Transcript Writing for the Web (W4W)

Writing for the Web (W4W)
How to Create web-ready text content?
Learning Objective:
Understanding of Writing for the Web and web accessibility standards.
Materials from this session are available at http://www.rmit.edu.au/webpublishing/training/welcome
Welcome
•Participants' introduction
•Background and experience
•Expectations of the workshop
All notes and manuals in this workshop are available on the Web Publishing web site:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/webpublishing
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What we will cover
1. Introduction to W4W
2. Creating web-ready text content
- Principles
- Examples
3. Creating accessible content
- Principles
- Examples
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Introduction to Writing for the Web
With a few exceptions, people visit the web for its utility, not its beauty. Having
a visually appealing site is good, of course, but content is golden. After all,
when people enter queries in search engines, they don't type in aesthetic
attributes, but look for information.”
- web usability guru, Jakob Nielsen
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How users read the Web
Users
• SCAN the web
• Detest promotional writing style
• READ only about 28% of text
Where do readers look first?
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Print vs Web
Print …
Web …
• Tells a story
• Is easy to scan
• Is linear
• Is a quick, accessible source
• Supports relaxed setting
• Uses minimal text
• Is written in complete sentences
• Is user-friendly
• Is interactive
Golden rule:
Web writing is HALF the word count of print writing.
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Example 1
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1. Need vis-à-vis business objectives
• Aim
- update or report
- educate and inform
- motivate or raise awareness
- request information
- help customers complete a task
• Consider
- What are your department's priorities?
- What do you want visitors to know?
- What the visitors actually want to know?
• Three main page types
- Landing page or Home page (minimum text)
- Pathway pages or Connectors (minimum text)
- Destination pages or Content pages
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2. Task-oriented
• Why?
- word choice
- voice and tone
- structure and layout.
• How?
- age, gender
- occupation, interest, concern
- language abilities
- subject-specific knowledge, education level
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2. Task-oriented cont.
Ask yourself
• What does the audience already know about the subject?
• What are the main ideas they need to know?
• What tone/language should be used to deliver the information?
• Is the audience very specific group of people?
Create a model
• Do your research
• Create an audience profile
• Check out your competition
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Example 2
Before
Architronixx, founded by an architect, Jay Pogue, an engineer, Barry Beasley and a
sound engineer, Mari DeHart, was a totally new concept in 1981, when it was founded.
The idea – a firm that merged architecture, structural engineering and acoustics – was
brand new. Today, Architronixx is still the leader in the field it pioneered almost three
decades ago, and our buildings have garnered praise from national and international
authorities…
After
In 1981, Architronixx invented a new concept: buildings that combine innovative
architecture, intelligent engineering and acoustic design. Today, Architronixx is still the
leader in the field it pioneered almost three decades ago.
Read about our founders
Walk through our award-winning buildings
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3. Scannable content
• Users scan web pages in an 'F' shape
• Blocks of related information
• One idea per page
• Lists, tables, images
• Hyperlinks to connect related web pages
• Headings to organise content
• Remove formatting
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Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure
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Example 3
Before
Everyone loves picnic, which makes this deluxe picnic basket set the perfect gift. You’ll
find it’s fully loaded with plates, glasses, flatware and napkins for four, plus a bread
knife, a cutting board, salt and pepper shakers and a corkscrew. It even comes with a
fleece blanket for the family to sit on. Buy it now for only $49.99.
After
This deluxe picnic basket set makes the perfect gift. It’s fully loaded with:
- Plates, glasses, flatware and napkins for four
- Bread knife and cutting board
- Salt and pepper shakers
- Corkscrew
- Fleece blanket
Buy it now - $49.99
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3.1. Headings and paragraphs
• Break up and organise content
• Write meaningful, informative headings
• Use words familiar to your users
• Begin with the most meaningful words
• Each heading in the same style
• Headings in sentence case/title case/in-house style
• Chunk related information in paragraph and related paragraphs together
• One topic per paragraph
• Main idea first
• Short paragraphs (ideally within 50 words)
• Avoid one-sentence paragraphs
Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure
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3.2. Links
• Write clear, meaningful link text
• Link text must align with the page title of the linked page
• Don’t use URLs as text links
• For email addresses, use the email address itself
• Use text alternatives for linking to images or non-text elements
• Always open links in the same window
• Position links carefully within content
• Avoid repetitive terms in link texts, such as 'read more‘
• Indicate the document type, size and no. of pages in case of downloadable
links
Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure
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4. Readable
• Half the word count from print
• Use common, everyday words
• Write short sentences
• Write in active voice
• Use personal pronouns
- RMIT as 'we', 'us', 'our'
- Users as 'you', 'your'
• Full forms and abbreviations
• Short sentences (ideally 30 words per sentence)
• Proofread
• Give room – white space on the page
Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure
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4.1. Structure your content
• Inverted pyramid model
• Most important information first
• Related information together
• Images, videos, audios to support the
main message
• Consider the TRACC matrix
- Timely
- Relevant
- Accurate
- Current
- Compelling
Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure
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4.2. Structure your content cont.
Less, just-the-needed information is the key to success on a web page!
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Test your copy’s readability
In Microsoft Office Word
- Go to Tools > Options > Spelling & Grammar.
- Check the ‘show readability statistics’ check box.
- Click OK.
Readability Statistics
- Passive sentences
- Flesch Reading Ease test: 100-point score; checks
syllables per word and words per sentence; ideally
≥60.
- Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test: grade-school-level
test score; ideally 7th to 9th grade; for less-proficient
audience target ≤7.
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5. Findable
• Create useful, unique content
• Right keywords at the right places – don't overload
- page title
- headings
- link texts
- metadata
• Alt texts for non-text elements
• Abstract for dynamic feeds, social media, search engines
• Keep the content fresh - review and update when needed
Refer to:
Writing for the Web Guideline | Creating Text Content Procedure | Content Lifecycle Guideline
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6. Concise
• Avoid unnecessary, trivial content
• Don‘t state the obvious or repeat information
• Stay focused
• Avoid redundant words
- redundant modifiers
- redundant categories
- redundant pairs
- wordy expressions
• Review and edit your drafts
• Be consistent
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6.1. Be consistent, maintain credibility
Maintain consistency in
• Capitalisation of navigation labels, page titles, headings and subheadings
• Punctuation (bullet vs numbered list)
• Using acronyms, abbreviations
• Writing style (same tense, person, tone)
• Check spelling and factual data for accuracy
• Peer review
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Proofread
Check for six Cs
• Who cares?
• Is the content
- compelling?
- clear?
- complete?
- concise?
- correct?
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W4W tips
• Write for all users
- Use common terms
- Use plain English
- Provide the facts
- Be approachable and trustworthy
• Be direct
- Put the most important information first
- Stay focused
- Write short sentences, paragraphs and pages
- Use only essential words
- Follow the TRACC matrix
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W4W tips cont.
• Design the content
- Break up text with lists and tables
- Use headings and subheadings
- Use sentence case; avoid bold, italics and underline
• Be task-oriented
- Use metadata
- Write for all user journeys
- Add a call-to-action
- Write meaningful links
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Following W4W tips
Original
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of
people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were Fort
Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor
Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of
the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).
Revised for Web
In 1996, six of the most-visited places in Nebraska were:
• Fort Robinson State Park
• Scotts Bluff National Monument
• Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum
• Carhenge
• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
• Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
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Wrap up and questions
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