The world of content has been growing since Gutenberg introduced the printing press in the 1440s. In the 18th century, reading had become so popular that it worried the public, saying the youth had gone mad with “reading fever” and “reading addiction.” People have been reading and writing for centuries.
How Reading Has Changed
Today, the amount of content on the internet far exceeds that of the physically printed word. And when people aren’t interested in reading novels or books and are looking for specific information, they will usually find what they need on the internet.
It has been said that attention spans are shrinking. According to a recent study, this is not the case; people are just becoming used to convenience and instant gratification. This means that when someone is searching for specific information, they are looking to sift through the fluff and find what they need without too much effort.
Because our brains have changed to accommodate the extended use of the internet for reading content, it has changed the way we read. Nicholas Carr explored this phenomenon in his piece; “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Atlantic’s 2008 cover story. He argues that our attention spans for deep reading have changed to suit a link-to-link jumping ‘scan’. We have become finely tuned to find information quickly, and when we don’t find what we want we click the next link.
How to Write Content for Websites
The web-reader skims and scans online content for what is relevant to them. Copywriters are the virtual shepherds of the internet, nudging and guiding the reader in the direction that works the best. Now that the copywriter is acclimatised, they can take advantage of Carr’s discernments.
Carr touches on important insights into the mind of the web reader. He says; “hyperlinks don’t merely point you to related works; they propel you toward them.” The copywriter must use this information to choose the most appropriate link for said propulsion.
To understand how to write for an audience you must be aware of the way the person reads. These insights are what make copywriters at Starbright finely tuned in the art of internet writing. We seduce the skim reader into a web of links to further your business. We educate, train, engage and create awareness to propel your company to success.
For custom websites, contact the Starbright team for advice and website copywriting services.