The Writing Format: The Heart of a Policies and Procedures System

By mediawyse

The writing format (approach) is a critical component of any successful policies and procedures system. And more importantly, it must be consistently applied across both policies and procedures and must lay out content in an easy-to-read and understood format. Using the adage, "Practice makes perfect" applies in this situation. Practice does not make perfect unless it is a correct practice. Given the same logic, the writing approach is not acceptable unless it meets all the criteria of being both successful and effective.

A "writing format" is a structure or outline format for presenting policies and procedures in a logical order that can be easily understood by readers. It lays out the content of any policy or procedure document and presents a logical reading sequence. The section-formatted structure can assure consistency among policy and procedure documents.

The ideal writing format is when there is no distinction made between a policy and procedure document. As the reader might guess, this would solve many problems and make publication, communication, and training easier. How is this done? Write a single document, e.g., travel expense report or purchase requisition, and don't name it as a policy or a procedure document. Rather, use a format that contains a policy statement as one of the pre-defined, core sections; now, the guidelines of the document are directed by the embedded policy statement. The readers are pleased with this solution because now they don't have to refer to separate policy and procedure manuals for similar content. In the examples below, the policy statement is the third section of the preferred "pre-defined sections" writing approach format.

There are three popular format styles, one of which stands apart from the others: (1) pre-defined sections; (2) free-flowing role structure or Playscript; and (3) free-flowing writing. The third format approach, free-flowing writing, is really no format at all. Unfortunately, many companies today use this "free-flowing writing" format (probably due to their lack of knowing that a writing format template does exist). In this format, the content is written in a random, inconsistent manner. The reader is never certain about the starting or ending point of the policy or procedure document. This method is often referred to as the "Paragraph-style" of writing and generally leaves the reader guessing the purpose and importance of the policy or procedure document. This is NOT the behavior the policy and procedures writer wants from the reader.
The second format, the "free flowing role structure," is often referred to as "Playscript." Literally, "Playscript" refers to dialogue, a dramatic composition, or a screenplay. Policy and procedure writers use the "role" method adapted from the Playscript format where the role is stated in the first column and the action is stated in the second column of a two-column layout. Proponents of this format argue that the reader doesn't need to know everything about the "who, why, what, where, and how" of every policy or procedure document. Opponents, in contrast, argue that the Playscript method is cumbersome and leaves the reader clueless as to the intent of the policy or procedure document. This is simply not a good format for documenting business processes.

The first discussed format, "Pre-Defined Sections" is the easiest format approach for the reader to understand because the format consists of pre-defined, pre-approved sections that are used in every policy or procedure written and published. Consistency is quickly achieved. The seven core sections of the "Pre-Defined Writing Format" are Purpose, Scope, Policy, Definitions, Responsibilities, Procedures, and Revision History. Content, properly added into these sections, provide the "who, what, why, where, and how" of business processes and help to make up the substance of policies and procedures alike. Depending on the industry, the policy and procedures writer might add sections, e.g., background, references, or disciplinary actions for non-compliance.

A policy and procedure system without a consistently designed, and applied, writing approach is mostly viewed as broken, obsolete, or ignored by its readers. The writing approach includes the mechanism for capturing ideas, workflows, solutions, forms, and any supplemental information about business processes, in one place. An effective writing format template contains the same core sections each and every time; there is never a deviation.

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Writing Tips For Novice Authors

By Params Singh

If you are reading this article then you probably have asked yourself at some point in your life, "Do I have what it takes to become an author?"

I believe that successful authors, those who actually write and finish that novel, or book of poetry, or even that book of short stories, and see it all the way to publication, have certain characteristics.

Characteristics of Authors

1. They like to sit for hours in front of a computer screen (or with pen and paper), typing (writing) away.

2. They think about their book, even when they're not writing.

3. They are motivated to finish their book.

4. They are motivated to proofread, edit and revise their finished book until it is the best it can be.

5. They are motivated to publish their book.

6. Once they publish the first book, they are already working on the next one.

If you answered yes to anyone of the above, then you have a good chance of attaining your dreams of becoming an author. Don't listen to those people who say it's a competitive market out there. Don't listen to those people who say they've written five books and haven't had one published yet. And don't listen to those people who send you back your manuscripts! Listen to yourself. Listen to that inner voice, the one that is whispering now. But wait until you get started. Once your book is written and published, that inner voice will be roaring! And the whole world will hear about it.

I know, I know. I tend to be the optimist. But we have so many pessimists in the book business, we sure need some more optimists around!

For you, the novice writer who would like to start writing that first book, the best way to begin is to start writing. Yes, just sit down and do it. Stop the other activities, the television, the reading, the shopping, the chatting on the telephone, and find the time to devote at least one hour a day to writing.

What’s one hour a day in the scheme of things? It comes and goes like this, poof! What do you have to show after an hour of television? A lazy yawn? If that same hour were spent on writing, then there would be a product in your hands, something that will be shared, hopefully, one day with others.

So, go ahead, shut the door to the rest of the world for one hour (or more) and make yourself comfortable in front of the computer screen (or pen and paper). Let’s take the first step to becoming an author.

How To Begin

Foundation

Just like a construction company which builds a foundation to a home, you also need to prepare a foundation for your career in writing. Don't skip this step, it's important.

Your "foundation" will consist of basic writing skills. Remember those English courses you took in high school and college? If you don't remember anything from those courses, then it wouldn't be a bad idea if you found your old English textbooks, dusted them off a bit, and looked through their pages to refresh your memory.

If you haven't taken any courses in creative writing, you might consider signing up for one. Check with your local community college. They often offer weekend and evening classes, and sometimes even online classes. If you're on a budget, then visit the public library and sign out books relevant to writing.

In addition, it would be very useful to join a writing group (online or in your local area) that critiques your work and gives you the opportunity to critique also. The group provides wonderful support and an avenue to sharpen your skills as you gain experience in writing, as well as exposure to other people's writing. For example, Writing.com is a good example of an online resource that provides many opportunities to share your writing, and get your work rated and reviewed. If you want to join a critique or review group, it offers that also.

The second step to becoming an author, is to have the right tools.

Tools Needed

Besides a comfortable chair, plenty of lighting, and a quiet room, you will need a computer with a word processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word), a printer, and plenty of paper.

Why a computer? First of all, publishers typically will request a copy of your files sent to them on a floppy disk. More importantly, working with a word processing program will aid you in many ways towards becoming a published author. It will provide the opportunity to save your work as a Word file, without having to use up tons of paper (as with a typewriter). This greatly aids you in keeping your work organized. It also gives you the flexibility to edit and re-edit large sections of your work quickly by allowing you to utilize the copy and paste functions.

Other advantages of using a computer word processing program is that it provides spell check capabilities, and also helps you count the number of words per page. In addition, when you want to spice up your vocabulary (For example, if you like to use the word "walk" often, and are getting tired of that word), place your cursor on the word "walk", hit shift F7. It will give you a list of synonyms you can choose from - like stroll, amble, etc.).

The time saved by using a computer is very valuable. It gives you more time available to write! Of course, if you don’t have the above materials, don’t let that stop you from writing that book! Using a pen and paper is perfectly fine. Books were written with these two basic tools for centuries.

Let’s assume you are using a computer and a Word processing software. First of all, before you begin writing, form a subdirectory that you can add all your chapters to. Maybe you know the title of your book already. Fine, then form a subdirectory using the name of the title. After you finish writing that first chapter (oh joy!), just save it as Chapter 1 under the subdirectory. If you are writing a book of poetry, then you might want to save each poem as a separate file.

When I write my chapters for my novel, I format them in double space mode, with a Times New Roman 11 font. All the margins are at least one inch. This way it will be ready for manuscript submission.

Try not to add your page numbers until the very last revision. Page numbers constantly change when you’re revising, so wait until the end.

Finally, another reason for having a computer is for Internet access. As a writer, you will have opportunities to submit your fiction online, such as http://www.Writing.com, or even your articles online for e-zines, such as http://www.articlecity.com. Any chance you can get to write online, do it. As long as it doesn't take too much time away from your book. It's also a free way of promoting yourself before the book is even published.

So you need to balance your time in writing that book, honing your writing skills, submitting your work along the way for others to critique, and promoting yourself. Can you do it? Of course you can!

The third step to becoming an author is:

What to Write

If you are planning to write a novel, it would help to know what general category your book is going to be in. Will it be in the romance, mystery, or science fiction category? If you don’t know, take some time and think about it. Read some books in those genres. Which books seem to attract you the most? It’s highly likely that you’ll be writing in the category that you like to read. My preference is romance because I read those types of books the most. Once you decide the category, then you are closer to writing that novel!

For poetry, you might start by writing a poem and submitting it to a poetry journal, or a poetry contest. Gain exposure for your poetry. Join a critique group so you can sharpen your poetry skills. A chapbook usually consists of about 25-35 poems. For a poetry book, you'll need at least 60 pages of poetry, if not more.

Types of Novelists

I have found over time, that there are two types of novelists. The first type is the writer who prefers drawing up a proposal or plan of what they will write about. The second type prefers to write whatever comes into their mind at that moment.

You decide which writer you will be.

Type 1 Novelist

They begin by describing the characters, their names, personalities, and sometimes their motives. Then they decide when and where the setting will take place. When will it take place? If it takes place before the 1900’s, then it will be considered historical. Also, will the setting be in the country, in a city (which city?), in a house (whose house), on a cruise ship? That needs to be defined also.

Once those decisions are made, they write brief sketches of each chapter. It could be a page or two long. Once all this is done, then the real writing begins. If this method works for you, then feel free to use it. It may take some time, but you will become more confident about what you’ll write once you go through this initial process.

Type 2 Novelist

What if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to spend all that time writing proposals and character sketches? What if you’re like me, who prefers to just write whatever comes into your head? Then do it! Sit down and start writing. Write anything.

As the story develops, something wonderful begins brewing in your mind. Something called creativity. I’ve caught myself hours after I finished writing a chapter, and I’ll be preparing dinner, or walking somewhere, and a scene from my novel will begin to unfold. It’s called creative problem solving. My mind is working to solve the problem that the writing presents it, even though I’m not actively writing. When I get those urges, I immediately stop what I’m doing and jot down my thoughts. It’s helped me many times, particularly when everything clicks together.

How Long Will It Take?

It took me almost two years to write and find a publisher for my first novel, Lipsi’s Daughter. For other people, it may take longer or shorter, depending on the amount of time they allow for writing and how many pages they are writing. I know of authors that took six, seven, up to twelve years to write their first book. I also know of a famous author who writes two novels a year!

So unless you begin writing that first page of your book, you'll never know how long it'll take you to write it. Go ahead, make that first step, and good luck!

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Term Paper Writing Headaches

By Bree Benson

NO MATTER how a lot of students do their best to make a term paper that would really make the grade, some of them still end up unsuccessful—their "best" seems to be not good enough.

They shouldn’t put all the blame to writer’s block, as apart from partial loss of memory, there are other "injustices" that strike students whenever they have to produce term papers:

Getting sick. Colds, fever, flu and worst, chickenpox hit students when they least expect it. Teachers usually give their students kind consideration by allowing them to submit term papers behind the deadline, but other professors just do not have the heart, and say: "If there’s a will, there’s a way… submit your work by hook or by crook!" It’s difficult to extract your creative juices when you’re not at your best. Getting sick is just normal, but getting sick when there’s a term paper task approaching is definitely abnormal.

Scarce reference materials. So you finally found a topic that will catch your teacher’s eyes and may rouse the interest of your classmates. But after days of researching and gathering of data, you only got a maximum of two reference materials that will support your term paper. Why wait for the days to pass, when you can still change your topic if this is the case?

The best books have "gone astray." Why does it have to be this way: All of the books you are trying to look for and need to borrow in libraries… are the ones missing in the bookshelves!

Don’t ask yourself, "God why me?" or "God why now?," as you are not the only one making a term paper—never forget that you have classmates and students from your locality or country doing term papers, too.

In all likelihood, their topics are similar to yours’—and one of them went out of his way to visit the library earlier. But there are still other books, magazines, or newspaper clippings that you can use as references—they’re just waiting for you to browse them patiently.

The books you need are "out of your world," which simply means the "good finds" deemed helpful in your term paper writing can be found in a library that’s not just a stone’s throw away, but miles away from you! And if you try to borrow it via "inter-library" means, it would take you couple of days or even weeks. Well, find another resource material.

Lack of time, or is it lack of discipline? Once your teacher gave your class the green light, begin with your term papers right away! It’s like choosing between typing your final draft over playing basketball with friends. Finish ahead of deadline, so that you will not cram and will still have plenty of time to read, proofread or revise your term paper. Coming up with a term paper that will get a sky-scraping grade has never been, and will never be that easy.

But, to actually realize this goal, you just have to make an extra effort to impress your fussy professors, as to the quality of term papers you submit to them.

Bitten by the travel bug in her early twenties, New Yorker Bree Benson just relocated to United Kingdom for that experience of the European life.She currently works full-time as a copywriter for a small advertising firm in Birmingham, as well as a part-time term paper editor in an online writing firm in Homewood.

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Want to Find Fresh Exciting Topics to Write About? Here's How

By Mervyn Love

Keeping an editor supplied with topical articles can be a bit of a struggle at times. With these simple strategies you can soon have fresh new ideas pouring onto the page.

If you're like me, then the major problem is finding the topic that will have editors chortling with glee because he knows his readers will love it. The actual writing of the article holds no fears; it's just finding the right topic and one that's going to be a winner. So here are a few tips on capturing those elusive ideas.

Perhaps the first and easiest thing you should do is pick up the nearest newspaper and read the headlines. If you think this sounds just a little too down-to-earth - think again. There are many best-selling articles that have been jump started into existence by a newspaper headline.

Here are a couple of headlines I came across whilst writing this:

'Laptop Thief Has Bank Details of 15,000 policemen.'

This could start you thinking about laptop security and how you can best protect your data from being compromised. You could write an article on the various methods of blocking viruses and keeping out SPAM. How about an article on the growing trend of hi-tech theft, or the use of the internet and computers by the criminal fraternity? What steps are the banks taking to prevent fraud and identity theft?

'A Monster Following For Nessie.'

Apparently, in this news item, the Loch Ness monster was voted the most famous Scot! This could lead to articles on famous mythical creatures. Is there any basis in fact for them? Were there really flying dragons in Wales, etc? What about an article on real life monsters, unusual creatures that live in far away places or under the sea? How about how the tourist trade capitalizes on myths and monsters, with examples of some wacky souvenirs?

Often a story will grab your interest about some subject you've never heard of before, or about one that has been lurking in the back of your mind for a while and now is the time to follow it through.

Other ways to find new topics is to visit the library or a good bookshop and browse the titles. Go to sections you are unfamiliar with and see what titles will jump start your imagination and produce some exciting and informative ideas. Pick up a magazine on a topic that you are vaguely interested in and read it just for fun. Several ideas may jump out at you whilst you're reading. Your mind makes associations and sees things in new ways when it's relaxed by reading.

Keep a look out when you're on a shopping spree. There are always plenty of items for sale you've never noticed before, and some of them are fads.

Fads are good to write about because they tie into the current collective consciousness and therefore people are interested in reading about them. Food items, clothes, gadgets, furniture, gardening, pets - almost any consumer section is prone to fads and fashions at some time.

Don't be afraid to let your mind wander. Just put your mind into free fall and you will most likely end up with several new topics you wouldn't have dreamt pf before. You find yourself enthusiastic about writing your new article and may even end up with a list of new topics that will keep you busy for several few weeks!

Don't be afraid to have a go at a new idea or topic. There is a huge amount of information available to you on any subject you care to mention, especially on the Internet.

Read as much as you can, take notes, talk to people who know the subject you're interested in, and you will soon be turning out articles that editors will grab with alacrity.

Visit WritersReign http://www.writersreign.co.uk for a sackful of resources, useful links, markets, writing competitions, software, articles for writers, and more. There's a free Article Writing Course at http://www.writersreign.co.uk/WRac.html up for grabs too. Sign up for it now before the opportunity slips quietly into obscurity... you know it makes sense!

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Tips for New and Aspiring Writers: One Way to Make What You Write Better

By Joyce Shafer

Anytime you decide to write anything, whether it’s an article or a manuscript, you should congratulate yourself. Some people find writing easy, while others feel less sure about the process or their skills. Either type of writer is courageous. You know that when you write, especially if you intend to share it in any way, you open yourself to comments from readers.

One of the best things you can do for your writing is to have someone read and critique it. You may feel hopeful the person will like the story, perhaps even anxious that she or he may not; but your primary goal is to get feedback that will help you create a quality result.

You want someone who will take this effort seriously, and need to expect that what you get back may have a lot of notations and questions. At first, you may not be thrilled about this. As you read through the notes, you should see tighter ways to write sentences, inconsistencies brought to your attention, and some things you didn’t give thought to as you were writing. No writer thinks of everything during the first draft, and every writer edits and rewrites.

When we write non-fiction, we sometimes forget that readers don’t know what we know and we leave things out or don’t put things in the best order. In fiction, we may get so caught up with the story we miss inconsistencies or leave questions unanswered. We hopefully concern ourselves with punctuation, grammar, and the technical aspects of writing, but miss something or several things that could make our writing go beyond good and become excellent or, at the very least, accurate. One definite benefit is that you learn and hone your skills as a result of getting such feedback.

The thing you want to do is rely on someone who not only has the skills to do this but is objective enough to do it so that you get what you need. Writers sometimes ask the wrong people to do this for them and it often results in frustration. Many projects get shelved because of this. Do everything you can to nurture your creativity and move your project forward until you get your desired outcome.

Get what you’ve written critiqued or learn more about services for writers offered by Joyce Shafer, author; weekly columnist; and freelance proofreader, editor, and rewriter at http://www.freewebs.com/write-onwriting.

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Nothing is better than these tips to write articles so quickly

By Gagan Singh

Owning, running and maintaining an internet based business or a site needs articles. Plain and simple, every who has a site knows this. Even those who don’t have sites but are frequent internet users knows this as well. Articles quench the thirst for information and knowledge of the people. Plus, the articles provides many other benefits for the site.

The benefits that articles provide are putting a site high in the ranking in search results of keywords and keyword phrases that pertains or are relevant to his or her site. They also provide attraction to website visitors when they are appreciated and is linked to your site from another site or newsletter. Articles provide for the increase of the confidence and trust levels of customers to your site and company.

Many articles are also beneficial to both company and its traffic. When the readers like the articles, they would tell more of their friends, family and peers and recommend your site to them, providing for a larger volume of traffic. You get bigger sales if your traffic trusts and believes in you. Your product or services would be much easier to sell when they know you know what you are doing and talking about.

So ok, we have established that articles are very important to a site and to business. Articles are crucial and to keep ahead in the game, a site must have an article, it is imperative. There is one dilemma though, not many people like writing articles.

Many website owners would rather spend their time on something else, and unless you’re a big time company, you don’t have the necessary resources to use on a pool of article writers. Plagiarism or copying of other articles is frowned upon and could easily get you into trouble, worst case scenario; a hefty fine and jail time.

So what are the other options?

Well, for starters if you hate writing articles and you can’t afford to hire people to write for you then don’t. Get free articles. The first place to look at for free articles is the public domain. Here you won’t have problems with copyright infringement and the following penalties and fines if you get caught for plagiarism.

Public domain articles are articles freely given to the public for public use. You can do whatever you want with it. You can place it on your site, name it as yours, put it in a newsletter its you decision. Always remember though that you will have to choose articles that is very relevant to your site.

The downside to public domain articles is that since it is free for everybody, many of your competitors may have access to them as well. Since every site needs to be original and unique even though you have the same niche, this could be a predicament. You may also have to edit them a bit to place more keywords and keyword phrases to make them better.

Another way to get free articles is to allow other sites which has the same subject or topic as yours to submit articles to your site. This would be only to augment your existing content or else all your articles would be leading to other sites since these articles would have resource boxes with them that could link or direct the readers to their site. That’s why it is important to have your own articles; you cold use them to link your site to other sites as well.

But, to truly feel the impact of what a good article to you, go for original ones. There are many article writers who do part time and freelance article writing jobs that charges only minimal fees. You can get good articles that have all the keywords and keyword phrases you need and people are looking for.

The investment you made for these articles would be worthwhile because you could use them for all the benefits you could offer. You hold copyrights to them and you will be able to use them anyway you want. As your articles help you in building your business and your site, you will have more articles to write and maybe then you wont be having second thoughts about articles.

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The Basics of Content Writing

By Abir Roychowdhury

Content writing has an important role to play in the current scenario of web marketing and e-commerce. With search engine rankings playing a pivotal role in the business strategies, content writing and development has reached new heights. So it is quite distressing when a website fails to get short-listed in the topmost positions of search engine results. It is of the utmost importance to write content that sells. The content should contribute towards a high conversion rate.

Let’s check out how you can make your content writing more effective.

• The first thing to keep in mind is to keep your style of writing easy and concise. You must keep in mind the on line, impatient reader. They will have no time to read highly convoluted forms of writing. The easiest way to retain their attention is to write in simple sentences that convey your point effectively.

• Write in the active voice. Always make it a point to avoid the passive. You should involve the readers. They should not get the feeling that they are reading a sermon. Engage with them in a conversational tone. That’s the only way to turn potential buyers into dedicated customers.

• Using keywords and phrases is another trick of the trade. Effective use of keywords will ensure that your site gets listed in the topmost positions in search engine results.

• Alienating the reader will do no good. You should use words that are common or familiar to your readers. People visit a web site with a particular intent. To gather certain information or to buy something or to subscribe or enroll into a membership.

• Content writing is not about how well informed you are in the English language. It is about establishing a good rapport with your readers. You should have good communication skills. You should be able to communicate complex ideas to others in a simple language.

• Always write from a reader’s point of view. The customer (in this case the reader) plays an important part in on line advertising. So it would be good to step into his shoes. To address the issue from his viewpoint. Involve him. That’s the only way of increasing viewer retention.

• Using pompous words and phrases are a strict no-no. Use concise, objective language to communicate effectively. The reader should be able to understand your point. It should not go over his head.

• Write how your readers will be benefited by the services, which you are promoting. You should not only write about the features and services. The stress should lie on how your reader stands to be benefited by that particular service.

• You should write a well-researched content keeping in mind the current market trends.

• Before writing about the topic, you should have a clear idea about it. You should gather information about the particular topic from books, websites, CD-ROM’S.

• Your content should provide useful information. Keep out everything that is irrelevant or unnecessary. It won’t do to beat about the bush. Deviating from the subject in hand will confuse the reader. The only way to keep your reader’s interested is to provide him with the necessary information that he is looking for.

• The heading is the most imperative feature of content writing. Give a suitable heading that draws the attention of the reader. Heading should be within 8-10 words and should be the most significant piece of your writing. It must describe effectively what you are writing about.

• Divide your content into several paragraphs. It should consist of a well thought out introduction, a body and a conclusion.

• Keep your sentences short and descriptive. Lengthy sentences have a negative impact on viewer retention. Ideally your sentences should be within 15-20 words.

• The heading of the article or content should include keywords to ensure search engine optimization.

• Use subheadings to effectively highlight all the points. Subheadings also help readers to go directly to some point or information that they want to obtain. Readers will scroll through your article only when they are convinced that they will find something of interest in it.

• Another thing to keep in mind is not to make the paragraphs too long. Lengthy paragraphs will bore your readers. There should not be more than 40-70 words in a paragraph. Just make your point and keep it short.

• Use of bullets and numberings will make the content attractive and easier to read.

• Important words and quotes should be highlighted throughout.

• Use action oriented words for added emphasis.

• You must proofread in order to avoid redundant phrases and incorrect use of grammar and syntax.

• Edit again and again to see whether the content forms a well connected whole.

Following the points, you should invest your writing with a clarity and style that is irresistible to readers. Clearly state the point you are trying to make and influence your readers to take a decision.

Abir Roychowdhury is a professional Internet marketer. For Affordable Business website design 2.0 Custom Secure Ecommerce web development SEO Content writing Services Company or for Hire Real Estate Ecommerce Web 2.0 web Designers eCommerce Shopping Cart Web Developers dot .Net PHP Web Application Development Company SEO services India visit www.businessprodesigns.com.

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Winning Tips on Effective Content Writing

By Abir Roychowdhury

Content is an indispensable part of your website. But how do you invest your web content with that extra competitive edge? Writing content that will attract lucrative business prospects require a lot of expertise. It is really a challenge to make effective online copy. Let’s discuss how you might tackle this problem head-on.

Beginning at the basics

You must remember that clear and concise language is the stepping-stone for good content writing. You should avoid decorative, pompous phrases. Sentences should be kept short (maximum 15-20 words). Paragraphs must not be too lengthy. Otherwise they will invariably bore readers. Remember that the most powerful word is "YOU". Involve the readers and approach them directly. You are writing for the impatient online reader who does not read word for word.

Hitting the top in search engine results

Use of the relevant keywords and phrases will ensure search engine optimization. If you are promoting software services then the relevant words should be entered into the title. This will ensure that you get listed among the top thirty in search engine results. Otherwise it would be better if you might as well not exist. And this is a problem, which baffle clients the most. The oft-asked question is: why does my website fail to feature more in search engine results?

Who are your visitors?

Content should be written from the reader’s point of view. Use words and phrases that are commonly used by the reader. Write in a conversational tone. You should not alienate the reader at any cost. What does he come to your website for? It is either to collect data and information, or to buy something, or to make a subscription. So you should use words that he is familiar with. Remember, visitor retention is the yardstick of success for good content writing.

Provide specific information

Generalized information works just as well. But sometimes visitors search websites for obtaining information about some particular aspect. Thus it would do well to be as specific as possible.

The inverted pyramid style

You must be able to grab the reader’s attention at the first go. Otherwise he will wander to other sites. So it is necessary to put the most important point at the top. You should be able to show why your product or service is great.

Write with action and verve

Use action-oriented words. The online reader won’t be interested to read a dull and boring article. Your article should be a complete burnout. You should be able to drive the fact that whatever you are saying matters the most.

Ensure complete scan ability

Bulleted lists and highlighted words aid in scan ability. Use of bold fonts and colors help to draw reader’s attention to certain words and phrases. This ensures high search engine ratings.

Mention sources

The online reader is skeptical and hard to convince. So mentioning the sources of information by adding hyperlinks increases the trustworthiness in the eyes of the reader. Don’t overstate to establish credibility. Stating the sources will help to convince the skeptical reader.

Evocative subheadings

Subheadings should be meaningful and not merely impressive. Besides, most online readers tend to scan and skim through articles. Subheadings thus make it easier for readers to locate information.

Word count

Online reading is tiring for the eyes. So the word count should be half or less than half of conventional writing. You should keep in mind that you are not writing a book. Describe your points briefly and in clear, concise language.

Nouns and verbs

Use nouns and verbs. Avoid adjectives and adverbs. Nouns and verbs generate an active sense and play an important role in involving readers. The readers will feel that you are addressing them directly. This will help to build an intimate rapport, which invariably leads to increased visitor retention.

Importance of punch line

Effective punch line aids in highlighting the key points of your article. If your website does not feature among the top 30 in search engine results, then all your effort is ultimately a waste of time. Average attention span of the online reader is very little. If they do not find anything of worth, while scanning your page, they will move on. Punch line helps to focus the attention of the readers to the relevant material they are searching for.

Not merely promotional

Demonstrate what your site will provide. You should clearly highlight how the products and services will benefit people. Simply using promotional words are not enough. Merely using promotional words like "incredible", "fabulous", "great", wont impress readers. State why your product, why it will be of more service than any other product available in the market.

Lateral thinking

You should read closely the titles and headings of various articles and news items. This will help to create an innovative writing style. Don’t let your content be a run-of-the-mill product. It should stand out from the millions of other websites available on the Internet.

Revise and edit

The article should form a coherent whole. Omit redundant phrases and incorrect grammar and syntax. Inclusion of these things will have a negative impact on visitor retention. As a result you will fail to generate sufficient traffic to your website. This will prove to be harmful towards targeted business objectives.

A good content should engage the attention of the readers. It must have a market-oriented approach. So a well-conducted market research (case studies and statistics) should be an integral part of your content. You must also be careful in selecting effective keywords and customized graphics to ensure maximum web visibility. Your content should be such that it will drive your readers to take a decision. Another important thing to be kept in mind is to focus on the visitors needs. Involve the readers; keep a conversational tone and go on to write great content that sells.

Abir Roychowdhury is a professional Internet marketer. For Affordable Business website design 2.0 Custom Michigan Secure Ecommerce web development UK SEO Content writing Services Company or for Affordable Custom Business website design development SEO Services KPO GIS BPO Services India visit the above links.

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