Internet readers read differently than print readers. Most web readers don’t read every word of your website, blog and sales letters and instead, scan your adcopy quickly and efficiently.

The internet readers who land on your website are in a hurry. They’re looking for specific information and don’t have the time to hunt through screen after screen of text to find what they’re looking for. If your web copy is a hassle or struggle to read, your readers will quickly abandon you and move on.

Therefore, when you are writing for today’s internet audience make sure that your information is easy to understand, easy to find and easy to follow.

Here are 10 Golden Rules when writing for the internet:

1.  Always include a compelling headline. You only have three short seconds to capture your prospect’s attention, so spend plenty of time creating a headline that sells itself.

2.  Make sure to include the most important information at the very beginning of your page. Think of this as an “inverted pyramid.” Internet readers need to find out why your product or service is important to them immediately.

3.  Write short sentences of 20-25 words.

4.  Your paragraphs should only consist of 3-5 sentences each.

5.  Break up your content with bullet points, dashes, numbered lists, etc.

6.  Use sub-headings within your writing to separate ideas for the reader. This keeps your pages more scannable and it is easier for readers to move from idea to idea.

7.  Use action words to keep your writing actively moving forward.

8.  Avoid hard-to-read italics and mixing too many fonts.

9.  Write directly to your reader.

10.  ALWAYS proofread and spell check your work.