Hone Your Web Writing Skills

Writing for the Web may be more challenging than you think. Not only do you have to consider factors like search engine optimization and brevity, but also whether what you're writing complies with current web-writing rules, explains Kristen Fischer, freelance copywriter and author of Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal With Career Ups and Downs.

For many, it's hard enough keeping up with the standards outlined in the widely used Associated Press Stylebook, but with the release of Yahoo's new style guide, The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, and Creating Content for the Digital World, the task may get even trickier.

But don't get too worked up just yet. "Even though style guides may differ, there are a few tips for online writing that won't go out of style," says Fischer. "In fact, when you implement several key techniques, the quality of your writing will likely go up a notch."

Fischer shares five tips for improving your online writing skills:

1. Informal is OK. Unless you are creating content for a technical platform, most website content is conversational in nature. This means making everything simple to understand and knowing your audience. Think about the kind of material readers would like to see and tailor your text to them. Say you're writing website content for a landscaping company; your target audience is property owners and your goal is to get them to call and hire the company. A dissertation on lawn-cutting will not be necessary; instead, create content about how simple it is to hire a landscaper and how the customer can avoid roasting in the summer by using the company's services, for example.
2. Don't always avoid contractions. Your English teacher may have taught you how to use apostrophes to make one word out of two, but you learned not to use them in term papers. Remember, online content can (and, in many cases, should) be informal, so using contractions in moderation is perfectly acceptable. Whether you're blogging or writing website content, it's acceptable to add that apostrophe now and then.
3. Split an infinitive. In the past, you were probably told to keep your "to's" and "be's" together, as in "to be absolutely sure" instead of saying "to absolutely be sure." But in the online copywriting age, it’s OK to write like you speak, so long as you keep things professional. So don't worry if you split an infinitive. If it sounds fine, it probably is.
4. Make a statement. Have you ever seen a really witty tagline online? It was probably a few words followed by a period. Well, you can be short and sweet whether it's a headline or a sentence. For some extra emphasis or drama in your writing, feel free to get a little choppy. Sometimes a short headline or sentence is useful. Enough said.
5. Break up your text. When someone visits a website, they will likely give the page a quick scan to see if they are interested. The right content – and how it's presented – can lure viewers. Break up the text spatially so the content is easily scannable. Headlines and sub-headlines do wonders to keep visitors interested in what they're reading. Use short paragraphs or include a few bullet points. These are great ways to break things up a little – and get viewers hooked on what your content has to offer.

Kristen Fischer is a New Jersey-based copywriter and journalist. She is the author of Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal With Ups and Downs and Ramen Noodles, Rent and Resumes: An After-College Guide to Life, and is a regular contributor to FreelanceSwitch. To learn more about Fischer, visit www.kristenfischer.com.

Sticky Social Media Situations

Social networking sites have many advantages, but easily maintaining distinct lines between your personal and professional life isn't one of them. Something as simple as stating your political views on Facebook or tweeting about how you're overwhelmed at work can present some awkward moments if read by colleagues.

Following are three sticky social media situations, along with tips on how to handle them:

You wish you weren't someone's "friend." Say you attend a local Photoshop Meetup event and, a few days later, a web designer you met invites you to connect with her on Facebook. Since you chatted briefly with the person – and don't want her to take your non-acceptance as rejection – you agree to the request. Unfortunately, once you do so, she begins obnoxiously commenting on nearly every one of your posts – and even tries to "friend" some of your friends.

What should you do? If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, you might consider adjusting your privacy settings to create a "work" list of contacts who wouldn't be privy to more personal posts. Another option is to direct professional acquaintances to LinkedIn for connecting.

You're tagged in an unflattering photo. When you were in college 15 years ago, you probably never thought a photo of you in a magenta tube skirt taking tequila shots with friends would come back to haunt you. But now an old classmate has made it her personal hobby to tag you and others in a series of unflattering images on Facebook. Perhaps your "friend" thinks it's cute to post such pictures, but when your contacts include professional colleagues, debaucherous images from the past lose some of their nostalgia.

What should you do? If you find yourself the victim of unflattering photo tags, untag yourself and privately e-mail the person posting them to say you'd prefer not to be tagged in future photos. You also can adjust your privacy settings so photos are only viewable by your close friends.

You make a rookie mistake. Some of the more embarrassing social media moments happen when users don't quite comprehend the "power" at their fingertips. Perhaps you post a complaint on Facebook about an old boss, not realizing that you "friended" her months ago. Hours later, you receive an e-mail from your ex-boss about the gaffe, but there's no arguing: the damage is done.

What should you do? Make sure you fully understand the parameters (and who is friends with whom) of whatever social media tool you're using. And always be diplomatic because your comments could come back to bite you.

Key take-away: It's critical to keep your reputation as your first priority when using social media. Remember that your posts can, in effect, serve as a sort of living history of your interests, knowledge and professionalism. If you wouldn't want an employer to read it, don't post, tweet or blog about it. And if you do have an awkward situation, take proactive steps to remedy it as quickly as possible.