Speckled Frog

Web guide

Writing web content

People don't read web pages. They scan. Looking for information that is relevant to them. How can you make your words count and your users happy?

1 - Summarise

Your home page should tell visitors who you are, what you do and what they can find on the site. Unless a visitor clearly knows what you have to offer, they won't spend time searching through text or several pages to find out.

2 - Cut down copy

Be Concise. Aim to cut the amount of copy used from a printed document by 50%. It is hard to read for long periods of time on screen and people can be impatience when using the web, so keep it short and sweet.

3 - Slice up your text

Break your content into separate pages. If you have large amounts of information or supply technical documents online, then break them up into obvious sections. This way, users can go straight to the part they need without having to scan through large amounts of text.

4 - Make it easy on the eyes

Make your text scannable. Don't make users read through long paragraphs, instead use bullet points and headings so your users can jump through non-relevant sections.

5 - Accessible text for everyone

Consider users with disabilities. Blind or visually impaired users have screen readers that take text from a page and read it aloud. Headings and bullet points in text make it more understandable for this purpose. If you use images for heading in text, remember to add alternate copy for this type of thing.

6 - Highlight and link

Utilize the primary functions designed for the web. Highlight important words, or add links to words that lead to a related article or section.

7 - Make links useful

Links really work on the web, more so than in a paper environment. Rather than just using the ubiquitous Click Here, inform a user exactly where they will go if they do click, and what information they can expect to find.

8 - Avoid marketing blurb

Avoid using buzzwords that you may use in other mediums. 'Client focused' or 'Sales driven infrastrucutre' will be meaningless for visitorswith only a few minutes to decide if a site is relevant. The web gives you the chance to prove what you do, and many users expect it.

9 - Guide them through

Help users find what they are looking with good navigation. Clever or metaphorically named buttons might not be as useful as clear plain English.

Last of all:

Keep it simple and help users find what they are looking for. Some sites can experiment, or make a mystery of finding information, most business sites cannot afford such extravagance.

Need More Help?

At Speckled Frog we can advise on the most efficient use of copy on your web site for the purpose of your business, and with clear site structure can make sure your web site and it's content, is accessible, relevant, and most of all, working for your business.