Jason Better’s Web Writing RantNetwork Marketing Business Blog

Jason Better’s Web Writing Rant

I’m sick of “experts” spouting the same old nonsense about how writing for the web is exactly the same as writing for print. It’s not.

Now, I’m probably going to get blasted by cannonballs for sharing this opinion but somebody has to defend the gates and pour burning buckets of grease on the misinformed savages below…

Here’s Six Reasons Why Writing For The Web Is Different Than Writing For The Offline World…

#1 — Loosey Goosey

Web writing is way more “fly” than writing for print. A newspaper editor would fire a copywriter for typos, but online it’s something we all take for granted. You even have copywriting wizards like Mike Dillard making “mistakes” from time to time. So it’s more relaxed, almost conversational.

I guess, print copywriting is more like a girl in a girdle, while web copywriting is more like a guy in a t-shirt. You get to breathe a little.

#2 — Multiple Personalities

I can’t write the words “multiple personality” without thinking of Hannibal Lecter or some Psycho in the shower or something, but writing for the web is all about personality. Nobody wants to be bored every day by some maww-nohh-tohhhne (monotone) robot.

Gosh, some people write like those primitive text to voice programs. They have less personality than Stephen Hawking.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather have bamboo splinters shoved under my fingernails than read another blah blah blah article.

#3 — Real Estate Is Cheap

In the old days they used to say “ink is cheap”. Now ink is what we would call “old school” and online space is practically free. You could post an entire novel online and it wouldn’t cost you more than posting a two page article. So that’s why you see 80+ page sales letters. It’s the old selling truism, “The more you tell, the more you sell.”

#4 — A Thing Called “Hyper-Linking”

The most notable difference in writing for the web is linking. It’s really a nightmare for writers because the whole point is to get people to read every word you type. Meanwhile, links are beckoning like naked mermaids to the weary surfers of the online sea.

It’s becoming quite a chore to get anybody to read anything at all.

#5 — Chop Chop Choppity Chawp

Where did the paragraphs go? I mean, look at some of the “classic” books. I picked one up the other day and the paragraphs are three pages long! Try to write a blog post like that and see who leaves a comment. It’s not going to happen unless you’re handing out $50 dollar bills. Even then, I have my doubts.

#6 — Social Schmocial

This is probably the biggest difference in the whole web vs. print smackdown. The web is social in nature, so much so that it’s laughable when we use the words “social media” to describe Twitter or Facebook. This is a good thing, and a bad thing. With tools like Google’s “Sidewiki” people will be soon able to write their opinions on your blog whether you want them to or not.

Does Any Of This Make Sense?

You know, I sometimes think that writing for the web has more in common with writing on the walls of truck stop restrooms with a black magic marker than anything else.

So get that marker out and leave a comment today.

See you soon,

Jason The “Better Networker”
The Jason Better Blog

Jason Better

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Dwayne Huggins on February 1st, 2010

Nice J

“pour burning buckets of grease on the misinformed savages below…” very descriptive, but great, love you use of words.

Writing online you don’t have to watch you Ps & Qs so much. Generally as long as what you write makes sense to your target audience you will be good to go.

You can really be yourself with writing online which in reality is what people want. They want to get to know and and relate with the real you, not some Queen’s English wordsmith.

When you do your $50 give-away long paragraphed blog post. I promise to read every word twice! (would that mean I get $100?)

Dwayne

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