Demand for online writing to grow

With more enterprises and consumers turning to the Web to create and consume content, online writers are now in demand and, if given proper training, can help produce and perpetuate material that are optimized for digital readership, say industry observers.

According to Colin Lim, content and community manager at online jobs portal JobsCentral, there is growing demand for online content producers as more companies tap online channels and social media to reach out to potential clients and consumers.

Even print magazines and newspapers in recent years have established an online presence, leading to demand for the necessary online writing skillsets, Lim told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail interview.

Ang Peng Hwa, acting head of the division of journalism and publishing at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, also noted that the "growing demand" for persons with writing skills tailored for today's digitally-savvy readers.

Ang, who is also the director of the Singapore Internet Research Center, said the digital writing market will continue to grow because readers are now used to "content in short bursts" such as SMS (short messaging service), as well as online advertising which has made it possible to more closely measure and target reader demographics.

William Gibson, head of the journalism department at SAE Institute, added that online writing skills are not only sought after in "hard [news] journalism" sectors but also to support corporate blogs, lifestyle and travel sites. The school will launch its 12-month diploma in digital journalism course in July.

Multimedia in online writing
Asked if formal training for online writing is necessary, Gibson said in an e-mail that professionals in this industry, particularly for freelancers, can learn on the job. "[But], with proper training, writers can hone their digital skillset before starting work," he said.

He added that besides writing, there are other relevant skills needed to support the technical and multimedia aspects of digital content creation, given that today's online audience generally want more multimedia content such as videos and slideshows, as seen on news sites such as BBC and The New York Times.

"Thanks to technology, writers today have more tools at their disposal to create content, such as video and audio, that exceeds the printed word and can offer a greater emotional impact to the audience", he explained.

For "digital-borne writing", Gibson noted that these professionals should have a strong foundation in researching and writing "to create profound and cohesive content", as well as in utilizing multimedia such as audio, video, still images and animation without losing the key points.

Ang from NTU, which offers an online journalism module as part of its Bachelor of Communication Studies program, added that having prior training can also better prepare writers and avoid mistakes that could result in lawsuits.

For these reasons, he recommended that writers undergo training to gain knowledge in critical writing and "news sense", particularly for editorial positions.

Ang added that Web content should be written in ways that allow it to be easily "searchable", so various components such as headlines need to be adapted to the online space and easily comprehensible when listed among search results to encourage readers to click on the link.

Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter, a non-profit journalism resource site, noted that writers who have a range of skills such as shooting and editing video, social media smarts and some "digital fluency" will stand out.

Janice Tay, who previously interned at a print magazine and now works as an online content producer at a news site, said she made the switch because "more people live their lives online and turn to their PCs, rather than print, for information".

In an e-mail, the 23-year-old said online writing involves rich media such as images and videos because "people don't just want to see words when they read online". She also noted the need for "simpler and more succinct writing" to capture the read's attention.