by Cheryl Goldberg (cheryl@lanminds.com)
To paraphrase from "A Field of Dreams," if you build a Web site with great
content, they will come. But to make sure they read your content when they
get there and that they keep coming back for more, you need to write in a
way that speaks to your online audience.
Packaging content specifically for the Web can improve your site's
usability by as much as 124%, according to studies by usability guru Jakob
Nielsen. Nielsen's research (www. useit.com) shows that readers want to
find relevant information as quickly as possible. Nielsen recommends that
to assist your readers, your writing should be scannable, concise, and hype-free. In addition, judicious use of hypertext links will enable you to
achieve these objectives while providing a breadth of valuable information.
Make it Snappy! Be Scannable.
Users want information from the Web in a hurry. Rather than read pages,
they scan them, trying to pick out the sentences or parts of sentences with
the information they want. To improve scannability:
- carefully organize information, using words and categories that make
sense to your audience
- include bullets, numbered lists, boldface and colored text to highlight
key words
- use topic sentences
- use one paragraph per idea
- keep paragraphs short
- break up text
- provide summaries
- use the inverted pyramid writing style like that found in newspapers.
Your main point should be in the first paragraph or in a summary paragraph
with more information following in a link.
Be Concise
Reading speeds are 25% slower on computer screens than on paper. To help
people read faster, write 50% less. Tighten the language and cut overly-detailed information. If detailed information is important to some of your
readers, add a hypertext link to it.
Cut Hype! Boost Credibility
Anyone can host a Web site, so readers are very concerned about the source
of the information. To improve your site's credibility:
- Stick to the facts as much as possible - although admittedly, some amount
of promotional material is probably unavoidable on a marketing Web site.
- Web users are not interested in hyperbolic, promotional writing with
boastful subjective claims. Cut out adjectives, buzzwords, and claims that
are not supported by evidence.
- Provide hypertext links to other information to help users assess the
credibility of the information on your site.
Strengthen Your Links
Often, content designers use hypertext to segment a long article or white
paper into multiple pages. But such a hypertext structure only makes it
more difficult to read and print information. Instead, split information
into chunks that each focus on a single topic, then use a hyperlink to
allow readers to obtain more information on topics of interest. Used this
way, links can provide a great deal of information to those who want
it - without forcing those who don't to wade through unnecessary detail.
By presenting your Web content in a way that considers the needs of Web
users, you'll show readers you understand their needs and respect their
time. And with that, you’ll be on your way to a long and prosperous
relationship with your audience.
