Complex online content can be challenging to create, edit, and proofread. It may involve multiple formats, sources, and perspectives, as well as technical or specialized language. How can you handle such content effectively and efficiently, without compromising quality or clarity? Here are some best practices to follow.
Before you start writing, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your content, who your audience is, and how you will structure and organize your information. A content plan can help you define your goals, tone, voice, style, and keywords, as well as outline your main points, subheadings, and transitions. A content plan can also help you identify and avoid potential gaps, overlaps, or inconsistencies in your content.
You need to have the clarity on the kind of content and target audience Prepare & research enough in order to respect the content, objective and audience. Don't dumb down the idea for the audience, as the target audience need not to be underestimated.
Complex online content often requires extensive research to support your claims, provide evidence, and cite sources. You need to ensure that your research is reliable, relevant, and up-to-date, and that you use credible and authoritative sources. You also need to acknowledge your sources properly, using the appropriate citation style and format. To avoid plagiarism, you need to paraphrase, summarize, or quote your sources accurately and clearly, and give credit where it is due.
When I research a topic, I like to gather viewpoints from as many vantage points as possible. Most of my content revolves around web3. While researching how NFTs will impact the music industry, I explored the current system: How are artists discovered, signed, and paid? - How do record labels distribute royalties, promote artists, and make decisions? - What are the distribution channels? - How do people consume and collect music? After identifying numerous issues within the current model, I evaluated them through the lens of new disruptive technologies. NFTs can be compared to the shift from CDs to streaming. I presented this information after gaining a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the industry and its stakeholders.
When you write complex online content, you need to keep your audience in mind and use language that is clear, concise, and engaging. You need to avoid jargon, slang, or acronyms that may confuse or alienate your readers, and explain any technical or specialized terms that you use. You also need to use transitions, headings, subheadings, lists, and other formatting elements to break up your text and make it easier to scan and follow. You need to use active voice, strong verbs, and varied sentence structures to create interest and impact.
After researching my topic, I define what I want to achieve with the content. Then, I do something my 7th-grade English teacher referred to as "freeflow writing" or a "brain dump." I pour out my thoughts as they come to me. I just put pen to paper without pause. I am most creative when I use old-fashioned pen and paper, or speeh-to-text. Typing is my least favorite method, and I only use it for short content. Either way, this initial version contains numerous grammatical errors, rambling, run-on sentences, and so on. After the content is in text format, I rearrange, edit, and structure it based on its intended use. I prefer to do this on a computer rather than a mobile device.
Editing your complex online content is a crucial step to ensure that it is coherent, consistent, and correct. You need to review your content for its structure, logic, flow, and relevance, and make sure that it matches your content plan and goals. You need to check your content for its tone, voice, style, and readability, and make sure that it suits your audience and purpose. You also need to check your content for any spelling, grammar, punctuation, or syntax errors, and fix them accordingly.
Editing is the most tedious part of the creative process. Now, I use ChatGPT to correct my grammar. It also helps with readability. I realize ChatGPT maintains my tone and voice with short-form content. When editing long-form text, GPT uses words like "delve," which I have never used in my life. Even when I am discussing highly technical topics, I make an effort to use language that my 12-year-old self would understand.
Proofreading your complex online content is the final step to polish and refine it. You need to proofread your content for any errors or typos that you may have missed during editing, and make sure that your content is flawless and professional. You can use tools like spell checkers, grammar checkers, or online proofreading services to help you with this task, but you should also proofread your content manually and carefully. You can also ask someone else to proofread your content for you, or read it aloud to yourself.
Testing your complex online content is a way to evaluate its effectiveness and usability. You need to test your content for its functionality, accessibility, and compatibility across different devices, browsers, and platforms. You also need to test your content for its performance, speed, and security, and make sure that it loads fast and works well. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Google PageSpeed Insights, or Google Search Console to help you with this task, but you should also get feedback from real users and customers.
It is important to note that the audience is of great significance. Understanding my "who" is so deeply ingrained in my creative process that I overlooked clearly mentioning it in the writing step.