A great new article on Digital Web Magazine brings to light a very important topic on copywriting for the Web. Author Jennie Robinson stresses the importance of clear, consise language, the pitfalls of buzzwords, and generally calls to designers and Web professionals to think of Web site copy as an extension of the site's design: which is exactly what it is. As design professionals, we try our hardest to develop unique, attractive layouts that aptly portray the products and services our clients offer, as well as the clients themselves. Why should the content be any different?

In many cases we supply the design, but the client supplies the copy. If your project falls under this category, please keep in mind the following criteria for developing effective copy:

• Write in a layman's common language -- avoid technical jargon or catchy buzzwords
• Use 50% fewer words than you would for print
• Avoid long pages and large blocks of text -- if unavoidable split the content into multiple pages
• Use customer-focused language
• Avoid redundancy

If unsure, ask your development company to provide some guidance in the copy you are developing.