Writing Web Content

Things to Bear in Mind While Writing Content for the Web

When you are sitting and contemplating what to write for content for your web page, or if you are a writer and you have a request from a client for web content there are certain things you need to keep in mind.

Obviously writing for the web is different then writing a book you are going to have printed and published, much as a term paper for college is going to be more in depth then an article for the web on the same topic. Web content needs to be shorter. Why you ask, because reading on the web is more difficult then picking up a book or newspaper. Reading from the computer screen puts a greater strain on your eyes. The fuzziness that the computer screen gives makes a person read slower and makes the brain process the information slower.

Secondly you may want to consider the old adage, “Less is more”. This is especially true when writing for web content. Think about it, we live in a world when we want the information that we want now! Not after reading through pages of information, heck we will find another site in less time that will give us what we want quicker. So if you can cut out words, be more precise and concise you will be more successful.

Paragraphs, hmmmm this one will depend on they style of writing. Generally speaking though, if you browse over web articles you will find much shorter paragraphs then in a book. As long as the paragraph does not drag on forever, I don’t really think there is a right or wrong paragraph size. Use your best judgment and keep all of the points I am mentioning in your head while you are writing.

Probably the most important thing to keep in mind, more so then keyword optimization, write for the reader not for your self. You want to write in a way that the reader is going to get what they are looking for, in a comfortable conversational tone with out big words. Trust me on this one if you don’t believe anything else I am saying.

Another important key that ranks right up there with writing for the reader is that you need to be direct. What do I mean by this? Know what you are going to talk about, start at the beginning and work your way through to the end in way that makes sense and flows nicely. Don’t skip all over the place, you are going to give your reader a headache, they are going to get frustrated and there goes your hopes of being an acclaimed web writer.

When it comes to word choice, make powerful word choices. Don’t just say that the steak was good. Say it was bursting with flavor that filled your mouth with the sensation that your taste buds were standing up and applauding. Paint a picture and put your reader there. You want them to taste that steak, or be on that beach, or empathize with the victim. They need to become part of what you are writing.

To use sub headings or not? I say it depends on what you are writing about. If the content is lengthy and there are many topics you need to cover to have it complete then yes use them. As far as I am concerned that is when they are needed. The only other time I believe they are necessary is if you are talking about different things that aren’t really related to one another. If you are going to use them, make sure that they make sense and that they grab the reader’s attention.

These are only a few of the things that you need to keep in mind while writing for web content. You can be successful with your writing, and make money if you follow these simple guide lines.

Kids Can Be Green Too!

I think that we need to include our children in our efforts to save the world. Maybe really, it is them encouraging us to help them save the planet.

I have been a tree hugger for as long as I can remember. I have raised my children as well to respect mother nature and take care of her. When we would walk through the woods, my son used to like to whack the trees and pull the branches. I told him, one day, those trees would get him back. How would he like it if those trees pulled his hair and smacked him around. He looked at me like I was insane. He was five. That same day, I kid you not, as we were walking back a tree branch flung up and hit him in the shoulder. Believe me, well all just stood there. He didn't know if he should cry or what. I told him, "I told you they would get you back." He never pulled or smacked another tree. He hugs them now when he needs to feel grounded. Makes me proud.

Now my children are slightly older, 12 and 9. My daughter now does the dishes. I remind her daily, to not keep the water running as she is rinsing. To wait until the sink is full of clean dishes or to fill that sink with water and then dip the dishes into that water to rinse.

They do not use toothpaste pumps, because they supply to much waste. They don't leave the water running the entire time either.

My son is clever, he doesn't flush... I yell at him... it's gross... he says that he is conserving water. While I know people do that, and that it is smart.... that one, I can't do. Flush... please... it is a viable alternative to pollution caused by the smell left behind and building in the potty.

We don't use paper towels or cups. We do use water bottles that we refill.

My son and his friends get together to swap toys they no longer want instead of throwing them out. If a toy isn't traded and not wanted, we donate it to the homeless shelter or to good will.

My daughter swaps clothes. She loves it. It is a new wardrobe to her... and to her friends.

There are ways they can protect the environment and you can help. Going green doens't have to be expensive. It can really be done for free. It is the small things that make the biggest impact.

Hug a tree... plant a flower.... stand bare foot in the dirt... recycle....

Another Great Quote

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.

Einstein Quote

"Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it."

So said Albert Einstein

Soap Box Time

Well, there is one thing that is very near and dear to my heart that I have yet to blog about. Shame on me for this!

The environment, mother nature, the green earth and the blue waters. We need to be taking care of these very precious commodities. While you may think that this blog is due to the big Earth concert this past weekend, it isn't. Those that know me, will laugh while they tell you that I do in fact hug trees and they have seen me do it. They think I am insane when I tell them to hug one as well. Hey, until you have done it, don't knock it. It is a truly energizing experience.

There are times that I have journeyed into the middle of the forest, just to sit and listen to the trees. As I pointed out to my husband the last time we walked through the woods, have you ever noticed that not all trees sway a breeze. Have you ever stopped to listen to them talk? You should, part of the problem with our society is that we are not intune with mother nature.

There are simple little things that you can do to "go green" and not totally change your way of life, so there goes that excuse.

For example, when you shower, brush your teeth during your shower. Try to keep that shower to three minutes. Do you realize that the water you use in a 3 minute shower is more water then a person in Africa uses for an entire day for all their needs. Stop and think about that.

What's her name, Tyra Banks, believes in only flushing when needed. Which I assume means after going number 2 or multiple times of number 1. Ok, sorry Tyra, that is just nasty. Because the smell that is created is toxic enough, please flush.

Use refillable water bottles. Even if you are recycling, refill them.

Check out and up and coming website all about the going green and the funny stories that go along with it. www.beturtle.com!

I highly recommend it, and who knows I may become a writer for them as well. I hope anyway.

Oh! Speaking of writing. I gave up the note book and went to the laptop. Even though I used recycled note book paper.... I still used to much of it. So now, Word is my friend and it all gets saved on the computer. Mistake = delete!

Be kind to mother nature!

Paypal Update

My paypal frustrations have come to an end. I now have access to my money.

I have been issued a warning though, that I better not use paypal in association with 6 x 6 million. Whatever! As I stated, I never did use them.

But the website that caused such a problem is disabled so they don't have to worry.

Frustration with Paypal Continues!

I have to tell you that I am still incredibly frustrated and very unhappy with paypal.

After finally getting a response on what to do to resolve the issues and have my funds released. Well... I have tried to go in and follow what they adivsed doing. Which was having the paypal information removed from the website that is causing the problem and I needed to accept the Acceptable User's agreement online.

Well, after your paypal account is set up initially and you accept all of thier terms, when you go back in to your account there isn't a way to re-accept the agreement. You can read it, but that is the extent of it. I have tried contacting them three times asking them how to accept the online agreement when it does not give me the option to accept it and they have not responded. Nor are they releasing my money to me.

Now, let me explain the website that caused this problem. Five months ago, I spent six dollars and got a 6x6miilion business. It was six dollars to see if it worked. They put up your website for you with payment information, paypal is one of the options a person has to make a payment.

Ok, you may be sitting there thinking why would I waste my money. Well, part of what I do for a living is investigate internet scams and report about them on one of my other blogs so that YOU don't have to waste the money to find out on your own. So that is why I did it. It was only six dollars, one of the cheapest sites I have investigated and no I have not made one penny from them. Which is pretty much what I expected.

If I was to post my paypal account, you would see that there has never been any money sent or recieved from that website. Never, not one. As I said the other day all my funds come from the clients that I write for.

Paypal doesn't care it seems. They state that the 6x6million website is a MLM. Using paypal then to send or recieve payments from such sites is considered a violation and they can then close your account and hold your funds for 180 days. Which is precisely what they are doing.

I have contacted the website designer and asked that not only my information be removed but that they deactivate my site. Which is one term to have my paypal account restored. The second of course is accpeting the Acceptable Use Agreement online. Which there is no option when you go in, to re-accept it.

Paypal though I have contacted them three times trying to understand how to accept and agreement that there is no option for, they seem to have better things to do then respond.

Seeing as how I can not live with out being able to get paid, I went into one of my other paypal accounts... I had to go through my paper work, I knew I had other accounts but couldn't remember the information for them, one had a zero balance and the other had a balance of .65. One of them I closed and the one with the .65 I went in and updated and gave that information to my clients.

So paypal wants to play games so though I said it was to big of a hassle to set up another account, it wasn't that big of a deal to up date an older account.

This would be my adivse to you. Always have atleast two paypal accounts. It simply requires you to have two email addresses. Yes you can only assign a bank account to one and only one paypal account, the way around this is to have your checking account on one paypal account and the savings account on the other. This is precisely what I did and I am now able to get paid while I wait for my funds from my other paypal account to be released from prison.

I suppose what makes me the most angry is that I never "used" my paypal account to send or recieve money from the 6x6million website. The money that they are holding was not generated from that site, and they know that. Therefore, if they want to limit my account or close, fine but there is no reason for them to hold my funds for 180 DAYS! Does holding money for that long make it come from somewhere else? I don't get it.

So if paypal decides to repsond and tell me how to accept thier agreement I will have to let you know. As it stands right now, they aren't. And I am going to go through thier agreement again and get out my legal books and challenge what it is they are saying.

Upset with Paypal

Did you read your paypal user agreement and guidelines.

Well I skimmed over them, I have been a paypal member for five years. I have never had a problem with them up unitl today. I get up this morning to get an email that states my account has "limited access" and I am advised to login to my paypal account and see what I can do to fix the situation.

I login only to find that my account has actually been closed and my funds are being held captive for 180 days. I am sure that you are wondering why in the world this would happen. I am going to tell you.

A number of months ago, I signed onto a website in an effort to supplement income that as far as paypal is concerned is an MLM site. This is a violation of paypal terms and usages. I would have to say in all fairness that this was five months ago. FIVE MONTHS AGO.

Even more astounding is that not once have I recieved money through the MLM website to my paypal account nor have I sent money in regards to the website through paypal. Not once. Not one penny. My account history will show that the only money I recieve is from my employer, where I am a staff writer for their company. Which is NOT an MLM. I also recieve money from a couple other clients that I write for. Paypal made all of our lives easier and allowed me access to my money quicker then waiting for a paper check. Also I have two clients that will only send your payment through paypal.

So while I can't not work, and jeopardize my position as a writer, I also am left with a nice chunk of change being help hostage by paypal and I will not be able to receive the payments that I have coming this week.

I know, you are thinking why not create another account. Well, that requires a new email and that I have to have a seperate bank account. Because did you also know that if your bank account is tied to another paypal account it will not let you use the same bank account for another paypal account.

It is a pain in the ass!

So I called paypal this morning trying to get things worked out. I was given an email address so that I could contact a different department that would actually be able to help me resolve this issue. No phone number for them. So I now sit and wait for them to respond in hopes that I will be able to get paid for my work, and get MY money that paypal is holding captive.

I am not very happy with paypal as you can see. There was no warning, even sent me a new debit card and then the next day closed my account. Lovely isn't it...

I could understand if I had actually used paypal against the rules. But I didn't.I t just so happens that there is a website where my information for payment includes paypal. Though no funds have ever entered or left my paypal account in regards to that website.

I will have to let you know how this is resolved. Meanwhile, I will figure out how to receive my money for writing.