This post looks at the difference between writing articles and blogs for a website and writing for a print publication.
Writing for the web is really no different than writing an article for print.
There was a time when writers were told that any content for the web had to be short and snappy. That no longer holds true. Readers today are as comfortable with ‘long reads’ as they are with ‘short reads’.
A good article or blog is all down to knowing your audience - who the website is aimed at. Unless you are writing for your own website, you will need to have a clear brief from your commissioning editor before you write. You need to know what they want, how long and any particular points they wanted brought out in your piece.
However, if you are writing an article on spec or pulling together a proposal, these points below will help you check you have covered most of the ground before you approach the commissioning editor.
Make sure you understand how your article is likely to be used on the website. Have you discussed images, graphics or videos with your editor?
1. Read the website you want to write for. Understand its style, approach and who it is aimed at. Read the work of other authors on the site. Get a feel for the tone of the website.
2. When starting your article think what details are new, important, helpful and likely to interest and attract the reader. You need to entice your reader into your article, get them hooked and continue to read...to the end. But stick to your theme – and do not stray on to something else
3. Think who you are writing for. You are the expert with specialist knowledge – in your article, explain facts, who’s who etc Your readers may not be as familiar as you with the subject. Do not talk down to readers but don’t assume knowledge – or you will lose them
4. Writing for the web requires short, simple and clear sentences. Long sentences confuse and lose the reader
5. Make sure you understand how your article is likely to be used on the website. You may have discussed images and/or graphics with your editor. Who will provide these – you or the publication? You may have discussed video, who will provide this? Or if your article is for your own site, think how you want to publish it. Images, video, fact boxes, links to YouTube etc? How it will be displayed will make a difference to what you put in your article
6. When discussing your proposed article with the site’s commissioning editor, make sure you know what is expected of you, how long your article will be, and when you have to deliver it. You must know from your discussions at commissioning what angles are to be covered, the scope of coverage and that you can answer all questions a reader might ask. If in doubt about your brief, ask again
7. Make sure you understand how your article is likely to be used on the website. You may have discussed images and/or graphics with your editor. Who will provide these – you or the publication? You may have discussed video, who will provide this?
8. Are you going to give a list of facts which will be contained in a Fact Box? Fact Boxes can be useful for providing a quick read, a timeline, and essential information at a glance. Use Fact Boxes to get across a lot of information simply and quickly. They can help explain some of the background to your article. A reader in a hurry can find out a great deal just from Fact Boxes. Suggest ideas to your editor. It is likely you will provide the detail and facts and the publication will build the Fact Box
9. If you are putting an article together for a company website, for example, suggest some related stories, a blog or a profile which your editor can link to which will provide readers with similar subject matter and enrich your article. For example, the company has won an award for a new product. It was accepted by the Managing Director. You plan to write an article about the award. Are there any previous articles on the company website about the product? Is there a profile of the Managing Director. A link to these will give the reader an opportunity to delve deeper into the website
10. Always give country names after place names eg Cambridge, UK, to be clear it is not Cambridge, Massachusetts, US. Remember your audience is global
11. Add value and richness to your article with your inside knowledge. What can you tell your reader they won’t find elsewhere? Make the words build a picture. Make your work fresh
12. Graphs and charts – suggest ideas, but if drawing your own, keep it simple. (There are several companies which offer free graphic design software – such as Canva). Think of typeface and size – how easy is it to read on the site. Check who owns the copyright if you are taking an image or graphic from elsewhere, such as a book or the web etc. Check who owns copyright on any pictures or maps and get permission to use them. Just because it is on the internet does not mean it is free to use. If in doubt, don’t use it. Find an alternative.
13. Keep promises. Meet the deadlines requested by your editor and deliver your article on time. But tell your editor if you have problems or delays
14. Avoid using initials in the first instance – such as political parties or organisations. Spell them out and explain first time with initials in brackets for example: The African National Congress (ANC) party, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) etc etc
15. Check names – always check spellings and give context of who these people are eg Tony Roberts, managing director of Airflight (or should it be Toni or Anthony or Antony?); Green Deal chief executive Chris Abbey (or should it be Christine? Or is her title Chief Executive Officer? And is it Green Deal or Green Deal Energy or Green Deal Initiative?)
16. Check facts you are unsure of and use more than one source to verify. Accuracy is kingWatch your spelling. Will you be using English or American English for your content? (defence or defense; organisation or organization etc?)
17. Libel – take care – talk to your editor if you have concernsDon’t assume your reader has background knowledge. If writing for a generalist audience, avoid being too technical, explain simply
18. Don’t leave detail or facts out to use in another article – every report must be complete and not leave unanswered questions
19. Communicate with your commissioning editor if there are changes or you are unable to get the facts required or people to interview. The editor will want to be updated. Writing and being published is a joint venture and the editor is there to help you produce the best articles possible.