Writing for the Web
People read differently online, so we have to write differently.
Be brief
Omit needless words. People don’t read deeply online – they scan.
Read more about users reading habits from Jakob Nielsen's, How Users Read on the Web.
Create scanability
People scan when they are looking for something to read. Once they locate the right content, they often read more deeply.
Help your readers by using microcontent (40-60 characters) like headings, lists, and tables to make your pages easier to scan. Readers look for
- Relevance
- What’s at the top
- Headlines and Titles
- Links
- Images
- Lists
Use microcontent
Microcontent is important for ADA compliance because screen readers often read it. It is important for search engine optimization (SEO) because it is scanned by search engines to help others find our pages. It sometimes appears out of context, especially when that content is the title of a page or post. Page titles that make sense on a web page often stop making sense when they appear on Google, Facebook, a homepage, or even in a browser tab. Important examples of microcontent include:
- Page Titles
- Alternate Text for images (read by screen readers)
- Section Headings
- Hyperlinks
- Keywords
Read more about microcontent from Jakob Neilsen’s, Microcontent: How to Write Headlines, Page Titles, and Subject Lines.
Do it fast
Readers make up their mind about you in about three seconds. Shoot the sheriff on the first page! Put what your reader most needs and wants to know first. If you don’t get your main idea across in the first few lines, you will have readers who do not stick around or who miss what the page has to offer.
Keep it real
Authenticity is rare. Stand out from your peers by tossing out the bologne. Readers do not tolerate it well. Use stories readers can relate to and that help them feel connected.
Know your audience
Know who they are and what they want. Web readers are very goal directed. They do not typically come to your site to “surf.” They want to get something done and get out.
- Do they want to know your tuition?
- Do they want to know when that band they like is coming to campus?
- Do they want to knowhow to contact you?
If your web writing gets in the way of a reader completing their goals—they will skip it, or leave your page and move on to someone else.
Speak in plain English
Ditch the academic speak and move to a more conversational style. Readability scores put your writing through a formula that gives a score for how easy it is to read. These formulas typically look at the number of syllables per word and number of words per sentence. Test your writing with the online readability service, www.read-able.com. Also reference federal plain language law at, http://www.plainlanguage.gov/.
The right readability level for prospective college students in 11th and 12th grade should aim below 11th grade. Depending on the reading and writing abilities of your incoming freshmen, you might choose to go even lower.
Note: Microsoft Word has convenient readability scores built in. Unfortunately, Word caps the grade level it reports at 12. To access these tools go to File -> Word Options -> Proofing – > Show Readability Statistics.
Then, go to the Review tab, click on “Spelling & Grammar” and complete the spell check process. Once completed, a window will appear with your readability statistics.
