1. Title, deck, and lead
The article's title and deck should tell the reader what the subject is, as narrowly as possible. Save cute titles for the next children's book you write. The lead paragraph should accomplish two things:

If you can't clearly and succinctly describe at least one compelling benefit, don't publish it.

2. Byline and bio
Never publish an article without a byline. Readers want to know if the information is authoritative. ("Says who?") If the author's name is not familiar to readers, or if the author's acronyms (M.D., CPA, PhD, etc.) don't immediately establish his or her expertise, provide a link to a bio. The link should be close to the byline. If readers aren't sure how authoritative the article is, they might skip it. The bio should provide a link to the author's contact information, in case the reader has questions (or needs advice).

In the bio, avoid promoting the author. Just give information that will establish the author's authoritativeness.

3. Currency
When was the article written? If the topic is income tax deductions or software tips, readers won't read an article that was written in 1998. If they can't find the original publication date, they might skip it – because there are a hundred other articles on the same topic that are current. If the article you wrote in 1998 is, in fact, still current, tell readers that it has been updated. For example: "Published 1998. Updated April 2005."

4. Internal navigation (table of contents)
See the contents box at the top of the left-hand column on this page? That helps the reader find specific information, rather than forcing the reader to scroll down a long page to find it. Online readers might not have the patience to scroll very far.

5. Descriptive subheads
Use boldface subheads early and often. The reader should be able to find pertinent information by scanning the subheads.

6. Skip-to links
Some readers already know the fundamental stuff in the early part of your article, and want to get right to the more advanced information. Give them a break. For example: "If you already know how to tie your shoes, you can skip to the section on buckling your belt by clicking here."

7. Condense, boil, pare, trim
You've heard it before: people have short attention spans online, so write concisely. (I know, you think you're exempt from this rule.) If you've got a heck of a lot to say, summarize it online and invite readers to read a more comprehensive version elsewhere in PDF format, or invite them to request the print version.

8. No gratuitous graphics
Use images – the smaller the better – to complement text only when they clarify or add vital information. People usually expect a graphic element to be clickable (contain an embedded link), and will be disappointed if the link doesn't go anywhere.

Don't overwhelm your editorial message with graphic design, unless you are a graphic designer.

9. No gratuitous links, either
Give readers links (either hypertext or embedded) that will help clarify or extend the information they need. Don't link to another site just because you can. Too much underlined, colored text gets annoying.

10. Text column width
Most people don't want to read a long article online. They'll print it out and read it, maybe after they log off the computer. If the text on your Web page is too wide, it will run off the printed page. Make sure the text column is narrow enough to fit entirely on paper.

11. Readable typeface
People will read a short article online – one screenful, maybe two, of text. Sans serif typefaces (like Arial) are easier to read on a computer screen than serif faces (like Times New Roman). If your article is longer than a screen or two, set it in serif typeface, because that's easier to read on paper; or provide a separate "printer-friendly" version in serif face.

12. Site navigation
Provide links to the website's home page and contact information. (In fact, every single page of the website should provide those links. You wouldn't believe how many times I've found a good article on the Web but had no clue who wrote it or whose website contained it.) Don't assume people will use the "Backspace" key to find the home page, because they may have come from a search engine or another website's deep link.