Texts convey information, points of view, ideas or messages - and should do one thing above all: have a certain effect. For this to succeed, it is crucial to consider the needs and expectations of the target group.
An analysis in advance helps to optimize the text in terms of language, content and structure. This will also help to determine the tone and style that should be chosen. The following tips will support you in content creation for websites and help you to create successful texts for both readers and search engines.
Point 1: Understand the reading behavior on the Internet
Put yourself in the position of your target group's reading behavior and take your findings into account when writing your text. Internet users are looking for quick, precise information. They do not read linearly as in print media, but scan texts for relevant content. Typical characteristics:
- Readers search for specific keywords.
- Attention is first focused on headings, lists and menu items.
- Users have little time and skip quickly if information is not immediately visible.
- Texts on the web are often read in parallel with other pages.
- The attention span is short - the first few seconds are crucial.
👉 Conclusion: Plan content creation so that information can be grasped immediately.
Point 2: The most important things come first
Write your texts in such a way that the statements with the highest benefit value come first, followed by further details in descending order of benefit. This principle is particularly suitable for product and service descriptions. The texts published for this purpose should satisfy the reader's need for information as quickly and completely as possible. Otherwise there is a risk that they will leave the website early and surf on to the competition. Therefore, keep the following points in mind when writing your texts:
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Headlines arouse curiosity and motivate people to read on.
- Key message first - in the very first sentences.
- Answer the W questions: Who? What? Why? How?
- Each text must stand alone - visitors often land directly on subpages.
Also remember to write the texts on a website in such a way that each text can stand on its own. Do not assume that visitors to the website will read the texts in a certain order. Some visitors arrive at the website via a page engine and often start their exploration of the website with a subpage.
Point 3: Make it easy for the reader
Providing information alone is not enough to prevent visitors from "jumping off" a website. It is just as important to prepare the information as advantageously as possible for quick absorption and processing.
Good content creation consists not only of pure information, but also of the form in which it is presented:
- Use subheadings sensibly.
- One thought per paragraph.
- Use lists (5-7 points).
- Texts for the web: approx. 50 % shorter than in print.
- Calls to action provide orientation.
- Use clear, active language.
- Maintain a consistent writing style.
- Spelling mistakes make practiced fast reading more difficult
- Keep line lengths rather short (7 to 12 words)
- Avoid italic emphasis and refrain from underlining, as this can have an unfavorable effect on reading speed
👉 Avoid "lead deserts" - by using short paragraphs, flush left, clear highlighting.
Further information:
http://www.html-seminar.de/schreiben-fuer-das-internet.htm
Point 4: Shorten long texts
Reader-friendliness comes from conciseness. Therefore, pay attention to:
- Avoid repetition and filler words.
- Clear, descriptive language (no nested sentences).
- Avoid unnecessary everyday knowledge.
Fewer modal verbs (can, should, must ...).
Point 5: As factual as possible
The Internet is often perceived as less credible than traditional media. When writing texts, particular attention should therefore be paid to objectivity. The reader should have the feeling that the author wants to inform them in a comprehensible way, but does not want to unduly influence them and in particular does not want to pressurize them. The following therefore applies:
- Create trust through testimonials, specialist articles or case studies.
- State the publication and update date.
- Avoid foreign words and abbreviations.
Explain complex content simply - without patronizing the audience. - Design and animations are nice, but texts take center stage.
Point 6: Search engine optimization
Good content creation is aimed at both people and search engines. Pay attention to:
- Usekeywords strategically (incl. synonyms).
- Define main and secondary keywords.
- Optimize meta title, meta description and URL.
- E-A-T principle: expertise, authority, trust.
- Use structured data and rich snippets.
- Update content regularly.
👉 Always write for people, not for algorithms.
Point 7: Procedure/methodology/tools
A clear process supports the creation of web texts:
- Define text type (SEO landing page, informational text, sales text).
- Define target group, tonality and style.
- Determine core message & keywords.
- Check competitor texts and keyword analyses.
- Build structure with headings.
- Formulate text & check quality (e.g. with colleagues or tools).
- Final correction and SEO check.
Monitoring: Evaluate traffic, CTR and bounce rate.
Useful tools for content creation & optimization:
- Google Analytics 4
- SEO tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs or Sistrix
Language tools such as LanguageTool or Grammarly
Conclusion
Successful content creation means designing texts in such a way that they captivate readers and convince search engines. With a clear structure, precise language and regular updates, content remains relevant in the long term.
👉 Tip: Start with a content audit - check existing texts for topicality, SEO and readability. Even small adjustments can have a big impact.
