Whether it’s article writing, guest blogging, or web copywriting, all writing on the web aims to be concise and packed with useful information. People don’t read web content but scan it. This makes the use of bullet points, lists, short paragraphs, and sub-headlines crucial. Keep on reading to find out more about the differences between the major web writing styles.
Article Writing
Article writing uses the structure of an inverted pyramid. The first paragraph should contain the main point of the article. Then the following paragraphs expand the topic. Usually, it’s one main idea per paragraph.
Sentences are short and declarative and contain plenty of action verbs. Paragraphs are brief and easy to read. Many articles on the web focus on the problems and challenges of the reader and feature a call to action.
Article writing is more objective and formal than blog writing. It also focuses more on keywords. It’s not usually as persuasive as copywriting, though it sometimes tries to be.
Blog Writing
Of all types of web writing, blog writing is probably the most liberal. It can be politely formal, casually informal, or bluntly plain. Because blog writing is used to convey personal feelings, it tends to be a bit more metaphorical than other types of web writing.
Sentences are even shorter than in articles and more emphatic. The structure doesn’t matter that much, though the use of lists and sub-headings is common among most bloggers. A lot of the blog writing on the web is full of jargon.
Blog writing is far more personal and cordial than article writing. And unlike copywriting, it tends to be persuasive without trying to be persuasive.
Copywriting
Copywriting on the web is not that much different from traditional copywriting. That said, like all writing published online, it tends to be more to the point. It always calls to action, and quite often it does it in ingenious ways, calling attention to amusing facts or clever ideas.
Copywriting on the web is more persuasive than article writing, and usually more serious than blog writing. Keywords are essential when it comes to copywriting – in this regard, it shares some similarities with article writing.
In the end, all three major web writing styles are, despite their differences, brief, relaxed, and easy to grasp.