Let's say you've decided to source some content from printed materials.
Or you run a print publication and it's your primary source of content.
Well, publishing your print content online can save time and effort.
But there's one thing you should know.
Even Pulitzer Prize–winning print articles won't work online without some tweaks.
Why Offline Writing Doesn't Work Online
See, print writers tend to be concerned with narrative—stories to draw readers in and keep them occupied with stuff like clever language and plot devices.
The goal is to get readers to read every word, to the very end.
Problem is, most web users aren't looking for a story. They're looking for information. (Thanks to usability guru Jakob Nielsen for first pointing this out.)
Your readers are hunters. They're not interested in scenery. They're interested in picking off what they want and getting the hell out of the woods.
So if you're putting content from a print source on your website (and first things first—make sure it's legal), you'll need to do a little cosmetic surgery.
How to Convert Print Content for the Web
With that said, here's how to webify print content:
- Make it shorter. If you can, cut the content to 50 percent of its offline length. If there's a scene or prolonged description that doesn't contain essential information, consider chopping. If you can't cut, break the content into multiple pages. Web readers don't like lots of text—or scrolling. But they'll click "next page" if it's worth it.
- Break up long paragraphs. Most web readers skim content rather than reading in-depth. Partly because of the "hunter" mindset, partly because it's harder to read on a monitor. White space between paragraphs is like a calm, still pool—where eyes can regroup before heading back into the fray. So break up paragraphs, ideally to contain just one or two sentences each.
- Cut down long sentences. You might not be able to do this. But if you can, you should. Judiciously and lovingly. Take those long, complex sentences. And make them simple.
- Rewrite headlines (and make them more literal). Print writers and editors work to craft clever headlines that grab readers' attention. They're often puns that make sense only once you've read the whole article. But web headlines must make sense on their own, like when they appear in search results. Change headlines so they explain what the article's about. Painfully literal. And since they help with search ranking, make sure they contain a keyword or two.
- Add visual cues. Help readers scan your words. Bulleted and numbered lists, subheads and pull quotes all help your readers orient themselves on your page. And try bolding key information to aid the scanning eye.
- But don't get graphic-happy. Think you'll pull in readers with flashy animation and graphics? Not so much. Studies show that web users generally ignore extraneous graphics. Dumb, non-functional add-ons don't add value to your site and, what's worse, may actively annoy your visitors.
What's Next?
With the steps above, you're ready to webify your offline content.
But maybe you also need to write content from scratch.
In that case, you'll have to start with some research.