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The core principles of writing content that people actually read online, explained for non-writers.

People read websites differently from books or emails. They scan. They skim. They leave quickly if they can't find what they need. Writing for the web means working with those habits, not against them.

This guide covers the core principles. They apply to every page on your site.

Quick summary

Web readers scan first, read second. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, clear headings, and put the most important information first. Plain language works better than impressive-sounding language.

Why web writing is different

When someone lands on your website, they're usually looking for one thing: an answer, a price, a contact number, a reason to trust you. They're not settling in to read an essay.

Eyetracking research by Nielsen Norman Group, a UX research firm, found that when a page is a wall of unformatted text, people often scan it in an F-shaped pattern: they read across the top of the content, then scan down its left side. It isn't the only way people scan, but it's a common one. If your most important message is buried in paragraph four, many visitors will never see it.

This means your job is to make the important things impossible to miss.

Put the most important thing first

This is called the "inverted pyramid" — a journalism principle that works perfectly for web writing. Lead with your conclusion. Support it with details. Add background last.

Example — less effective: "We were founded in 2009 and since then have worked with clients across a variety of industries to develop tailored solutions…"

Example — more effective: "We build websites that win clients. See our work."

The second version tells the reader immediately what you do and why it matters to them.

Write short sentences and paragraphs

One idea per sentence. Keep paragraphs short, a few sentences each, then add a line break. White space is your friend — it gives the eye a place to rest and makes a page feel less overwhelming.

Long paragraphs signal effort. Short paragraphs signal confidence.

Use plain language

Replace formal or complicated words with everyday ones.

Instead of	Use
Utilize	Use
Facilitate	Help
Implement	Set up / do
In order to	To
At this point in time	Now
Leverage	Use

If your sentence sounds like something a lawyer drafted, rewrite it. Your customers are not impressed by jargon — they're put off by it.

Use active voice

Active voice is shorter, and it makes clear who does what.

Passive: "Your order will be processed by our team."
Active: "Our team processes your order."

The subject does the action. That's active voice. It feels direct and confident.

Use headings to create a map

Every major section should have a heading that tells the reader exactly what they'll find there. A reader who scans your headings should understand the whole page without reading a single sentence.

Good headings:

Describe what the section is about
Use everyday words
Are specific ("What our service includes" not "Services")

Write for your reader, not yourself

It's tempting to write about yourself: your history, your values, your process. Your reader cares about one thing first: what's in it for them.

Switch "we" to "you" where you can:

Before: "We offer a free consultation."
After: "You get a free consultation with every project."

Common questions

How long should my web pages be?

Long enough to cover the topic, short enough to hold attention. There's no magic word count: Google says length alone doesn't matter for ranking, and that it has no preferred word count. Homepage copy is usually shorter than a service page, because its job is to point people to the right inner page.

Should I write for SEO or for humans?

Write for humans first. Google's own guidance tells site owners to create content for people rather than to manipulate search rankings, and to write naturally. Good, clear writing that genuinely answers a reader's question is also good for SEO. Keyword stuffing (repeating the same words over and over) is tiring to read and is against Google's spam policies. Google says sites that break those policies may rank lower in results or not appear at all.

Do I need professional copywriting?

Not always. Clear, genuine writing from you — the business owner — can work better than polished but generic agency copy. The guides in this section will help you write effectively yourself. For high-stakes pages (homepage, main service pages), professional copywriting is worth considering.

What reading level should I write at?

Aim for around a US 8th-grade reading level — the target Hemingway Editor suggests, because it says that is historically the average reading level for adults in the United States. That's not because your customers aren't intelligent — it's because clear, simple writing is faster to read, and faster is better. Hemingway Editor's free online readability checker shows the grade level of your text and highlights sentences that are hard to read.

Need a hand?

If you're stuck, email support@chykalophia.com and we'll help. Include your website address and a screenshot if you can.

Writing for the web