Inverted Pyramid – Built for Web Readers
Use the Inverted Pyramid to lead with your most important info, then add context, then background. It’s perfect for web readers who scan fast, and for editors at places like WIRED.com who want strong, clear intros on the first screen.
Think of this page as a layout tool: take your messy notes and pour them into a clean “top → middle → base” structure that works on any screen.
What is the Inverted Pyramid (and why web readers love it)?
The Inverted Pyramid is a structure where you lead with the most important information first, then add supporting details, then background. It comes from newsrooms, but it’s perfect for web readers who scan, skim, and might leave at any time.
For web and magazine work, this means: your first screen answers “What is this? Why should I care?” — then each scroll adds more depth. Editors love it because they can see the full value of your piece in the first few lines.
Three layers of the Inverted Pyramid for web articles
Take any topic and pour it into these three layers: Top (essential), Middle (key details), Base (background & extras). Use the grid like a worksheet every time you plan a new piece.
Layer 1 — Essential information (first 2–4 sentences)
This is what readers must know even if they stop after the intro. It belongs in your headline, subhead, and first screen.
- What happened or what’s the core idea?
- Who is involved, and why should readers care?
- What is the key impact, benefit, or consequence?
Layer 2 — Key details and explanations
This layer supports the top. It answers questions your reader naturally asks after reading the first part.
- How does this work in practice?
- Where is it happening (places, platforms, industries)?
- Which groups are affected the most?
Layer 3 — Background, examples, and side notes
This is where you put extra depth: history, step-by-step breakdowns, expert quotes, niche examples, and further reading.
- What history led to this moment?
- What supporting studies, quotes, or stories add depth?
- What tips, steps, or case studies help readers act?
Use the Inverted Pyramid to earn from web writing
Editors and clients pay more attention to work that is easy to read and easy to cut. The Inverted Pyramid helps you:
- Make your pitch intros stronger When your opening paragraph already shows the full value of the story, editors at WIRED-style sites can say “yes” faster.
- Write web-friendly articles Web readers get the main value even if they only read the top. That keeps editors happy with time-on-page and scroll depth.
- Deliver flexible drafts Clients and editors can cut from the bottom up without ruining the story, which makes your drafts much easier to work with.
- Strong, inverted-pyramid intros look good in a portfolio and win more editorial commissions.
- Brands want writers who can structure pages so readers get value quickly, which leads to more copywriting and content retainers.
- You can specialise as “the writer who fixes intros and structure”, a skill many teams happily pay for.
The more your content respects the reader’s time, the more editors and clients will respect your rates.
Workflow: Use the Inverted Pyramid for any web article
➊ Choose topic → ➋ Fill Top / Middle / Base grid → ➌ Turn Top into intro → ➍ Expand Middle and Base into sections → ➎ Publish / pitch with web-first structure.
Next you’ll see two demos: one news-style intro and one blog / case study layout using the same inverted-pyramid idea.
Demo: Inverted Pyramid intro for a news-style piece
Example topic: how a major city is turning old office buildings into affordable housing for remote workers.
Notes in the three layers
City policy shift: empty offices → housing for people priced out of the city.
- Top (Essential): City announces a plan to convert empty downtown offices into affordable apartments for remote workers and low-income residents. Big numbers: how many buildings, how many homes, timeline.
- Middle (Key Details): Which districts are affected, what kinds of buildings qualify, which groups get priority, early reactions from developers and tenants.
- Base (Background): History of office vacancies since 2020, previous failed attempts at similar schemes, comparisons to other cities, and expert opinions on long-term impact.
Draft intro using the Inverted Pyramid
Top – Essential (first 3 sentences):
The city just approved a plan to turn dozens of empty downtown office buildings
into affordable apartments for remote workers and low-income residents — a move
officials say could create up to 12,000 new homes over the next five years.
The first conversions will begin early next year in the financial district,
where vacancy rates have quietly climbed above 30 percent.
Middle – Key Details (next 1–2 paragraphs):
Under the new rules, building owners who agree to convert offices into housing
will receive tax breaks and faster planning approvals, in exchange for reserving
a share of units for tenants below a certain income threshold. Early pilot
projects include two towers near the central train station and a block of
older brick offices that have sat half-empty since the pandemic. Tenant groups
welcome the plan but warn that without strict oversight, the new apartments
could drift toward premium “live–work lofts” instead of accessible homes.
Base – Background & Extras (later in the article):
You then move into the history, comparisons to other cities, interviews, and
expert analysis — all built on top of a clear, self-contained top section.
Demo: Inverted Pyramid layout for a blog or case study
Now let’s use the same structure for a content marketing case study about how a SaaS tool reduced churn for a client.
Layered outline
- Top: One paragraph that states the main result: “Client cut churn by 27% in six months by changing how they onboard new users with our product.”
- Middle: 2–3 sections that explain what was happening before, what changes were made, and how the rollout worked (key decisions, timelines).
- Base: Additional charts, secondary metrics, quotes from the client’s team, lessons learned, and “what we’d do differently next time.”
Sample “Top” for the case study (web-friendly)
Top – Essential:
In six months, AcmeCo cut customer churn by 27% — not by adding more features,
but by changing what new users see in their first 14 days with the product.
By rebuilding their onboarding around one simple outcome for each customer
segment, and tracking a handful of behaviour signals in our platform, they
turned “try it once and leave” accounts into long-term subscriptions.
Everything after this “Top” section can then walk through how they did it, who was involved, and what other companies can copy — all while readers already know the main result from the first screen.
Fill-in-the-blank templates for Inverted Pyramid web writing
Use these templates as starting points. Replace each [bracketed text] with your own topic, data, and details.
Template · Inverted Pyramid for a web article / feature
Template · Inverted Pyramid for a blog post or case study
Template · Inverted Pyramid for a newsletter update
- Take one messy draft, highlight the most important info, and move it to the top.
- Use the templates above to rewrite the intro using the Inverted Pyramid.
- Compare “before” and “after” — save both in your portfolio to show editors.
After a few rounds, leading with the most important information will feel natural every time you open a new document.
Checklist: Is your article truly using the Inverted Pyramid?
Use this checklist as a quick final pass. You’re checking if the structure is friendly to web readers, editors, and clients.
- Top: The first 2–4 sentences contain the main idea, key people, and why it matters — no “slow warm-up” delay.
- Middle: The next sections answer the obvious “how / where / who” questions without repeating the intro.
- Base: Background, history, and side stories come after the core story is clear.
- Scan test: If someone only read the first screen, they would still understand the main point.
- Cut test: If an editor cut the last 2–3 paragraphs, the story would still make sense and feel complete.
- Money link: The top of the piece clearly supports a business or editorial goal (clicks, signups, shares, or brand trust).
Once this structure becomes a habit, your drafts will feel clearer on the first read — which is exactly what busy editors, clients, and web readers reward.