are considering buying. I absolutely refuse to buy a book with less than four stars—after all could all those people really be wrong? Even though I am aware this is sheep behavior, I still follow those self-imposed dictates. If I am looking at a product which received glowing reports I am much more likely to hit the “buy” button than when looking at a product which looks largely similar but has no ready feedback. What you should garner from this example is that the way your content is written is extremely important in framing the expectations of your readers therefore web content should be managed in a professional and scientific manner. Whether you know it or not, your web content can create waves in the real world, so you must always take it seriously.
What is Your Purpose?
Plenty of sites—business, consumer and blogs—have lots to say and, generally speaking, say it well. While most of these writers follow at least some of the “rules” for web writing such as integrating snappy headlines, short sentences and chunks of text into their content, it is unlikely they fully realize the power their words may possibly wield. There are several things you must remember when creating content which could potentially have a profound effect on others. First, does your writing have a clear purpose? Once you can identify that purpose—and if you can’t, stop writing until you can—you will incorporate themes and messages that flesh out and define that purpose.
Who Are You Writing For?
If you know who you are writing for—your targeted audience—it becomes much easier to understand the impact your words could have on that audience. You figure out the human being on the other side of the computer screen then craft your message to engage that audience. When your content is completed, then you can go back and carefully place keywords and other web-friendly techniques to ensure your words are actually found. While some disagree, great content and web-friendly editing can co-exist harmoniously.
Writing Great Content
Remember that great posts aren’t read then shipped off to the content boneyard to languish and die. Great posts are copied, linked, talked about and borrowed. This is what you are aiming for—a great post that everyone reads, re-reads, and tells their family and friends to read. The Internet is full of sites which may be ranked highly, yet their visitors stay on the page for a mere few seconds. Your goal is not just to get visitors, but to give them something so special, so memorable, that they will stay on your site reading page after page and having their view of the world altered in some way by your words.
Tags: legal website content
