5 Tips to Writing Effective Membership Site Content

Posted on 24. Aug, 2010 by Steve in Tips & Tricks

Membership sites are unique because they are exclusive, enclosed communities. This provides a number of benefits and drawbacks when it comes to creating content. The key is to make sure that whatever you are writing is done so with your members in mind. Here are 5 writing tips to ensure that your membership content is as effective as possible.

1. Length

If you are trying to decide how long to make your text content, a good rule of thumb is to make it about 30% as long as a similar printed article. People don’t really read long pieces of content online, rather they scan it. By shortening your content, the odds will increase that people will actually read it all. Along the same lines, you should also keep each paragraph short – no more than 5 sentences Plus, the white space between each paragraph makes it easier on the readers eyes.

2. Dumb It Down

It is an unfortunate truth, but the most effective writing is written at about a 6th to 8th grade level. The USA Today is consistently berated because it is written in simple terms, but this is also why it is the most accessible newspaper for the masses. Simple sentence structure can go a long way in making your content easy to read.

3. Brevity

In general, stronger sentences are shorter than weaker sentences There is no reason to add extra words that act as nothing but filler. Along this same line, using simple words get a much better response from the average reader because they can focus on what your saying rather than how you are saying it.

4. Simplify Complex Content

Sometimes there is no way to really simplify a complex thought, strategy, or information. By layering and adding links, you can break down complex content into more user friendly forms. The best way to do this is to make a different page for each “part” of the content. Then you can link out to each page so that if the reader wants more detail, they can read it separately

5. Stay Active

The internet is an active environment. By sticking with present or present perfect tense, you will be able to make your text sound fresher. Along the same lines, it is important to avoid using a passive voice.

There is obviously a lot more to becoming a great content writer for the internet, however following these 5 rules will go a long way. Remember, it doesn’t matter how good your content is if no one can read it.