What Is the Format for Online Article Writing?
When people want to learn more information about a certain topic that they are interested in, they are going to look for an article on that topic. Articles are mostly very interested to read, but there must be a certain format for writing an online article so that it is easier to read and to keep the focus while reading. So the question is what is the format for online article writing?
When writing an article one must use shorter paragraphs, shorter sentences, and skip unnecessary words. It is also recommendable to avoid jargon and needless repetition as well. It is important to address the web visitors directly and to shorten the text as much as possible.
These tips and tricks about the format for online article writing are so important not only because it is financially rewarding, but also because it can increase your audience’s awareness of you, as well as attract more readers that are interested in certain topics. This guide for online writing is great to exercise your writing muscles regularly.
What Is The Format For Article Writing?
Format Options
To start, it is very important to mention that the definition of an ”article” online varies more than you might think. If you’re writing for another party, a guest post or someone’s blog, or an online publication, they will dictate the length and the format and tell you exactly what they want from you.
On the other hand, if you’re writing on your own for your web site or blog, you can pick the format that is the best one for you. Nevertheless, it is very useful to know about all the options. There is a short-form (1000 words or less), long-form (anything over 1500 words), listicles, and slideshows which include images and/or videos with accompanying text.
Visual Structuring
The important thing when writing an online article is to make it look appealing. You can do that by inserting images, GIFs, and videos to break up the text which is necessary for online content because the web offers endless diversions. That is why your article needs to look appealing to the reader.
The success to make a great article is making it simple for the readers to treat themselves with certain content. Producing something that looks hard to digest is very risky and you’ll just be putting the readers off. Some may intend to save it for later but they’ll end up forgetting about it anyway.
This is why you should use regular paragraph breaks, use bullet points or numbered points, split the article into sections with section headings, and include block quotes to highlight key information to take away from the article.
Using Images, Videos, Or GIFs
Adding relevant and fun visual aids helps with the visual appeal of your online article and it also serves to enhance the points you’re making which is very important. However, there are a few legal issues you should know before using them. There are materials from films, TV shows, and others that are protected under copyright law. You can use them under ”Fair Use” or ”Newsworthy” purposes.
Any other material you use on your web site or blog either has to be copyright free, paid by you, or in the public domain. Before using the work of an artist, you should ask them for permission first and include a link back to them. There are free images that can be found through Google Image Search by clicking ”Tools” > ”Usage Rights”.
When it comes to videos, if the uploader has enabled the ”Share” buttons, they have theoretically permitted to be embedded anywhere else. However, if the content they’re using is copyrighted and they don’t have the permission to use it, you shouldn’t be using it either.
This may sound a bit difficult but it’s a simple skill that you can learn from reading a few guides and experimenting with your content. It is surely easier to work for another party as they’re giving you the correct guidelines.
Choosing Titles
When you start writing online articles, you will realize just how important it is to choose the right title for your online article. Some say that article titles need to be a ”Goldilocks” length which is more than 8 words and less than 14. This may vary depending on how you want to present your article.
Ideally, your article should include a keyword from the subject you’re writing about. There are a wide variety of different techniques you can use for attracting attention to your article through its wording such as using emotional words like ”love” or ”hate”, asking a question, making the title about the reader by including you, or other.
It will get you more clicks by challenging people’s established opinions, but confirming people’s established opinions will get you more shares. There are SEO plugins that can help you analyze the effectiveness of your headlines which can be very helpful.
Readability And Brevity
When writing online articles, you should think about readability. It is important to mention that you should try and stick mainly to short and clear sentences. For the average reading page, 20 to 25 words per sentence are considered about right. You can also follow this rule to degrees that vary from audience to audience. Some plugins can help you gauge the readability of your articles as well.
It is also important not to take too long to get to the point. When writing, you should give your audience a taste of what the article will be at the start, and then reiterate it to conclude the piece.
Once you start writing more and more, it will be easier for you to follow and include all of these tips and tricks to make your online articles readable and interesting for your audience which is the main goal.