There are thousands of online guides online, on every subject you could imagine and some you couldn’t, so how can you make yours stand out from the crowd? First, think about a title. Most people will search for a phrase starting with “how to”, so it’s best to begin with those words. Then, state simply and clearly what your guide is about. If a person can’t tell straight away that your guide is for them, they’ll move on. Similarly, don’t use overly flowery or complex language.

Clarity is everything

There’s no need to go overboard with fancy formatting; this can actually harm your chances as many users dislike being distracted. That doesn’t mean you need to be boring, just that simple is better when making your words leap off the page. One way to do this is to use a bullet-point list:

• It stands out instantly
• It doesn’t distract the reader
• It emphasises key points

You can see a great example by taking a look at the guide to Omaha Hold’em Poker if you do a simple online search.

Picture the scene

Not all online guides benefit from images, but many do. An eye-catching photo or design at the top of the page can make the reader stop and look, and then want to know more. Don’t pick too fascinating a picture, though, or you risk your readers remembering only that and not what you wrote in the guide itself! A good place to look is in stock image libraries, which offer a range of royalty-free pictures to pick fromIf you’re really handy with a camera, you could even use a photo you’ve taken yourself.