She hasn't the faintest idea how to tell a story. She wouldn't know a compound sentence if it fractured her leg. And her stock of similes is lower than the price of sand at the seashore.

Luckily for her, neither these nor many of the other qualities we attribute to "good writing" are necessary for her chosen career. In fact, successful website content has just four key attributes: It's concise, objective, well-organized and scannable (COWS).

Let's take COWS one letter at a time:

1. Concise. When it comes to online content, less is definitely more. In fact, a study by Internet usability guru Jakob Nielsen found that users' satisfaction with a website increased nearly 60 percent when the content of each page was cut in half. Users also hated scrolling and long paragraphs. They preferred the inverted pyramid style, which states the conclusion in the first line and provides supporting material further down.

2. Objective. Your client may be the "world's leading provider" of "unparalleled" products and services--but readers don't want to hear it. To get your point across without annoying your audience, stick to factual information backed up by specific examples. Avoid hyperbole and buzzwords.

3. Well-organized. Creative writing may have no place on a business site, but basic elements of composition do. These include clear and logical organization; limiting each paragraph to one idea; and summing up that idea in a topic sentence. And don't underestimate the importance of grammar, spelling and punctuation. If you can't be bothered to correct egregious errors, why would I trust you with my business?

4. Scannable. As Nielsen points out, people rarely read websites word by word. Instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences and delving deeper only when something catches their interest. The best pages throw out plenty of "hooks" in the form of highlighted keywords, informative (not just clever) subheads, and bulleted information.

Like creative writing, online copy requires a talent for clarity as well as a very specific skill set. My friend the online writer has both. She may not be Faulkner, but her copy is clean, concise and well-organized. No wonder her clients keep her busy 'til the COWS come home.

Deborah Gaines is the founder of Deborah Gaines Associates ( http://www.deborahgaines.com ), specializing in content for websites, newsletters, custom publications and media kits. She has written four books, as well as hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, and tries--whenever possible--to follow her own advice. Contact her at info(at)deborahgaines.com.