Tip #2: Tricks are good, clarity is better

Blogs and websites that provide advice on writing for the web often contain useful tips. Many of them point out that, because people read web content differently than printed text, the devices we use to present web content should cater to this new reading style.

The most frequent recommendations include tricks such as breaking up chunks of information into lists, bolding key text, and organizing content under several subheadings. The purpose of most of these strategies is to make pages easy to scan, which studies have shown is the dominant reading pattern among people who search for information online.

While each of these tools has its place, perhaps the most important principle for web writers to keep in mind is that none of these strategies are a substitute for clarity. Knowing what you want to say, and saying it simply and plainly may be the golden rule for online communication. Clear writing entails presenting your case directly, without your audience being distracted by unnecessary tangents or second-guessing you because of convoluted prose. If content is king, then clarity is its principal advisor.

How do you achieve this clarity? The most important step is to first determine the central message you want to convey to your audience. Is it that electric cars yield a greater return on investment than hybrids? That social networking sites need better interoperability to stay relevant? Knowing that kernel of truth from the outset will save you time in the writing process and save your readers from having to decipher what you mean. Choosing only one message may be too simplistic in some cases, but if you already have difficulty presenting content online, then this may be a good strategy to begin with.

Once you’ve determined your message, more conventional writing strategies can then come into play. These include favouring simple, short sentences over long elaborate ones and keeping your paragraphs brief, ensuring each one supports your main message.

Tricks for making web content more readable are helpful. They can help the writer organize her or his thoughts during the writing process, and they can help the reader digest the information. But if clarity of vision isn’t evident in the content, no trick in the world will bring you closer to your audience.