An Introduction to Writing for the Web
This guide is designed to provide a brief introduction to the principles of web writing.
WHY WRITE FOR THE WEB?
Websites and online resources are increasingly used by many people as a “default” source of information. One of the measures of a successful website is its ability to attract and retain users, so first impressions are important – and you are much more likely to make a favourable impression if you present the content of your website in a way which appeals to your audience. Writing for an online audience involves different techniques than writing for other publications. Below are some useful tips for making the content of your website as readable as possible.
TOP TIPS FOR WRITING FOR THE WEB
LANGUAGE
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Think about the audience you're writing for. Try to engage with them by using "people friendly" language - relating we, at the [organisation], to you, the [website] visitor. Talk to your readers, rather than in the third person (unless in a more formal context) Your language should also be simple, readable and engaging – and suitable for your audience. Remember, your website could be read by anyone on the web Avoid jargon and use ‘plain English’ language where possible. If you use acronyms be sure to explain these the first time they appear.
TITLE
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The title of your page should reflect the content, and be a good indication of what the user will find on the page.
STRUCTURE
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Try to structure your content logically: o Headline/Title (tell the user what you're going to tell them) o Summary/Introduction (tell them it) o Body/Discussion (tell them it again) o Conclusion/links to related information (wrap it up and send them somewhere relevant) The headline/title should indicate what will be contained in the summary/introduction – which in turn should describe the rest of the content. Use links to reach related information (especially if it appears somewhere else already); don't try and cram it all onto one page. For example, for "procedural" information and documents - that often can't be re-written for the web - use a web page to describe and summarise your content, then attach the document as a download.
PRESENTATION
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Think about the page layout and visual impact of content: o If possible, display tabular data in a "graphical" manner (and provide an accessible alternative). o Make use of numbered lists and bullet points.
FORMATTING
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AVOID USING UPPER CASE where possible – it is the textual equivalent of shouting and also takes longer to read than lower case text. Upper case should be reserved for stylistic formatting (such as headers) or for acronyms.
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Make sure your formatting is consistent – especially on the same page, but also throughout the site. This includes things like date formats.
CONTENT
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Use short, "snappy" sentences. Be brutally economical with your word usage (and count). If something can be described using a single word, do so (although be careful when using abbreviations and acronyms – make sure any acronyms are introduced and explained). Avoid repetition. Remember that reading from screen is different to reading from paper; try to minimise "scrolling" for your readers. Text on a web page is read in a different way to a printed page – a user will tend to scan the page in a Z format – reading across the first line/paragraph then skipping down the page diagonally, to read the last paragraph. If you can break up the content of your page to stop skim-readers in their tracks, this will draw them in to read more content and spend longer on your site. You can do this for example by using short paragraphs, subtitles, bullet points.
PROOF READ
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Before publishing content to the web, check the facts and proof read: o Do links work? o Does the "text" of links clearly indicate what the user can expect when they click on it? (eg no "click here"s) o Do telephone and fax numbers work (and go to the right person)? o Are names spelt correctly? o Is the email address valid? o Do numbers add up? o Check general spelling, punctuation and grammar.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have any questions on the topics covered above, please contact the Society Today team at societytoday@esrc.ac.uk