Writing for the web Georgina Hibberd

Overview Web v print Useful content v fluff How people read on the web Tips for writing

Print v Web Print = Linear Medium dictates experience

Print =

Linear

Medium dictates experience

Web “ In linear media — such as print and TV — people expect you to construct their experience for them. Readers are willing to follow the author's lead.” Jakob Nielsen

“ In linear media — such as print and TV — people expect you to construct their experience for them. Readers are willing to follow the author's lead.”

Jakob Nielsen

Print v Web Web = Non-linear Action User drives own experience Instant judgements

Web =

Non-linear

Action

User drives own experience

Instant judgements

“ In non-linear hypertext, the rules reverse. Users want to construct their own experience by piecing together content from multiple sources, emphasizing their desires in the current moment. People arrive at a website with a goal in mind, and they are ruthless in pursuing their own interest and in rejecting whatever the site is trying to push.” Jakob Nielsen

“ In non-linear hypertext, the rules reverse. Users want to construct their own experience by piecing together content from multiple sources, emphasizing their desires in the current moment. People arrive at a website with a goal in mind, and they are ruthless in pursuing their own interest and in rejecting whatever the site is trying to push.”

Jakob Nielsen

Useful content v fluff The web is not a place to tell people how you do your stuff, it’s a place to do your stuff.

The web is not a place to tell people how you do your stuff, it’s a place to do your stuff.

Less of this: “ Welcome to our website! We are one of the best universities in Australia, if not the world. We love our uni and we’re sure you will too. We have lots of interesting courses and our teachers are top-notch. On this website you’ll find information about our courses and campuses.”

“ Welcome to our website! We are one of the best universities in Australia, if not the world. We love our uni and we’re sure you will too. We have lots of interesting courses and our teachers are top-notch. On this website you’ll find information about our courses and campuses.”

More of this: The Faculty of Arts offers degrees in: English History Philosophy Applications are being accepted now. Find out how to apply .

The Faculty of Arts offers degrees in:

English

History

Philosophy

Applications are being accepted now.

Find out how to apply .

“ Don't waste word count on generic, feel good material. It's not going to Make customers feel good anyway. They care only about getting their problems solved as quickly as possible so they can leave your site.” Jakob Nielsen

“ Don't waste word count on generic,

feel good material. It's not going to

Make customers feel good anyway.

They care only about getting their

problems solved as quickly as possible

so they can leave your site.”

Jakob Nielsen

How people read on the web Skim and scan Pick out fragments Pay attention to only some parts of the page Guided by headings, links and chunks

Skim and scan

Pick out fragments

Pay attention to only some parts of the page

Guided by headings, links and chunks

Write for your audience Identify your audience/s What are they trying to achieve? What information do they need to achieve their aims? What kind of language do they use? Are they familiar with university / your topic?

Identify your audience/s

What are they trying to achieve?

What information do they need to achieve their aims?

What kind of language do they use?

Are they familiar with university / your topic?

Typical higher ed audiences: Prospective students Parents Current students and staff Researchers Prospective staff Businesses Media Etc etc

Typical higher ed audiences:

Prospective students

Parents

Current students and staff

Researchers

Prospective staff

Businesses

Media

Etc etc

If you don’t know your audience: Do some research Who are they? What do they want? What are they trying to do?

Do some research

Who are they?

What do they want?

What are they trying to do?

The needs of the audience outweigh those of the organisation, even though the website is there to promote the university. To do that well the website has to act like it is performing a public service for its audience and giving them exactly what they need to complete their tasks. It shouldn’t be telling them how good it is.

The needs of the audience outweigh

those of the organisation, even though

the website is there to promote the

university.

To do that well the website has to act like

it is performing a public service for its

audience and giving them exactly what

they need to complete their tasks.

It shouldn’t be telling them how good it is.

Tips for writing Voice Structure Language Layout / formatting Writing for small spaces Being found and helping find

Voice

Structure

Language

Layout / formatting

Writing for small spaces

Being found and helping find

Voice Personal Active Friendly Informal without being too casual

Personal

Active

Friendly

Informal without being too casual

Example: Active: The Faculty of Arts is holding an open night for prospective students. Passive: An open night for prospective students is going to be held by the Faculty of Arts.

Example:

Active: The Faculty of Arts is holding an

open night for prospective students.

Passive: An open night for prospective

students is going to be held by the

Faculty of Arts.

Example: Impersonal: Prospective students may qualify for a scholarship. Personal: Do you qualify for one of our scholarships?

Example:

Impersonal: Prospective students may

qualify for a scholarship.

Personal: Do you qualify for one of

our scholarships?

Structure Inverted pyramid: tell the story in the first sentence or two. Short paragraphs: one idea per paragraph, one to two sentences Short sentences

Inverted pyramid: tell the story in the first sentence or two.

Short paragraphs: one idea per paragraph, one to two sentences

Short sentences

Example: When you can expect your refund NOT You filed your tax return and you're expecting a refund. You have just one question and you want the answer now: Where's my refund? Source: Gerry McGovern http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2009/nt-2009-04-27-traditional-writing.htm

Example:

When you can expect your refund

NOT

You filed your tax return and you're

expecting a refund. You have just one

question and you want the answer now:

Where's my refund?

Source: Gerry McGovern

http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2009/nt-2009-04-27-traditional-writing.htm

Language As simple as possible Never use a long word when a short one will do Avoid jargon Beware of acronyms

As simple as possible

Never use a long word when a short one will do

Avoid jargon

Beware of acronyms

Example: Allow NOT afford an opportunity Decide NOT make a decision Use NOT utilise

Example:

Allow NOT afford an opportunity

Decide NOT make a decision

Use NOT utilise

Layout and formatting Chunk Subheadings Use bullet points whenever possible Use bold intelligently and sparingly Avoid italics Write numbers as numerals

Chunk

Subheadings

Use bullet points whenever possible

Use bold intelligently and sparingly

Avoid italics

Write numbers as numerals

This: The research activities of this group are diverse. Some aspects of the team’s interest investigate the inter-relationships amongst physical disability, exercise capacity and degree of handicap in cardiac and neurologic populations. Another focus is upon exercise training and functional rehabilitation utilising assistive technologies.

This:

The research activities of this group are diverse.

Some aspects of the team’s interest investigate

the inter-relationships amongst physical

disability, exercise capacity and degree of

handicap in cardiac and neurologic populations.

Another focus is upon exercise training and

functional rehabilitation utilising assistive

technologies.

Becomes this: The research activities of this group are diverse. They include: the relationships between physical disability, exercise capacity and degree of handicap in cardiac and neurologic populations exercise training and functional rehabilitation using assistive technologies.

Becomes this:

The research activities of this group are

diverse. They include:

the relationships between physical disability, exercise capacity and degree of handicap in cardiac and neurologic populations

exercise training and functional rehabilitation using assistive technologies.

Writing for small spaces Headlines Subheadings Links Page titles Category names Labels

Headlines

Subheadings

Links

Page titles

Category names

Labels

Writing for small spaces Keep it short Be accurate Most important keywords first Understood out of context Predictable

Keep it short

Be accurate

Most important keywords first

Understood out of context

Predictable

Example A. Shock pregnancy for star x B. Lindsay Lohan pregnant 

Example

A. Shock pregnancy for star x

B. Lindsay Lohan pregnant 

Being found and helping find Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is important, but not THAT important Orient the user Accommodate entry from any point

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is important, but not THAT important

Orient the user

Accommodate entry from any point

Context is everything Different audiences Different needs Different language Different sites

Different audiences

Different needs

Different language

Different sites

Find out more Gerry McGovern http://www.gerrymcgovern.com Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/

Gerry McGovern

http://www.gerrymcgovern.com

Jakob Nielsen

http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/