Writing for the Web

1. Writing for the
Web

2. Avoid Shovelware
Media professionals often viewed the web the same way they saw their traditional
media products. This led to the rise of shovelware, in which the sites became giant
storage bins of content that was transferred from standard platforms to the web.
The people shoveling the content failed to augment the content in any meaningful
way, thus leaving audience members seeing nothing more than digital versions of
what they already read.
You should avoid shovelware and focus on telling a story in an audience-centric way.
Look at what you have available to you in terms of additional content, interactive
elements and fresh storytelling opportunities.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

3. Tell the Story With Multiple Elements
As you develop your skills in media, you
will want to add more tools to your
toolbox, including audio, video, graphics
and photography.
When you tell a story online, you have
access to all of these options, so consider
each tool in turn and determine how to
use it to give your readers what they
need.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

4. Write in Easy-to-Read Pieces
You want to write in smaller, tighter chunks
that tell simple stories.
You can write text-based lists in the form of
bulleted items, thus giving your readers short
bursts of information on a given topic.
If you need to write everything in one large
story, use subheadings that help break the
material into smaller segments while still
drawing their attention to specific aspects of
a story.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

5. Offer Constant Updates
You never want your readers arriving at your site thinking, “I already saw all this
before.”
Consider what you think the readers need to know most and how often they should
know it. Then establish a pattern of updates while remaining flexible for important
“breaking news” items.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

6. Blogging

7. Why Blog?
Many people have accounts on platforms like WordPress or Blogger, where they
write for their own needs, but media professionals have adopted the platform and
reshaped it to disseminate information and market their products.
The reasoning behind hosting a blog will vary based on the area of the field you
enter.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

8. News Blogging
Blogging has benefited traditional news outlets, as it has provided them with the
ability to enter a unique area of the digital realm with little investment. Most
traditional media outlets maintain a digital presence through standard websites that
feature their regular content that already ran in the paper or on TV. The webmaster
can easily integrate the blogs into the site and thus extend the brand for this new
content.
● Provide additional content without cost
● Take advantage of niche opportunities
● Sidestep the mainstream
● Gather data on your readers
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

9. Promotional Blogging
Practitioners who work in advertising and public relations have unique interests
when it comes to blogging opportunities. For example, public-relations practitioners
can sidestep mainstream media outlets and speak directly to the public through a
blog. Marketers or advertisers can use a blog to reach niche communities that have
an interest in their organizations or products, providing them with content
unavailable in other venues.
● Humanize your organization
● Drive traffic to your site
● Establish yourself as a thought leader
● Retain your focus
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

10. Best Blogging
Practices

11. Don’t Blog Just to Blog
Blogs are part of a long line of digital tools that
have enamored executives, much to the
chagrin of people responsible for learning the
tools and applying them appropriately.
This leads you to the first and most important
rule when it comes to blogging: Don’t blog for
blogging’s sake.
Instead, you need to come up with a reason to
blog, and you need to maintain a steady stream
of content to grow your audience over time.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

12. Focus on Audience Interests
Blogs can help you inform readers as well as help you get information from the
readers. Some blogs have used a crowdsourcing approach, in which bloggers reach
out to the readers for feedback. This puts the readers in the driver’s seat when it
comes to outlining specific needs and creating valuable solutions for you and your
group.
Think about a small yet interesting area of information that would matter to your
readers, and you have a ready-made blog topic.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

13. Establish a Tone
Blogging gives you a wider array of options in terms of content and tone. Some blogs
will rely heavily on graphics and photos, while others will use text and excerpts from
other websites. Beyond that, language, style and tone will vary from blog to blog.
If you understand your audience members, you can establish a stronger rapport with
them and approach them in a tone that matches their expectations. This includes the
use of formal or informal language, the presence of more or fewer graphic elements
and the level of interactivity allowed on the blog.
When you establish a tone, you determine the overall feel of the blog.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

14. Keys To Good
Digital-Media
Writing

15. Offer Quick Reads
People head to the web for quick bits of information, not novels.
Use short bits of information to give people the most important information first,
and then move on.
This can be anywhere from a single sentence to a few short paragraphs.
If you have something that needs to run longer, you should do a “continue reading”
break or a “click here to continue” link so that one post doesn’t dominate the whole
site and push other information too far down.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

16. Be Timely
The web is about what’s happening now, not six weeks ago or six weeks from now.
Rely on the immediacy principle when you write for a digital platform so you can
create strong time pegs for your work.
Give your readers information they can use immediately or inform them about
something that just happened. Keep it current.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

17. Showcase Additional Content
In many cases, people will arrive at your site
through a link to a specific post or story. If you
incorporate additional links in each post to
suggest additional content, you can draw your
readers deeper into your site and show them
things that matter to them. This can help
strengthen the bond between the reader and the
organization.
This approach can also increase sales or generate
better brand identity among your readers.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

18. Don’t Just React
Online writers can run the risk of just adding to the noise via reactions to a larger
issue.
Broader issues can have values on blogs, but if you don’t have a stake in the game,
your opinion won’t add much.
Think about why you want to react and what you can bring to the discussion on the
whole. How is what you have to say adding to the sum of human knowledge? How
are you uniquely qualified to add this information?
Think about what you want to add beyond a simple reaction.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

19. Update With Changes
When you post information about an ongoing situation, you need to keep abreast of
what is happening.
You should freshen your digital work with additional content and updates as the
situation continues to unfold.
These changes can take the form of follow-up posts, much like news writers use
second-day stories to follow a trend or as augmentation to the original work.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

20. Linking And Other
Interactive
Elements

21. Find Quality Linking Opportunities
Definitions - Creating a link to a definition of that word can make things easier on
your readers. You can also create links for field-specific terms that require more
explanation than you reasonably can provide in your piece.
Background - You can link to previous pieces on a given topic, a company’s “about
us” page or anything else you think will help inform your readers.
Original Source Material - Look for opportunities to link to source documents, such
as letters, emails and reports, so you can let your readers see what you have seen
and understand what you used to create your own piece of writing.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

22. Contact Options
The standard “contact us” form that appears on a separate page isn’t a horrible idea,
but it also can make readers feel as though they are dropping a note into a black
hole.
Consider a few other ways to help your readers feel more connected to your site:
● Staff bios
● Email contact
● Social media options
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

23. Comments
The comment function most websites provide after each published piece is a great
way for your readers to give you instant feedback. Readers can also read the
thoughts of other people who offered commentary and respond to those people as
well.
It often pays to read what these people have to say so you can better meet their
needs.
When readers do offer you some important information, it benefits you to reach out
to them either via comment or email. This not only establishes trust between you
and your readers, but it also helps you develop sources of information for future
writing.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

24. Live Events
The use of a live chat option through your website or an organized Twitter Q&A can
provide your readers with a chance to learn things that matter to them directly from
you or an important source.
The downside is that these events can become divisive and caustic, thus
undermining the value of the event. When you open yourself to an unregulated pool
of consumers and you do so on a medium that can draw innumerable trolls, you run a
huge risk.
However, if you believe you can run an event like this successfully, it is worth the
effort.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak

25. Key Takeaways
1. Think before you post: Once you send material out into the digital realm, you
can never get it back. Always think about what you are doing before you do it.
2. Embrace interactivity: Links and comments are just a few of the ways in which
you can use the interactivity of the web to your advantage. Don’t skip this step
in your writing or ignore the feedback you get.
3. Promote your work: You have many competitors who can offer content similar
to what you are providing, so the difference between being read and being
ignored is often your promotional efforts. Get out there and let people know
who you are and what you can give them.
Dynamics of Media Writing, Vincent F. Filak