Planning What to Write, and Writing It Well

Every page needs two decisions before it is published. First, decide whether you have something useful to add. Then write it so a reader can find the answer and understand what to do with it.

These guides cover both parts: choosing topics that draw on your experience, and writing pages people can use.

Deciding What to Write

The information gain guide uses a useful editorial test: before writing, ask what the page can add beyond the material a reader is likely to find elsewhere. The phrase “information gain” appears in a Google patent, not in Google’s published ranking guidance, so we do not treat it as a confirmed ranking factor. It is still a practical way to avoid publishing another summary of the same advice.

What a business already has that nobody else does is the raw material. What customers ask before they buy. What you have seen go wrong repeatedly. Numbers from your own work. The decision you made when the standard advice did not fit your situation.

The prioritization guide covers what to do when the list of ideas is longer than the calendar. Start by auditing what you have already published. A page already appearing for relevant searches may be a better candidate for improvement than a new topic, especially when it has useful material, a clear search intent, and room to become more complete. Updating an existing URL also preserves the links and history associated with that page.

Writing So Readers Can Use It

The web writing guide covers the habits that differ from the writing most of us were taught. Put the answer first rather than building to it. Keep sentences short enough to survive skimming. Give a reader a reason to trust the page before asking them to do anything.

A common problem is copy that could describe any company in the category, which is what happens when a draft is assembled from what competitors say rather than from what you know.

Inclusive language belongs here because it is a craft question as much as anything else. Assumptions about a reader’s family, income, ability, or circumstances can narrow who sees themselves in the message. Those assumptions are often easier to spot in review than while drafting.

For stores, product descriptions are the writing with the most direct effect on revenue and the most likely to be left at whatever the manufacturer supplied. Manufacturer copy can make several product pages sound interchangeable. A stronger description helps a shopper understand the product, its fit, and the details that matter before they compare price alone.

Where to Start

Start with the pages you already have. Identify where you can add firsthand knowledge, clearer answers, or details a reader will not find elsewhere. Then choose the next topic with the same test.