Are you looking for some top tips for writing engaging digital content?
Maybe you’re new to blogging, trying to drive your website up Google’s rankings, dreaming of making it big on social media or simply trying to impress your boss with your email marketing expertise.
The internet is littered with advice on ways to improve copywriting skills, but to save you time surfing, I’ve scoured all the pages I can find on digital marketing content writing and condensed all the best points into a quick list.
So here they are, my top digital writing and general copywriting tips:
Establish your audience
Before you put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, stop and question who you’re writing for.
Where will they be reading this? Why will they be reading this? How much time will they have to read this?
Writing is all about knowing your reader, so work out who they are before you start. This will help you decide on the tone of voice you’ll need to adopt – will you be going for serious and professional or informal and fun?
Keep it short and simple
Digital content isn’t the same as print content. You wouldn’t read a four-page feature in a magazine the same way you would browse a headline story on the BBC News app would you?
Of course not. People scan-read online content more than they do print content, so you need to write it differently.
Language is most effective when used economically, so when you’re writing digital content try to keep to a maximum of 30 words per sentence, one or two sentences per paragraph and four to six words per headline.
Of course, you don’t have to stick to these rules religiously – they’re just guidelines.
Also, avoid jargon and acronyms at all cost – no one apart from you knows what you’re talking about!
Structure your content
When structuring your work, think of an inverted pyramid with all the essentials at the top and the ‘nice to haves’ at the bottom.
The most important information should always come first (who, what, when, where, why) and the supporting details and background information later.
Once you’ve got your basic pyramid sorted, you can then take it to the next level by breaking down your content further into smaller, organised sections with subheadings.
Consider text size and font
Many of us struggle reading off paper, but it’s even harder to read off a screen.
Help your reader by using a text size that’s as large as practical and as clear as possible. We all enjoy experimenting with wacky fonts, but if you want to look professional, it’s best to stick with something traditional like Arial or Calibri.
Using bold and italicised text is okay to make a point stand out, but don’t use it too often or you’ll cancel out what you’re trying to achieve.
Reserve using underlined text for hyperlinks only; underlining text just to highlight a point will make your reader assume that it’s hyperlinked and potentially confuse them.
Pay attention to spelling and grammar
Poor speling and gramar can undermine the credibility of your message.
Can you see the point I’m making? Make sure good spelling and grammar is a priority in all your written communication. There’s no shame in admitting that you don’t know how to use an apostrophe – the only shame is in making a mistake for everyone to see!
So if you’re not sure on something, look it up. And if you’re still not sure? Ask someone who is.
We all go blind after spending too long on a piece of work, so taking a break and revisiting your writing another day can help you identify mistakes that you might previously have missed.
Inspire
Is your writing dynamic enough to evoke a response?
Strong verbs can inject life and energy into any text, and active voice is more lively than passive.
Always write concisely and with confidence. Looking at the following two statements, which would you trust more?
“I think that writing with confidence might sometimes be important.”
“Writing with confidence is important.”
I’d go with the second. The words take up less space on the page, but they’re actually more impactful because they’re decisive.
Write to be found
What words will people be typing into Google to find you?
Try and use those words in your copy – especially in titles, headings and descriptions.
There’s no need to go overboard, squashing 10 keyword phrases into every sentence, as this is likely to backfire on you when your reader no longer understands your message, but Google’s Keyword Planner really is worth checking out if you haven’t done so already.
Parade your personality
Nobody likes a bland brand.
You might be reading this blog because you’re trying to improve your writing for work purposes, but work doesn’t have to be boring.
With the internet being a truly global platform, the content you publish online will be competing with millions of other people’s all over the world. Therefore, letting your individuality shine in digital copy is even more important than it is in print.
There is always a way to infuse even the most restrained copy with character. Keep your brand voice in mind at all times.
Want more digital marketing top tips?
Why not check out this blog for more industry advice?
