Writing for the web: how to write content people actually read
Claire Hewitt | December 15, 2025
Image by Dean Drobot / Canva
People give web content seconds, not minutes. If your page is hard to scan, your community misses out — and so do you. At the recent local government association (ALGIM) conference, we shared practical ways to write web content people actually read. This helps you engage your online community and improves user engagement on your website.
Understand how people read online
Imagine your reader with a phone in one hand and dinner on the stove. They’re not settling in for a quiet night with your policy page; they just want a quick answer before the pasta boils over.
Most people arrive at a page, glance at the top, and decide whether to stay. The average time on a webpage is just 54 seconds. People skim in an F shape, hunting for words that match their questions. Dense paragraphs, vague headings, and warm-up paragraphs send them quietly back to their search results.
The good news is that we can still ensure our content cuts through by respecting how people actually read online — they’ll be more likely to stay, act, and come back.
Structure your webpages so people find what they need fast
Think of each page as a helpful host, not a maze with a ‘Good luck’ sign. In the first screen on any device, your reader should know where they are and what they can do. This is at the heart of good writing for the web.
Use the inverted pyramid
Start with the most important message. If your reader only sees the first few lines, they should still understand the main point. Put the key message and action up front before adding the details. Keep the ‘nice to know’ and history at the end. Your 54 seconds are ticking, so don’t spend them on the backstory!
Write clear, specific headings
Headings do important work on a webpage. They help people scan and decide where they want to read more. They also work well with search snippets in modern SEO.
Make each heading something your reader might actually say. ‘Book an inorganic collection’ beats ‘Supporting sustainable futures’.
If people can’t find your rates information fast, they may just call you instead. And by then, they’re already frustrated. Clear headings benefit future you.
Break content into short, scannable sections
Walls of text belong in history books, not help pages. Keep paragraphs short, with one main idea in each. Make the most of lists when you have several points, options, or steps.
In your headings you can also echo the questions people ask search tools. Phrases like ‘How do I book the pool?’ help humans and machines understand the page.
Edit your web content so you engage your online community
Once the bones of the page are right, turn to the words themselves. Plain language web writing is about helping people find, understand, and use information the first time they read it.
Keep sentences short and direct
Aim for one idea per sentence. If you need to take a breath in the middle, the sentence is probably doing too much.
Prefer the active voice wherever you can. ‘The council approved the plan’ is more straightforward and relatable than ‘The plan was approved by council’. Active sentences make it easier to see who needs to act, and when.
Uncover verbs and cut clutter
Hunt down clutter with your red pen poised. Phrases like ‘in order to’, ‘and ‘in regards to’ nearly always have shorter options.
Look out for long nouns that hide simple actions:
- ‘undertake an analysis of’ can become ‘analyse’
- ‘implementation of changes’ can become ‘make changes’.
Your writing feels lighter straight away when you make swaps like these.
Choose everyday words your community uses
Concrete, familiar words feel human and trustworthy. They also help people with different literacy levels or who speak English as an additional language. Try ‘use’ instead of ‘utilise’. ‘Help’ instead of ‘assist’. Your inbox will thank you, and your future self will be grateful.
Use AI as your assistant, not your replacement
Many writers now open a blank document and ask AI for a first draft. That’s fine — as long as you remember who the expert is. At Write, we champion AI+Human.
AI can help you outline a page, detangle a messy paragraph, or try three ways to say the same thing. What it can’t do is understand your community and your context with human depth.
Let AI suggest wording, but always bring your own judgement and local knowledge. A little extra care now means clearer pages later.
Take your next step towards clearer web content
You don’t need to rewrite your whole website to see a difference. Instead, begin with one page that matters for your community and go step by step.
- Fix the heading so it says exactly what the page is for.
- Check the first screen on a phone and frontload the key message.
- Shorten one chunky paragraph.
- Turn one list that uses commas into a bullet list.
Small changes like these help you write content people will read. Over time, they also engage your online community and improve user engagement on your website.
If you want support or to refresh your skills, Write is here to help. Our training and content team can make sure your important work doesn’t disappear in a 54-second scroll, and that future you has easier days.