How!To!Write!
Effective!Web!Copy
Kristina!Halvorson!!!|!!!FOWA!Miami!!!|!!!02.23.2009

Yes.!Hello.
• I’m!Kristina!Halvorson.
• I’m!the!President!of!Brain!Traffic!(Minneapolis,!MN).
• I’m!an!author.!In!theory.!
– Content!Strategy!for!the!Web!
(New!Riders!Voices!That!Matter,!Summer!2009)
• Thanks!for!having!me!in!Miami.!In!February.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!2

And!you!are!… ?
• Name
• Employer/Role
• Why!you’re!here
• One!thing!that!someone!might!not!guess!about!you
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!3

Here’s!the!deal!for!today.
1:30\"1:45pm We’ll!talk!about!“effective!web!copy.”
1:45\"2:30pm We’ll!talk!about!how!to!plan!for!copy.
2:30\"4:30pm We’ll!discuss:
! Substance
! Structure
! Style
4:30\"5:00pm We’ll!wrap!with!collaborative,!free\"for\"all!Q&A.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!4

Suggestions.
• Use!paper,!not!your!laptop.
• Get!up!when!you!need!to.
• Stop!me!for!questions.
• Don’t!make!fun!if!you!hear!my!Minnesotan!accent.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!5

What exactly
is “effective
PART!ONE
web copy”?

Effective!web!copy!…
! DELIGHTS
! SATISFIES
! HELPS!ME!DO!SOMETHING
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!7

Delight!me.
• Be!personable.
• Share!secrets.
• Surprise!me.
• Reward!me.
• Entertain!me.
• Make!my!life!easier,!right!now.
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Satisfy!me.
• Know!what!I!want,!and!show!me!you!do.
• Make!it!easy.
• Deliver!on!your!promises.
• If!you!make!a!mistake,!admit!it.
• Be!consistent.
• Get!out!of!my!way.
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Help!me!do!something.
• Educate!me!… quickly.
• Suggest!alternatives!or!add\"ons!… but!don’t!shove!
them!down!my!throat.
• Prompt!me!… in!context.
• Warn!me!… but!don’t!freak!me!out.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!16

Effective!web!copy!…
! Communicates!SUBSTANCE!quickly!and!clearly.
! Is!communicated!in!a!STRUCTURE!that!provides!me!with!the!
necessary!context!to!act!with!confidence.!
! Is!written!in!a!STYLE that’s!personable,!respectful,!and!the!
embodiment!of!your!brand!values.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!21

How To Plan
for Web Copy
PART!TWO
(or, “Content
Strategy”)

My!favorite!web!copy!myths.
• “We!can!figure!it!out!later.”
• “The!copy!shouldn’t!be!that!big!of!a!deal.”
• “We!already!pretty!much!know!what!we!want!to!say.”
• “We!already!have!most!of!the!content.”
• “I!should!be!able!to!take!care!of!most!of!this!myself.”
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!23

To: Kristina Halvorson
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:21 PM
Subject: RE: hey there!
… This is a very large client who is building a site using a number of
different agencies. When it came to the content discussion the room
just threw their hands up in the air (literally and figuratively) because
no one had said they’d be responsible.
The site is going to be very content heavy and they want to launch
July 15.
Interested?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!24

SRSLY, PPL.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!25

Writing!is!hard.
Writing!for!the!web!is!a!bitch.
• Write!for!online!readers
• Define!requirements
• Plan!workflow
• Agree!on!editorial!standards:!voice,!tone,!usage,!format
• Schedule!updates
• Find!all!the!“other” content
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!26

CONTEXT USERS
User\"centered!design!!!!!!!!!!!!!User!experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!User!testing
ORGANIZING!INFORMATION PUBLISHING!CHANNELS
Business!strategy PUSH
Content!model Static/dynamic
Information!architecture Multichannel!delivery
COLLABORATIONS
Vocabulary!control Print
Blogs
Categorization/classification Web
ASSEMBLING!
Wikis
Interface/interaction!design PDA/cell
VERSIONS
Forums PDF
Versioning
Mailing!lists Email
Version!control
WORKFLOW!RULES Personalization
CRM Content!types
Localization
Business!rules Templates
Contact!info Rights!management
Policies/procedures Navigation
Access!control PULL
Roles/responsibilities Multilingual
LDAP Syndication
Content!owners! Compliance
User!databases Web!services
Editors/publishers Reuse
Search!enging
DATABASES!+! Rollback
Ecommerce
REPOSITORIES
Content!databases
CREATE!AND!EDIT File!system ARCHIVE!+!DESTROY
Authoring Native!XML
Retention!policy
Capture/collect Documents
Knowledge!base
Acquisition Records
Conversion Images/multimedia
Aggregation Data!warehouses
Ingestion/DRM Legacy!systems
Editing!Tools
Metadata!Tagging
Library!Services cmsreview.com/stages
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!27

Writers!don’t!have!the!tools!to!deal.
• Articles
• Menu!items
• Buttons
• Link!naming
• Error!messages
• Task!instructions
• Search!returns
• Metadata
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!28

Before!you!start!writing!…
• Do!an!audit.
• Create!a!content!inventory.
• Do!a!gap!analysis.
• Create!a!style!guide.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!29

The!audit
• What!copy!do!I!need?
• What!other!copy!do!I!need?
• Speaking!of!which,!where!do!I!need!copy?
• Also,!is!there!more!copy!I!need?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!30

The!content!inventory
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The!gap!analysis
• What’s!missing?
• Where!can!I!get!it?
• When!do!I!need!it?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!32

The!style!guide
• Brand!values
• Voice!and!tone!guidelines
• Usage!guidelines!(like,!“the!Web” not!“the!web”)
• Recurring!textual!elements
• Legal!requirements
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!33

The!style!guide:!Example
All!copy!should!sound:!
• Clear!and!easy!to!follow:!Keep!writing!brief,!clean,!and!to\"the\"point.!
Use!crisp!language.!Introduce!your!point!early!without!complicated!
language!or!lengthy!clauses.!
• Engaging!and!casual: Write!the!way!our!customers!converse!with!family!
and!friends.!Use!warm!language!and!a!strong,!descriptive!style.!
• Upbeat!and!encouraging:!Speak!in!terms!of!users’ interests,!goals,!and!
challenges.!Use!active,!forward\"looking!statements.!Present!solutions!
and!ideas!in!a!positive,!informative!manner.!
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!34

The!style!guide:!Example
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!35

Substance
PART!THREE

Getting!at!substance!(the!“what”)
• What!do!you!NEED!to!say?
...!to!support!the!successful!attainment!of!user!goals
• What!do!you!WANT!to!say?
… to!meet!your!own!business!objectives
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!37

Structure
PART!FOUR

Your!mission
• Get!out!of!your!user’s!way.
• Two!books!that!talk!about!this!brilliantly:
– Designing!the!Obvious by!Robert!Hoekman,!Jr.
– Don’t!Make!Me!Think by!Steve!Krug
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!45

Being!smart!about!structure!(the!“where”)
• Where!should!this!copy!appear!on!the!page?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!46

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Being!smart!about!structure!(the!“when”)
• When!should!this!copy!appear!in!the!application!design?
– To!support!successful!task!completion
– To!influence!behavior
• How!will!this!copy!impact!the!user’s!attitude?
– I!want!to!get!in,!get!this!done,!get!out
– I!need!help!making!a!choice
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!51

FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!52

FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!55

One millllllllllllllllllllion dollars

Style
PART!FIVE

All!great!web!writing!is!…
• Personable
• Clear
• Concise
• Respectful
• Customer\"facing
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!64

Often,!crappy!web!writing!is!…
• Overwritten
• Lazy!about!spelling!and!grammar
• Lacking!focus
• Hard!to!act!upon
• All!about!you
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!65

Rethink!your!approach.
• NO
– What!do!I!want!to!tell!you?
– What!do!I!want!you!to!understand?
– What!do!I!wish!you!would!do?
– How!can!I!make!you!care?
• YES
– What!do!you!want!to!know?
– What!do!you!need!to!do?
– What!do!you!need!to!feel!comfortable!and!smart?
– What!do!you!care!about!… really?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!66

Let’s!do!the!Top!10!List!thing.
• Because!everyone!loves!a!good!top!10!list.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!70

1.!!Less!is!more
• Don’t!get!in!the!way!of!your!reader!gathering!information!or!
completing!a!task.
• Cut!all!unnecessary!words.!Then!cut!some!more.
• GET!OUT!OF!YOUR!READER’S!WAY.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!71

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2.!Get!to!the!point!
• Boredom!=!immediate!departure
• Save!your!niceties!for!when!they!call.
• Step!into!your!reader’s!shoes.!!
– What!information!do!I!want?
– What!do!I!want!to!do?
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!74

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3.!Learn!to!love!the!inverted!pyramid.!
• Not!…
– Problem!statement!
– Related!work!
– Methodology!
– Results!
– Conclusions!
• But!…
– Conclusion
– Supporting!information
– Background,!technical!details
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!77

4.!Lead!with!active!words.!
You!know!you’re!getting!a!great!deal!every!time!you!log!on!to!
Target.com.!We!have!everyday!low!prices,!fabulous!money\"
saving!offers!and!all!your!favorite!products,!right!here!online,
24!hours!a!day.
For!fabulous!savings!and!everyday!low!prices,!shop!online!24!
hours!a!day!at!Target.com.
Save!more!money.!!Shop!Target.com.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!78

5.!Use!simple!sentences.
• Complex:
Best!Buy!Co,!Inc.!is!North!America’s!leading!specialty!retailer!
of!consumer!electronics!and!appliances,!operating!nearly!
700!retail!stores!in!the!United!States!and!Canada!under!the!
names!Best!Buy,!Future!Shop,!Geek!Squad!and!Magnolia!
Audio!Video.
• Simple:
Best!Buy!Co.,!Inc.!is!North!America’s!leading!specialty!retailer!
of!consumer!electronics!and!appliances.!!We!operate!nearly!
700!retail!stores!in!the!United!States!and!Canada.!!Our!
subsidiaries!include!Best!Buy,!Future!Shop,!Geek!Squad!and!
Magnolia!Audio!Video.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!79

6.!Break!it!up.
• Put!the!reader!in!control.
• Paragraphs:!40\"60!words.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!80

7.!Design!for!scan!readers.
• Bulleted!lists
• Hierarchical!headings
• Clean!up!your!columns
• See!Luke!Wroblewski’s presentation,!Content!Page!Design!
Best!Practices:!http://tr.im/gHgP
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!81

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8.!!Write!killer!headings!
• I’m!not!reading.!!I’m!scanning.
• Just!tell!me!what!I’m!going!to!find!on!that!page!or!in!that!
paragraph.
• Use!keywords.
• Don’t!be!clever.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!84

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9.!Set!expectations.!
• Deliver!on!your!promises.
• Tell!people!how!much,!how!long,!how!often.
• Make!sure!links!match!section!(or!page)!titles.!
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!87

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FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!89

9½.!!“Click!here” is!out!
Contact!usto!contact!us
Click!here
Learn!more
Click!here to!find!out!more
Order!nowto!order!now
Click!here
Sign!up!for!our!e\"newsletter
Click!here to!sign!up!for!our!e\"newsletter
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!90

10.!!Lighten!up.!
• Readers!want!to!enjoy!their!visit.
• Be!intimate,!friendly,!respectful.
• Use!contractions,!common!language.
• Make!your!reader!feel!smart,!not!stupid.
FOWA!Miami!!|!!02.23.2009!!|!91

Discuss
PART!SIX

Hey,!thanks!
email kristina@braintraffic.com
blog http://braintraffic.typepad.com
twitter @halvorson
Kristina!Halvorson!!!|!!!FOWA!Miami!!!|!!!02.23.2009