Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

I have often been a fan of Architectural Digest and Southern Living. Some days, I prefer mission styling, Frank Lloyd Wright, streamliner modern from the 1930's and other days give me a quaint cottage look with tons of azaleas, hydrangeas and floral patterned cushioned sofas. Other times, I love minimalist Philippe Starck, Thomas Graves and other modern looks. There are countless styles to choose. But what may be beautiful to one person is ugly to another. The same can be said for websites. The site may be perfect for one person and completely annoying for another. However, just like proper writing, there are best practices when trying to engage users and create quality websites.

According to Erin Anderson, in Interact With Web Standards below are the top 10 web writing tips:

1 - Love the inverted pyramid

So what does this mean? Start with your conclusion first, then provide supporting information and finally give background and technical details.

This style is different than the way that one would approach traditional writing but remember, you are trying to get the reader interested in viewing more based on the least amount of words read.

2 - Believe less is (almost always) more

Edit, edit and edit! Don't try to be so self important that you overwhelm and intimidate the reader. Also, if you tend to be wordy, read out loud and try to see what can be eliminated until the text is in the simplest form.

3 - Avoid sounding like an infomercial

Do whatever necessary to keep from sounding preachy about a given subject. You are trying to be authoritative, but remember to use simple words and specifics. CAPITAL LETTERS and explanation points!!!!!! convey yelling, it is best not to yell at people on a website. Also, too much bold and italics can hurt the message as well. Simple works, clutter does not.

4 - Make your copy easy to scan

KISS method prevails here, Keep It Short and Sweet or to the writer - Keep It Simple, Stupid! You are not writing the great American novel or a literary tome - short paragraphs should prevail. There should be space visible on the screen - not every single inch should be used. There should not be endless lists of bullets or numbered items.

Remember that many have a short attention span, so you will need to get the reader hooked quickly.

5 - Write killer headings

Task focused readers do not read - they scan for what they need. Hook them by using keywords that clearly tell the user what they will learn by reading further.

6 - Lead with active words

Which article would you like to read - one called 'Learning to Run' versus 'Run like a Champion'? Clearly, the active title, beginning with Run should appeal more. It also conveys what will be discussed.

7 - Use simple sentences

Are you trying to impress with an infinite vocabulary? It is not necessary here to get the job done. Keep the nouns and verbs simple and limit use of modifiers. Limit punctuation to few commas and more periods.

8 - Keep your promises

Do your links take the user where they want to go? Have you given a call to action but then left the reader with nothing to do? Make sure that the links match the pages that follow and headings match the sections described.

9 - Set up a review process

Don't try to be your own editor. Have a group of client team members or other writers honestly critique your work. Make sure you take the time to review, edit and correct before going live on a site.

10 - Steal from good websites (sort of)

Keep a running log of sites which accomplish what you want to do. If they are doing things well, understand the idea and incorporate it into your designs. After a while, you can begin to see what is a good site at a glance versus a poorly executed one.

Refine your writing for the web by also taking the time to be a user yourself. Understand what you appreciate and dislike about the user experience. Make the experience a positive one for any user including those who need additional accessibility.

Create your site with an appropriate plan versus the often used: ready, fire, aim! It takes effort to perfect your writing style and build your abilities as a web designer.

Good luck and happy developing!