To judge from random reading, there’s a lot of confusion about writing rules for the internet. In many ways, the internet is like the Wild West. People are running around, out to get what they can. There are rules, but no-one’s bothered to write them down. Newcomers have to rely on time and experience to show them what to do. This has led to some truly awful writing on the internet.

The writing mistakes tend to fall into two categories: basic bad writing and misdirected writing. Basic bad writing is that which features lots of spelling errors, grammatical errors and syntax errors. This is fairly easy to spot and so easy to correct it’s really a crime for any site owner to allow it on their site. Misdirected writing, however, is harder to spot.

A piece of content can be easily misdirected. Usually the problem is with the tone of the piece. Many business owners have difficulty letting go of business writing, leading to boring blog entries and over-formal marketing material. Others have trouble aiming the piece at their target users, writing heavy, technical pieces for users who are absolute beginners, or vice versa.

Many companies solve this problem by seeking content from their SEO consultant. Sourcing your site’s content from an SEO firm means that you get professionally written content that suits your site and your site’s search engine optimisation plan. There are other ways to source your content, although these may result in articles that have to be separately optimised before they will work for your site. Talk to us at SEO Consult when you want to consider your content options. If you are considering writing for your site, however, there are some things to keep in mind. Here are just a few of the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of internet writing:

Do: include conversational writing on your site. The internet is a lot less formal in its tone and users react well to a bit of personality in writing. This is especially true when it comes to blogs.

Don’t: mistake ‘conversational’ with ‘no punctuation’. Punctuation is vital to your readers understanding what you want to say. A famous example that demonstrates the importance of proper punctuation is the ‘panda’ example. A panda ‘eats shoots and leaves.’ A badly misplaced comma can alter its behaviour – ‘eats shoots, and leaves’ – or can turn the poor creature into a criminal – ‘eats, shoots, and leaves.’

Do: use humour, reference pop culture, and write as you speak.

Don’t: use an inappropriate tone or write exactly as you speak. Sometimes, writing as you speak can mean you keep on writing and add on things that you should really put in a new sentence and then you change the subject so readers get confused after reading what’s really half a paragraph… Just like that last sentence. Keep your sentences short but friendly. When it comes to determining tone, picture your readers and what they will be looking for. If the piece is for business people looking for a straightforward report, a business tone will work better than a casual tone. If the piece is a sales blurb for a toy, a friendly, fun tone is better.

These are not the only rules for internet writing, but they will help you get started. For more advice on writing and search engine optimisation, talk to your SEO consultant.

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