WebContentRx

Make your content pretty by using numbered and unnumbered lists.

    To say you get a break from words, paragraphs, and headings. Making your content pretty means just what it says. Make you content easy to look at. You do this by avoiding what we call, “an impenetrable wall of text.”

    A numbered list tells the reader that what’s listed first is either more important or needs to be accomplished before the number two item. Unnumbered lists, or bullets, do not indicate that.

Here’s a couple examples.

To get your computer started:
1.    plug it in
2.    turn it on

Parts of speech include these items.   
•    Nouns
•    Verbs
•    Adjectives

Use headings and subheadings to lead your reader through your content.

    Using headings and subheadings is good for your readers because they can readily see what your are writing about and can quickly scan your blog for what they want. What you say, scan? Yes, you don’t think that people read the Web like they read a book, do you? They don’t.

    So, use headings and subheadings. You can easily make these in bold with the editor that comes with your blog. Always, make your headings and subheadings that refer to the material that they introduce and that contain keywords for search engines to find.

Online, how many sentences per paragraph should you use? Five or six sentences per paragraph. Six if the sentences are short.

    Yesterday, we discussed how many words per sentence to use online. The next logical to cover is how many sentences per paragraph to write. Keep your paragraphs to five or six sentences. Six sentences if they are short.

    The first sentence in your paragraphs simply must tell the reader what is to be found in that paragraph. To mention something in an opening sentence and not cover it until the reader has reas several more paragraphs will drive your readers crazy, and drive them away. This is abusing the reader in every sense of the word.

    Remember, just because you know what you are writing and where things can be found does not mean that your readers will.

Online, how many words per sentence should you use? Twelve to 15 is optimal.

     Let’s get to some specifics here. When you write keep your sentences to a word length of 12 to 15 words per sentence. Online short sentences are easily read and understood. That is what you want. Always write for ease of reading and understanding. This is the essence of good communication.

    Use everyday words. Write an eighth grade level when you write for the Web. That is not an insult, it comes from usability studies. Keep your content short and sweet, easily read and understood and your readers will love you, and they will come back for more.

Do you hate to write? Don’t let that stop you from running a great social networking campaign.

    Many people tell me that they hate to write. That’s a real shame because it places them means that a blog and Twitter may not be for them. It’s interesting though that those same people love Facebook and Facebook is all writing. Ah well, such is life.

    So, if you don’t like to write, that does not mean that you can’t use social networking for you career needs, because you can. Create a video blog, or make podcasts. The secret to successful social networking is in doing what you enjoy and doing it regularly.

Making your content pretty by using numbered and unnumbered lists.

    To say you get a break from words, paragraphs, and headings. Making your content pretty means just what it says. Make you content easy to look at. You do this by avoiding what we call, “an impenetrable wall of text.”

    A numbered list tells the reader that what’s listed first is either more important or needs to be accomplished before the number two item. Unnumbered lists, or bullets, do not indicate that.

Here’s a couple examples.

To get your computer started:
1.    plug it in
2.    turn it on

Parts of speech include these items.   
•    Nouns
•    Verbs
•    Adjectives

Twitter is a terrific social networking tool, but how do you get the most out of its 140 character limit? Write headlines.

    Twitter has proven itself to be an excellent social networking tool. Its 140 character limit allow you to Tweet from your telephone. Some people do find this limiting, but with a little practice you can use Twitte to excellent advantage by writing headlines.

    You have seen headlines all your life. They are in every newspaper, book title, and online article. They are everywhere. When you have a report or point of view use Twitter to attract attention and to lead people to your blog or to your Web site.

    There are lots of tools out there to assist you. They include URL shorteners, hash marks (#), Twitter search, http://search.twitter.com/, and direct messaging. Learning how to make Twitter work for you is time well spent.

Choosing the best social networking vehicle is easy. Which one do you like best?

    It is all to easy to become overwhelmed by the number of social networking web sites out there. Should you use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, podcasting, vodcasting, a blog, or how about a video blog?

    The answer is use the one that you like. If you do not have fun and enjoy social networking it will be just more drudgery and one more thing to do.  Sooner or later you will find that you just don’t have time to get to it and you will stop using this medium. So pick the one you like.

    Take video blogging for example. You can use an expensive ‘flip cam’ to make and your videos and upload them to YouTube. To see an excellent video blog visit Daryn Kagan’s excellent Daryn’s blog, http://www.darynkagan.com/darynsblog.html.

Choose your Web address and your business name with care.

    When you are creating your Web address, or your business name, be careful that it shows the reader what you can do for them. Certainly in your Web address use keywords that are pertinent to your industry, profession, product, or business. For example, some people name a business after the address of their office, something like 200 Main street, or perhaps, 612 Evergreen Avenue. And them use a similar domain name like 200mainstreet.com, or 200mainst.com or 200mainstrt.com, or ... well, you get the idea.

    Business names like this convey no useful information as to what the business can do for you. And domain names like those above are very ambiguous as they sound one way and are spelled in many ways.

    Work hard to avoid ambiguity in your business name, your print materials, and in your online domain name, Web site, your blog, and in your social networking. Some forethought can save you a lot of headaches later on.

When you write don’t edit. When you edit, don’t write.

When you are writing your content, do not censure yourself, don’t correct typos, misspellings or anything else. This is the time for you to get your thoughts down. When a thought hits you note it right away. You will experience flashes of brilliance when you are writing be careful to capture those thoughts.

When you have gotten your thoughts down, go back and clean up the spelling and language. This is the time to edit your work.

When you write content that sells a product, yourself, or your organizaton.

Here is a short check list you can use when you write content that sells a product or your services. close your post with a call to action. something like this - Call us today - or Email us now, before your forget, for your free report.

Keep in mind that the purpose of the the post is to have the reader contact you.

1.    Focus on benefits, not features

2.    Tell stories, not concepts

3.    Stay in touch with your clients with newsletters, eZines, and invitations to presentations to keep information flowing.

4.    Tell people what they will get, not what you do.

5.    Talk about the client, not about yourself 

6.    Do not we-we all over your self.
 (Marketing consultant Mac McIntosh describes it as "we-we-weing all over yourself.")

7.    WIIFM, What’s In It For Me, always show the reader what’s in it for them.

8.    Be a solution, a resource to your clients.