Writing for the Web and Loving It

By Cathleen Zapata

Okay, so you may not even like to write or maybe you think you’ll never be able to “love” it, but if you’re designing for the Web, more likely than not at some point in your career you have written for the Web, too.

For better or for worse, anyone can be a Web publisher these days. But with just a little attention to detail, you could become GOOD at writing. And we love the things we’re good at! Below are some tips to get you started…

Tip #1:

KNOW your audience. Mary is a full-time student at a local college. She’s 22 years old, single, and is actively campaigning against Red Lobster in the Canadian seafood boycott to protect the seals. Paul is a 42-year old Stockbroker for a large public firm. He’s been married for 10 years and has twins. He likes watching baseball and golfing in his spare time. Writing for Mary will be different than writing for Paul. They have different interests and will most likely be searching for different things on the Web. Do you know who’s coming to your site? Find out as much as you can about your audience’s demographics and then write to that audience in a tone they’ll understand, offering content they’ll want to read.

Tip #2:

Appreciate your visitor’s time. With well over a billion websites out there today, why should a visitor spend time at yours? People are always in a hurry. Pushing through lines at the grocery store, speeding to work, rushing right by you on the street – they’re on a mission to get somewhere. Well, Web surfers aren’t any different! They’re on a mission to find what they’re looking for. Don’t frustrate your users by making them search for the information they need. Make your content scannable. About 80% of users scan when reading online. Include summaries, bold text, bullet lists, etc. Make sure your content clearly communicates that your users are on the right page with a quick glance. Otherwise, you’ve lost them. Also keep in mind that reading from computer screens is tough – 25% slower than from paper. This is another reason to make sure your pages are easy to read and scan.

Tip #3:

Pick up a grammar book! A sure way to lose credibility on your site is to include a bunch of typos. Even one! Make sure you use spellchecker and remember what you’ve learned in school. Use familiar terms and words your visitors will understand. Omit needless words and try to use active voice (uses fewer words). Subject, Verb, Object. If you’re rusty, you may need a refresher. One book I recommend is Nitty-Gritty Grammar by Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson. It’s a great reminder of the English “rules” and a handy resource when you’re writing.

Tip #4:

Follow the guidelines. The guidelines are there for a reason – because they work! Jakob and many others have done a great job at publishing the guidelines. Many are included right in this article. For more, you can visit www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/writing.html.

Tip #5:

Test your content. Then test it again. You NEED to test your content! Test it even if it’s just running it by a friend or family member. Take their feedback into consideration and modify the content accordingly. Run your content by as many people as often as you can – time permitting. With each rewrite, it will only get better, and your writing skills will only get stronger.

And here are some more tips to remember:

Keep your text short and to the point. The general rule is that your text should be 50% less than print. Remember, reading on
the Web is 25% slower than on paper.

• Use bullet or numbered lists, summaries, and headings where you can.
• Choose a shorter word over a longer one.
• Initially users will scan. If they find something they like, then they’ll begin reading.
• Remember that people may want to print your info. Check your printable version.
• Make sure your graphics, headlines and titles help tell the story.
• Hyperlinks should be descriptive and explain what the user will find in the link.
• Think about how your content will appear in a search engine.
• DON’T USE ALL UPPERCASE! Did I need to tell you that?
• Avoid abbreviations and jargon.

Follow these tips, practice and TEST, and you’ll be on your way to writing great Web content! (You may even begin to love it, too.)

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