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Institute of Advanced Technological and Commercial Studies

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Writing for the web

On a screen, people scan and decide in seconds. Effective web writing puts the useful information first, keeps sentences short and makes every heading an answer. It is a technique, and it can be learned.

The information-first rule

A human screen reader scans headings, stops at the first that answers their question, then reads the start of the paragraph. Writing for the web therefore inverts the academic order: conclusion first, argument next, context at the end for whoever wants it. Headings become answers rather than labels, and paragraphs run to three or four sentences. The text stays the same in substance; reading it becomes twice as fast.

  • The answer in the first sentence, the demonstration after
  • A heading that answers, rather than a heading that announces
  • Paragraphs of three to four sentences, one idea each
  • The words readers themselves use, kept as they are
  • One call to action per page, phrased through the benefit

Rewriting a text in four passes

  1. 01

    Move the conclusion up

    The draft's last sentence is often the published text's first. That single move changes everything.

  2. 02

    Turn headings into answers

    « Our services » says little; « What we take care of » states exactly what to read next.

  3. 03

    Shorten without thinning

    You remove hedging and repetition, never information. The text gains authority.

  4. 04

    Check it on a phone

    A paragraph comfortable on a wide screen becomes a wall on mobile. Proofreading happens on the real device.

The programmes where writing is assessed

Persuasive writing, editorial calendars and content design are assessed blocks with their own volumes. Writing is treated as a professional skill, measured on published work.

ProgrammeLevelDurationCredits and hoursFees
Digital MarketingBachelor's degree2 years120 credits · 1200 h4 600 000 GNF per year
Community ManagementShort course2 months4 credits · 40 h1 000 000 GNF in total
Website CreationShort course3 months6 credits · 60 h1 400 000 GNF in total

Writing questions

How long should a page be?

The length that fully answers the question asked, and not a line more. A short page suits a simple intent; a long page is justified as soon as it replaces three successive searches, provided it is structured by headings that answer.

Should I write for engines or for readers?

The two converge: an engine ranks what answers, and a reader stays on what answers. Using the words your audience employs therefore serves both at once, and that is precisely what keyword research works on.

How do I know a text works?

By watching two signals: time spent on the page, and the questions that stop reaching customer service. The second speaks loudest, because it measures understanding rather than attention.

Writing for the web — Resources | IHETC — IHETC