One of the classic mistakes new writers make is to use all kinds of lesser known words, especially ones they are unfamiliar with. When writing for the internet, this not only shows their lack of experience as a writer, it can actually turn traffic away.
Writing for the internet is all about speed, i.e., getting the message to the public as quickly and directly as possible. And, while it's never a good idea to "speak down" to an audience, it is also not a good idea to challlenge them too much.
Like it or not, one of the keys to being successful on the internet is to appeal to the broadest range of people possible-- that means everyone from the scholar to the 15-year-old. And that means a certain amount of homogenization* (blending) is needed. Just as a site should be designed for access by as many end users as possible (which also means html will be with us for years), so should the text be readable to as many people as possible.
When editing a document for the internet, besides looking for typos and poor grammar, a writer should also be mindful of these little faux pas** (blunders), because that's what they are. Anytime someone uses verbage (words) that sets them apart from others, they also alienate themselves from their audience. And, for any kind of marketer, that's death.
Whether the content is a website, an article or an advertisement, if the audience is having trouble following because of the words used, it's time to revise it. I, myself, have left sites simply because the text is too hard to read.
This is not to say one should write using only 3-5 letter words-- far from it. That's not the idea at all. But whenever a word is chosen, if a simpler word is available, the simpler word should be used. That is, assuming the two word's are synonymous (the same). This allows the text to appeal to a larger number of readers. And, in marketing, it's all about the numbers!-- Tracker Mo
P.S. For any who missed it, I've put in my own editing in the above text, as an example of how I would replace the words used initially. Following are the definitions of some of these lesser known words. BTW, if you have to add definitions to YOUR text, it's time to find an easier way to say something.
*Homogenize: To make uniform in consistency, especially to render (milk) uniform in consistency by emulsifying the fat content.
**Faux Pas (pronunciation: "fo-pa"): A blunder, especially in social circles.
|
