Hints and tips for good web writing.

1. Writing for the Web
J. Todd Bennett
Managing Partner

2. Writing for the Web is…
Knowing your audiences
Creating the content they
are looking for
Writing it in the right style
Formatting it for effective
scanning

3. Why good web writing matters
People read differently on the web
Users rarely read entire pages word for
word
Reading on the screen is physically more
difficult than on paper

4. Why good web writing matters
Web readers typically:
 Scan pages
 Pick out key words and phrases
 Read in quick, short bursts
 Are action oriented
 Click and forage in search of bits of
information that lead them towards a goal

5. The game has changed
A lot has changed. It’s time to
think differently about our
vs.
websites.
channel organization

6. Know your audiences
 Who are you trying to serve?
 What is important to them?
Success =
how well you provide them
with what they want, the
way they want it

7. Common Content Mistakes
 Because of ease and low cost, people tend to
put everything they can on the web.
 We have become web pack-rats
 Success based on big numbers
Long Neck
 Many sites resemble a house with lots of
additions and no real plan
Long Tail
Zipf Distribution

8. What NOT to do
Welcome people to your website and explain what a
website is.
I would like to personally
welcome blah blah, blah
Blah you to our web page.
We blah blah blah blah.
have put together a great
collection of information and
Blah blah blah, blah
links to help you learn more
about us. I invite you blah.
blah. Blah blah to look
around and click the links to
the left.

9. What NOT to do
Put your mission statement on your home page
•Don’t tell people what you do and how you plan to
do it, show them.
•Make your most important services and content
available immediately.
•People came to your site to do something or learn
something– make it easy for them.

10. What NOT to do
Organize your website and write content to reflect your
organization

11. What NOT to do
Put every piece of printed content on your website
Large volumes of bad content don’t make a good site.
Simple rule of thumb:
If your visitors don’t need it,
and you can’t maintain it,
DON’T PUT IT ON YOUR SITE!

12. What NOT to do
Use ―marketese‖ or promotional writing on the web
Boastful, exaggera
ted language
reduces the
likelihood that
your content will
be read or
believed.

13. What NOT to do
Post a PDF version of a document unless necessary
Appropriate when the
format and integrity of
the original printed
document must be
maintained, such as a
printable form

14. Writing Style
Traditional academic writing:
Pyramid style
Lays the foundation with lots of
supporting research
Builds to a logical conclusion
Takes a lot of reading to get to the point

15. Inverted Pyramid Style
Puts the most important information FIRST with
supporting detail to follow
When writing for the web:
Catch your readers’ attention in the first few words
Start with the conclusion, follow with the details
Remember: who, what, where, when, why and how
Only one idea per paragraph
Use half the word count of traditional writing

16. Write to be found in a search
Use words that your target audiences use when
searching
Identify words your users search by:
•Ask them
•Check your web analytics
•Check your internal search logs
•Use a service
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

17. Be clear, concise & direct
 Use the active voice
 the subject does the action (e.g. ―The president released a
statement.‖)
 Avoid the passive voice
 the subject receives the action (e.g. ―A statement was released
by the president.‖)
 Cut wordy phrases

18. Be clear, concise & direct
 Wordy, passive phrase:
In the event that it snows, the parking hotline should be
called prior to coming to campus.
 Concise, active phrase:
If it snows, call the parking hotline before coming to campus.

19. Concise word choices
Instead of… Use…
Due to the fact that Because, since, why
For the reason that
Despite the fact that Although
In the event that If
Under circumstances in which
In reference to About
With regard to
Concerning the matter of
It is necessary that Must, should
It is important that
Is able to Can
Has the opportunity to
Prior to Before, after
In anticipation of
Subsequent to

20. Use simple words
 People read simpler words faster
 You don’t need to impress web visitors with your
vocabulary
Tip: When writing, think
about how you might say the
same thing to someone on the
telephone.

21. Use simple words
Instead of . . . Use . . .
obtain Get
prior to Before
purchase Buy
request ask for
subsequent Next
terminate End
utilize Use
cognizant Know
facilitate Help

22. Provide Context
The Given-New Principle
Start with something the reader already knows
then provide the new information
Example:
“If your financial aid award includes a PLUS
loan, send the following documentation to the
Student Accounts office:‖

23. Use Parallel Construction
To improve readability, present similar content in
parallel constructions— consistent patterns in
the way information is written.
 People anticipate patterns when reading and grasp
information more quickly when patterns exist.
 Switching patterns requires more mental energy.

24. Use Parallel Construction
Parallel
View your purchase history
 If you already have an account, sign in to view your records
 If you don’t have an account, complete the new account request form
Non-parallel
Customers can view their purchasing history with us online. To do so, simply
sign in to our online account system. Customers who have never used the
system must complete a new account request in order to gain access to the
system.

25. Sentence fragments are o.k.
 Complete sentences are not always
necessary
 Avoid telegraphic writing
 Leaving out words like ―the‖ or ―a‖
 May be appropriate for navigation, but not in the
page body

26. Sentence fragments are o.k.
Examples:
Fragment:
Free gift with purchase!
Telegraphic writing:
Customer receives free item with purchase of book.

27. Use longer, more descriptive links
 Your users should know what to expect when
clicking a link.
 When providing links in your content (contextual
links), choose 7-11 words that are informative.
 You may also choose to provide brief
descriptions with a shorter link to inform your
audiences.

28. Use longer, more descriptive links
Vague link:
Directory
Descriptive link:
Find a person in the employee directory
Or
Search employee directory
Contact information for employees, including email and telephone
numbers

29. Introduction text: good or bad?
 Most readers skip the introductory text on
web pages.
Intro text is usually meaningless (―Welcome to our website‖)

Intro text is usually too long

 It can be useful and improve the readability
of a page if it is:
A summary of what is to be found on the page (Focused on:

What? Why?)
Kept to 1-2 sentences


30. Headlines and Headings
 The headline should identify the content of the
page immediately.
 Headlines and sub-headings within the page break
up the content, make it easy to scan.
 Should provide visual cues
 Should be useful

31. Headlines and Headings
Ways to write headings
 Questions: user guides, policies, procedures
Phrased as our readers would ask them

 Phrases & sentences: good for subheadings in a long
page of content
 Nouns as headings: not as action oriented, so should
be used only when it clearly identifies a user need

32. Headlines & Headings
Question: How do I apply for membership?
Verb phrase: Applying for membership
Imperative: Apply for membership
Sentence: There are three steps to the
membership application.
Noun: Application for membership

33. Highlight keywords in your text
 Bold, italics, color, font, and links are all forms of
highlighting
Should be used sparingly– once or twice per paragraph

 Cautions:
 Be aware of colors in your stylesheets. Don’t confuse links and
headlines with your highlights.
 Avoid underlines as highlights
 No wild colors, no flashing text– the point is to aid scanning,
not grab attention.

34. Use bulleted or numbered lists
Lists create chunks of content that facilitates
scanning. They can separate ideas and allow for
counting.
Use lists for:
 Options
 Steps
 Items

35. Use bulleted or numbered lists
For steps in a process, use numbered lists and action
oriented imperatives (―open this‖ or ―click on‖ or ―do
this‖)
Example:
 Register for a username
 Log-in to the portal
 Download the application

36. Use numerals
 When writing numbers, use numerals instead of
words
 This is especially helpful when the numbers
represent facts
 Numbers tend to jump out when scanning text
Example: 5 instead of Five

37. Word Count: Rules of Thumb
To limit your word count when writing for the web, use
the following general rules:
 Headings: 8-10 words or less
 Sentences: 15-20 words
 Paragraphs: 40-70 words
 Pages: 500 words or less

38. Still need help?
info@decimal 152.com
www.decimal 152.com
404.551.3039