When you are writing for the web, you can't go wrong if you follow the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid! Headlines should be simple and direct, and content should be short and to the point. Remember, you want to get information across in the most effective way. The degree to which you achieve this is called the ''useability'' of your website.

Less is more
For good communication on the web, you only need about half or a quarter of what you would have in printed formats. A study by web useability guru Jakob Nielsen found that 79 per cent of his test users tended to ''scan'' when they were reading off the screen. They pick out words and sentences to get the gist, rather than poring over every word. Even when reading offline, people usually read only about 75 per cent of the text.

Break down blocks of text
Making your website ''scannable'' is important because it can improve useability by almost 50 per cent. Here are some easy ways to effectively get information across online:

• Highlight keywords (these are not to everyone's liking)
• Use meaningful sub-headings
• Discuss only one idea per paragraph (anything else will be skipped over)
• Use bullet points
• Start with the conclusion
• Edit the text back to half the word count or less (some say 25 per cent)
• Use short sentences

Short sentences are easier to read
A way of improving communication on your website and keeping the word count down is to use short, simple sentences. The longer the sentence, the harder it is to read and the less likely a reader is to bother with it. A slab of text looks impenetrable and unfriendly. Internet surfers are notoriously fickle and they'll be off in a flash to another site that is easier to navigate.

Use an active voice
If you must have promotional information on your website (and most websites are marketing something) think carefully about the language you want to use. Get rid of weak verbs or phrases and replace them with strong, active ones. So instead of ''the services we provide are...'', use ''we provide'' or ''we offer''. The active voice has more impact, more energy and is more personal.

Tell them what they'll gain
Talk about the benefits customers will get when they use your services. Make them stand out and make them relevant. If your visitors are there because they have a particular need and you can offer them a solution, you are well placed to make a sale.

The more quickly you can catch the interest of visitors to your site, the more likely they are to respond to the information you have provided and act on it. You can do this by remarking on something they are likely to agree with, or identifying a problem and offering a solution. For instance, you might say that it is difficult to find time to get everything done when running a small business, and then show how you can help. But remember to include a ''call to action'' in the copy, for example, ''Contact us now for a free no-obligation consultation''.

Attention grabbing text
When writing for the web, remember that text attracts attention more than graphics. According to research by Nielsen, when users first looked at a page:

• 78 per cent look at text
• 22 per cent look at graphics

Of the text, they looked first at

1. Headlines

2. Summaries

3. Captions

Make it clear what lies ahead
A good way of capturing a visitor's interest is to give them a flavour of what's to come if they venture further into your website. For example, ''Ten tips on how to improve your profits!''

This leads them gently into the site and if you keep using ''hooks'' like this, users will be tempted to keep reading. If your headline isn't particularly enticing, then a relevant blurb might be all you need to pull the user in. For instance the heading ''Access'' could be followed by a blurb saying ''Map Reference, Parking, Wheelchair Access''.

Consider your audience
Last but not least, keep your target audience in mind at all times. Your writing style should be appropriate for that readership. The content you provide should reflect the readers you want to attract to your site. I'm still amazed every now and then when I come across a supposedly serious website that features photographs of the most recent office party!

This article includes information from Taking It All Online, a presentation delivered by Jennifer Simon, an Executive Director of e-marketing at the Seminar and Expo Day held by the Australian Businesswomen's Network in Melbourne last November. e-marketing (www.e-marketing.com.au) offers online and offline marketing, communications and public relations services for business. For further information call (03) 9682 4788 or email Jennifer at jsimon@e-marketing.com.au