When it comes to writing contents for the web, copywriters are reminded time and time again that majority of web users do not read word-per-word, instead web users merely scan the document. Patience is not one of the best virtues web users manifest when they are logged on; they want to see results fast. Web copywriters can meet this strict demand by designing their documents to be scannable; this is achieved by highlighting about three times as many words as one normally would when writing for print.
Another effective method web copywriters can use in highlighting words is using colored text or colored backgrounds. Blue, however, should never be used for words as this color is reserved for hyperlinks. Words that carry key information are the only ones to be highlighted. Highlighting entire sentences or phrases are to be avoided as the eye can only pick up two to three words at a time. Copywriters who want to emphasize a sentence or a phrase can use italicization. An entire block of text should not be italicized though, as italic typefaces are slower to read online.
To effectively relay the message of web documents and to prevent web users from getting confused, web copywriters should keep one paragraph from relaying multiple ideas. Web copywriters must strictly comply with the one-paragraph-one-idea rule.
Bulleted and scanning list can also help make web documents scannable as this age-old method slow down the reader and can draw attention to important points.
