How you write depends on how it is read

Copywriting styles differ considerably, depending on which media you are writing for; this is because media itself is so varied. It’s also all about pace and where the reader is when they read it, which affects the writing methods.

Articles are meant to be for leisurely reading, so you can afford to be wordy, have long sentences, and enjoy playing with the language. People usually sit down with a cup of coffee (or glass of wine) to partake of this.

Brochures (includes websites) are informative, and should be adapted for scanning for information. They are usually very visual (lots of pictures) so it’s important not to go overboard with lots of writing. People either read in a relaxed mode or when looking quickly for some information, so bullet points are useful and navigation needs to be good, plus references to other resources.

Blogs are newsy and therefore speedier, and as they’re on the web are subject to busy people scanning them first to work out whether it’s the right post for them, or to gather the information they are craving. The headline is extremely important, not only for SEO reasons, but to grab the attention of a passing or researching audience.

And then there’s Twitter, which is the fastest of all! Not only are we dealing with 140 characters, but during live-stream they can come in thick and fast, and readers have to be on their toes to catch the ones they’re interested in. This is quick-fire information swiftly delivered, where attraction and relevance come into play here, big time!

Related posts:

1. How to write good newsletter content
2. How can my letter get read first?
3. Treat Twitter respectfully for the right response
4. What's the similarity between blogging and twittering?
5. What is the difference between an article and a blog post?