Web Authoring Principles For Focused And Effective Content Eric Hodgson October 25, 2007

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We have authors all across the institution that follow central processes. We have authors all across the institution, but it is “every man for himself”. We have a handful of people controlling content. The rest of campus provides updates. Authors? We don’t have those. Our site is still promoting Homecoming from 2004. Quiz Time: What is your current approach to content authoring?

We have authors all across the institution that follow central processes.

We have authors all across the institution, but it is “every man for himself”.

We have a handful of people controlling content. The rest of campus provides updates.

Authors? We don’t have those. Our site is still promoting Homecoming from 2004.

Critical Web Principles Web sites are built for visitors — plain and simple

Web sites are built for visitors — plain and simple

A Web site must serve a purpose. Critical Web Principles

A Web site must serve a purpose.

Set clear goals for the institutional Web site Understand content publishing processes and content types Select your authors carefully Train, train, train Highlights from Part 1: Changing Campus Culture for Successful Web Content

Set clear goals for the institutional Web site

Understand content publishing processes and content types

Select your authors carefully

Train, train, train

Key Takeaway from Today: Scannable Searchable Focused Driven

“ Your job is not to put content up on your Web site. Your job is to help your customers complete common tasks quickly and easily. That’s how you measure success.” Gerry McGovern

Locate information Complete a task Communicate Reasons for Web Visits

Locate information

Complete a task

Communicate

Institutional speak Poor organization Poor writing Lack of audience understanding Typical Gaps in Expectations

Institutional speak

Poor organization

Poor writing

Lack of audience understanding

Base goals on departmental direction Don’t state the obvious (“better navigation”) Define metrics Be consistent Web Site Goals

Base goals on departmental direction

Don’t state the obvious (“better navigation”)

Define metrics

Be consistent

Let’s take some questions ?

Content is King

Importance Relevance Distinction Drive to action Content Success Response Action Value

Importance

Relevance

Distinction

Drive to action

Page Focus Main content is a single topic Next Step Navigation Related links Drive to action Personality Content Chunking

Page Focus

Main content is a single topic

Next Step Navigation

Related links

Drive to action

Personality

Messaging – top level influence Releases – relevance from many sources Actions – most common purpose Personality – key selling points Content Categories

Messaging – top level influence

Releases – relevance from many sources

Actions – most common purpose

Personality – key selling points

Let’s take some questions ?

Making a Searchable Page

Outdated content is not archived properly Wrong type of content is being entered Pages are not set up correctly Content is not re-used throughout the site Rarely is the issue technical “ Our Search Sucks”

Outdated content is not archived properly

Wrong type of content is being entered

Pages are not set up correctly

Content is not re-used throughout the site

Rarely is the issue technical

Page titles Key words and phrases Subheads Links External sources URL (including dashes) Improving Search Results TIP: Pick a word or phrase per page and re-use it as often as it makes sense

Page titles

Key words and phrases

Subheads

Links

External sources

URL (including dashes)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

BAD: http://www.your.edu/cgi-bin/site.pl?3208&dwContent_ID=744&menuID=4 GOOD: http://www.your.edu/requirements GREAT: http://www.your.edu/admission/admission-requirements URLs

BAD:

http://www.your.edu/cgi-bin/site.pl?3208&dwContent_ID=744&menuID=4

GOOD:

http://www.your.edu/requirements

GREAT:

http://www.your.edu/admission/admission-requirements

Let’s take some questions ?

Making a Scannable Page

Readers are scanning pages to find relevance 50% of your site visitors are searchers, 50% are navigators You have very little control in how a reader was brought to your information Web Content Properties

Readers are scanning pages to find relevance

50% of your site visitors are searchers, 50% are navigators

You have very little control in how a reader was brought to your information

Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. Finally, users scan the content's left side in a vertical movement. F-shaped Web Scanning Source : Nielsen Norman Group – Eyetracking Study April, 2006, http://www.useit.com/eyetracking

Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area.

Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement.

Finally, users scan the content's left side in a vertical movement.

Be direct with page titles and link labels Keep paragraphs short Bold keywords in a paragraph Use bulleted lists when possible Developing Scannable Pages

Be direct with page titles and link labels

Keep paragraphs short

Bold keywords in a paragraph

Use bulleted lists when possible

Explain the unknown Use a glossary Link to related content throughout your site Talk like them Write for your Audience(s)

Explain the unknown

Use a glossary

Link to related content throughout your site

Talk like them

Sign up for FreshO Days! On Tuesday, October 28th, there will be games on the Landing, refreshments from OCD, and plenty of time with other matriculants. Go to Brooks Hall to meet with your VDC to register. Write for your Audience(s)

Sign up for FreshO Days! On Tuesday, October 28th, there will be games on the Landing, refreshments from OCD, and plenty of time with other matriculants. Go to Brooks Hall to meet with your VDC to register.

Sign up for Freshman Orientation (FreshO Days)! On Tuesday, October 28th, there will be: Games at the center of campus (we call it the Landing - linked to campus map), Refreshments from On-Campus Dining, and Plenty of time with your future classmates. Go to Brooks Hall (linked to campus map) to meet with your counselor to register, or register by phone (555-555-5555) or online (linked to registration form). Write for your Audience(s)

Sign up for Freshman Orientation (FreshO Days)! On Tuesday, October 28th, there will be:

Games at the center of campus (we call it the Landing - linked to campus map),

Refreshments from On-Campus Dining, and

Plenty of time with your future classmates.

Go to Brooks Hall (linked to campus map) to meet with your counselor to register, or register by phone (555-555-5555) or online (linked to registration form).

The site is about your visitors, not about you Be direct Be a community Remember…

The site is about your visitors, not about you

Be direct

Be a community

Find This Presentation http://hodgson.edvangelist.com/

http://hodgson.edvangelist.com/

Thank You! Eric Hodgson Consultant edVangelist 319.651.5564 [email_address]

Eric Hodgson

Consultant

edVangelist

319.651.5564

[email_address]

Let’s take some questions ?