Best Practices: Writing Good Knols

Overview

A knol is an introductory article about a specific subject. To write a successful knol, focus on the first things a reader would want to know about your topic. Remember that knols are openly available online, so you should aim to write for the broadest possible audience. For example, it’s best to avoid jargon and explain technical terms in straightforward language.

Length

There’s no ideal length for a knol, but as a general rule a good knol will be longer than a typical web page. Because knols are meant for readers who want more detail on a subject, they should be more in-depth than most web content. That said, be concise in your writing. Readers appreciate getting to the point no matter what type of information they’re looking for.

Tone

Knols aren’t blogs, and should avoid the informal conversational style common in blog entries. Use a more formal tone. Think of your knol as a statement more than as an ongoing conversation. A good tone to aim for would be similar to that of a textbook or a pamphlet: clinical and informative.

Dos and Don'ts

Do...

• Voice your opinion

Since knol authors receive attribution, knols are a great forum for expressing your opinions. Present the facts and argue your case. Readers can decide what’s valuable from your writing.


• Think about how to get your readers involved in your topic

Knol offers a simple and powerful way for authors to interact with readers, which we call "moderated collaboration." With moderated collaboration, you no longer have to rely solely on ratings and long strings of reader comments to improve your content. Now, your readers can edit your knols directly, making it easier to collaborate. At the same time you stay in control, accepting or rejecting any suggested edits before they’re published and become visible to readers. Moderated collaboration is great for things like soliciting feedback, sharing partial data and building collective lists. We encourage you to think about how to use the feature in your knols.

Also, be sure to check the comments to your knols regularly, and update content as needed. Addressing reader feedback will help improve your knols' ratings and relevance.


• Provide references, ask for reviews and display your credentials

References, credentials and positive reviews can help you gain the confidence of your readers. Use your bio to tell readers why they should trust your opinion on a given topic, and reference other works that informed your thinking. If you know of good resources on your topic, you can link to them from within your article to make it easy for readers to learn more.

If possible, ask other experts to write reviews of your knols. A positive review can show that your opinion is respected by others who are knowledgeable in your field.


• Focus on communicating clearly

Use headings to divide sections. Use lists and formatting to allow users to scan material quickly. A well-organized knol will be easier to read and engage more readers. Be sure to choose a relevant title for your article. Most search engines will give more importance to your knol title and subtitle, so a knol with a clear and informative title will have a head start when it comes to attracting readers.


• Bring your topic to life.

Insert relevant images to make your knol visually appealing. Use videos or slide-shows to bring your topic to life.

Don'ts...

• Write a blog
  
  Blogs are great for quickly and easily getting your latest writing in front of readers. Knols are better for when you want to write an authoritative article on a single topic. The tone should be more formal than that of a typical blog post. In addition, while it's easy to update your knols’ content to keep them fresh, knols aren't designed for continuously posting new content or threading. Recently mastered the process of fixing a leaky toilet, but don't want to write a blog about the weeks you spent repairing your bathroom? In that case, write a knol offering a step-by-step guide. 
  

 

Want to see what a good knol looks like? Here are a few examples of knols that follow the guidelines we’ve set out above: