The Iris Academy Specials: Why Writing Online Content Is Different From Writing For Print?

A couple of decades ago, most of the reading we did was restricted to various forms of print media. And a lot of us actually looked forward to spending a couple of hours reading during the weekend! Thanks to the internet explosion, written content has permeated every sphere of life. But the way we interact with online content is different, and therefore, online writers can’t work the same way as print writers do. So let us understand why writing online content is different from writing for print.

Online Audience Has Short Attention Span

People may spend hours glued to their laptops and mobile phones, but their attention span is limited when it comes to reading online content. They skim and scan first to see if the text is worth their time. Many times, they don’t read things till the end. Online writers, whether they are writing a new blog post or creating a sales copy, have to be mindful of this fact. They have to make their text easy to read, and the intended message or call for action should not be inconspicuous.

In contrast, when people pick up a magazine or newspaper, they are happy to read it at a slow pace and unravel complex ideas. This gives more creative freedom to print writers.

Online Content Requires Technical Knowledge

No, you won’t have to code alongside programmers or developers of the website. But if you are writing for online content, you are expected to understand things technically. Firstly, you are creating content for which you have to scan and search the internet swiftly. Secondly, you must know how websites and search engines work. You must be familiar with Search Engine Optimisation, Search Engine Marketing, backlinks generation, etc. and you should be able to tailor your writing against these technicalities.

You may also have to upload blogs using WordPress or manage a social media page. So it’s important to be tech-savvy if you want to work as an online content creator.

Writing For Print Is A Longer Process

Writers who work for print usually get paid more for an assignment or a project. But writing for print is a tedious process. Editors expect highly refined pitches, and you have to spend time in fact-checking if you quote information from a source.

In contrast, online writers have to knock fewer doors in order to bag projects. Since work comes easily, the compensation is less vis-à-vis writing for print. But the whole process is a lot quicker. Pitching is easy, and most likely, your client itself would provide a set of guidelines or ideas for you to work on. You can simply hyperlink the source rather than spending hours fact-checking it. Courtesy a steady stream of work and an easier content creation process, your overall income is likely to be more than that of a print writer.

We do not want to compare the two kinds; some people love to create stellar articles for newspapers and magazines, and some thrive in the fast-paced world of content writing. We intend to highlight the major differences in the two areas of work so that writers who are on the verge of beginning their writing careers can have a clear perspective.

If you want to know more about content writing and learn its subtle nuances, you should consider enrolling in our writing course that will equip you for a promising content writing career.

Join our Academy and put yourself on a quick course to writing success!