Writing for the web Philippa Costigan Kelly Gardiner Web Services Team ‘ Title’on this keyline. Arial Bold 36 pts

What the hell would we know? Philippa BA (French & English Literature) Editor, Cheap Eats and other consumer/lifestyle magazines Partner, Costigan & Murphy, corporate and Government clients – annual reports, brochures, magazines, websites, print advertising and more Web Content Coordinator, SLV Kelly BA (Professional writing and editing) MA (Literature) Editor of newspapers, magazines, websites Manager of ninemsn Search, Hotmail, ninemsn.com.au Author (kids’ books) Web Services Manager, SLV

Philippa

BA (French & English Literature)

Editor, Cheap Eats and other consumer/lifestyle magazines

Partner, Costigan & Murphy, corporate and Government clients – annual reports, brochures, magazines, websites, print advertising and more

Web Content Coordinator, SLV

Kelly

BA (Professional writing and editing)

MA (Literature)

Editor of newspapers, magazines, websites

Manager of ninemsn Search, Hotmail, ninemsn.com.au

Author (kids’ books)

Web Services Manager, SLV

How people find content Most users get to web pages from search engines, links on other websites, or links within a website Every page should be written as if the user hasn’t seen the rest of the site Some of them may not even know where they are.

Most users get to web pages from search engines, links on other websites, or links within a website

Every page should be written as if the user hasn’t seen the rest of the site

Some of them may not even know where they are.

How people read content Reading from computer screens is slower than reading on paper. People rarely read web pages in detail. They are more likely to: Skim the page Pick out key words and phrases to find relevant information Look for links, sub-heads and bullet points Click and leave within seconds.

Reading from computer screens is slower than reading on paper.

People rarely read web pages in detail. They are more likely to:

Skim the page

Pick out key words and phrases to find relevant information

Look for links, sub-heads and bullet points

Click and leave within seconds.

Writing for how people search and writing quality links are the two fundamental skills of web writing. Think carefully about search behaviour and make sure your links are always clear and logical. - Gerry McGovern 79 percent of our test users always scanned any new page they came across; only 16 percent read word-by-word. - Jakob Nielsen

Writing for how people search and writing quality links are the two fundamental skills of web writing.

Think carefully about search behaviour and make sure your links are always clear and logical.

- Gerry McGovern

Understand your audience Who are you talking to? What do you know about these people – where do they live? How old are they? What do they like to do in their spare time? What do they know about the State Library of Victoria? What information do they need?

Who are you talking to?

What do you know about these people – where do they live? How old are they? What do they like to do in their spare time?

What do they know about the State Library of Victoria?

What information do they need?

What’s the point? What are you trying to say and why do you need to say it? What are you trying to do? Inform, entertain, educate, motivate, solve a problem? What do you want users to think about the State Library of Victoria?

What are you trying to say and why do you need to say it?

What are you trying to do? Inform, entertain, educate, motivate, solve a problem?

What do you want users to think about the State Library of Victoria?

Your website is not a murder mystery... Short, sharp, second person and active; that's web content. Get to the point. Then stop. - Gerry McGovern

Voice and tone Simple steps to help create a friendly and informative voice: Never talk down to people Always write in plain English (don’t use overly formal language) Avoid confusing language (don’t use jargon) Avoid long sentences (about 16 words)

Simple steps to help create a friendly and informative voice:

Never talk down to people

Always write in plain English (don’t use overly formal language)

Avoid confusing language (don’t use jargon)

Avoid long sentences (about 16 words)

Varying your voice Match your voice to your audience: Corporate websites: efficient, informative, but approachable Vicnet: less formal, community-focused ( us not you ), inclusive Blogs: informal, conversational, inviting responses (if work related, they still have to be professional and make some grammatical sense) Insideadog: voice reflects user demographic

Match your voice to your audience:

Corporate websites: efficient, informative, but approachable

Vicnet: less formal, community-focused ( us not you ), inclusive

Blogs: informal, conversational, inviting responses (if work related, they still have to be professional and make some grammatical sense)

Insideadog: voice reflects user demographic

Tips Be clear and relevant Online readers don’t tolerate ambiguous text, and will click forward to find something clearer Make sure your writing sticks to the topic and can’t be misunderstood. Write with an active voice The active voice is more direct and uses fewer words Passive: The lecture was enjoyed by the library users Active: Library users enjoyed the lecture Write with a personal voice Impersonal: Web users may subscribe to the State Library’s free email newsletter below . Personal: Sign up for your free email newsletter here!

Be clear and relevant

Online readers don’t tolerate ambiguous text, and will click forward to find something clearer

Make sure your writing sticks to the topic and can’t be misunderstood.

Write with an active voice

The active voice is more direct and uses fewer words

Passive: The lecture was enjoyed by the library users

Active: Library users enjoyed the lecture

Write with a personal voice

Impersonal: Web users may subscribe to the State Library’s free email newsletter below .

Personal: Sign up for your free email newsletter here!

Inverted pyramid Summarise information in the headline and lead paragraph Follow with key facts arranged in diminishing order Forget essay writing techniques.

Summarise information in the headline and lead paragraph

Follow with key facts arranged in diminishing order

Forget essay writing techniques.

How to be concise Online text should have half as many words as printed text – at most. Sentences and paragraphs should be short. Never put more than one main idea into a single paragraph. Words must be simple and direct. For example, use not utilise ; decide not make a decision .

Online text should have half as many words as printed text – at most. Sentences and paragraphs should be short.

Never put more than one main idea into a single paragraph.

Words must be simple and direct. For example, use not utilise ; decide not make a decision .

Page lengths Minimise page lengths Ideally, users shouldn’t need to scroll down more than two or three screens of information. If you are dealing with more than about 800 words: Edit it to make it shorter Divide it into self-contained and logical chunks that can live on separate pages.

Minimise page lengths

Ideally, users shouldn’t need to scroll down more than two or three screens of information.

If you are dealing with more than about 800 words:

Edit it to make it shorter

Divide it into self-contained and logical chunks that can live on separate pages.

Chunking Self-contained and context-independent segments of text, headings and subheads that are grouped together for quick easy reading Chunks usually fit within a single screen, address a specific concept or theme, are no longer than 100 words, and no more than one or two paragraphs Chunks have descriptive headlines or subheads, may contain numbered or bulleted lists, and often have links to other pages or websites

Self-contained and context-independent segments of text, headings and subheads that are grouped together for quick easy reading

Chunks usually fit within a single screen, address a specific concept or theme, are no longer than 100 words, and no more than one or two paragraphs

Chunks have descriptive headlines or subheads, may contain numbered or bulleted lists, and often have links to other pages or websites

Page structure Use sub-headings Sub-headings divide and label logical sections or paragraphs within a single web page. Sub-headings help users follow the flow of the text and enable them to quickly assess the bits they want to read. Use bullet points Bulleted and numbered lists: Draws the user’s attention to the most important points Allows the user to scan the text quickly and take in key information.

Use sub-headings

Sub-headings divide and label logical sections or paragraphs within a single web page.

Sub-headings help users follow the flow of the text and enable them to quickly assess the bits they want to read.

Use bullet points

Bulleted and numbered lists:

Draws the user’s attention to the most important points

Allows the user to scan the text quickly and take in key information.

Headlines Strong headlines provide a succinct snapshot of the content on the page and entice users to read further. Page headlines should be intuitive, written in plain language, and make sense on their own: no puns, cute or clever headlines or clichés. A good headline answers one simple question: “What is the key message on this page?”

Strong headlines provide a succinct snapshot of the content on the page and entice users to read further.

Page headlines should be intuitive, written in plain language, and make sense on their own: no puns, cute or clever headlines or clichés.

A good headline answers one simple question: “What is the key message on this page?”

Lead with the need. Keep your headings under eight words; four words or less would be even better. - Gerry McGovern

Lead with the need. Keep your headings under eight words; four words or less would be even better.

- Gerry McGovern

Metadata What’s it for? Page titles, summaries and keywords make search engines work, and help people find your pages. These are coded into the page, and the search engine picks them out when people type those words into a search box. Alt text (tool tips in IE) Alt text is the short descriptive phrase that appears, like a caption, in a pop-up box when you hover your mouse over an image Alt text should appear on every meaningful graphic. If it is an image such as a photo or drawing, the alt text should describe the image Critical for accessibility.

What’s it for?

Page titles, summaries and keywords make search engines work, and help people find your pages.

These are coded into the page, and the search engine picks them out when people type those words into a search box.

Alt text (tool tips in IE)

Alt text is the short descriptive phrase that appears, like a caption, in a pop-up box when you hover your mouse over an image

Alt text should appear on every meaningful graphic. If it is an image such as a photo or drawing, the alt text should describe the image

Critical for accessibility.

Page title Summary

Page title

Links Use links well Links to other pages, or content elsewhere on the site, offer users the chance to read background information or related pages. Links must be genuinely useful. They allows users to complete tasks. Deep links to specific pages reduce frustration. Industry standards: Links should be self-explanatory Write a blurb to tell users what to expect when they click Don’t waste words writing click here or follow this link Web addresses shouldn’t be used as the text for links: You can book online If the link takes users to a different section or website, make that clear: Vote now on insideadog

Use links well

Links to other pages, or content elsewhere on the site, offer users the chance to read background information or related pages.

Links must be genuinely useful. They allows users to complete tasks.

Deep links to specific pages reduce frustration.

Industry standards:

Links should be self-explanatory

Write a blurb to tell users what to expect when they click

Don’t waste words writing click here or follow this link

Web addresses shouldn’t be used as the text for links: You can book online

If the link takes users to a different section or website, make that clear: Vote now on insideadog

Context links

Editing Editors ensure: Information and ideas are ordered logically and appropriate for the audience and the medium Information is presented consistently – structure, voice, tone and style Text does not distract the user from their key task, but helps them achieve it Editors check: Text conforms to web best practice Images and captions enhance the content and are relevant Ideas are clearly expressed and appeal to the audience Fundamentals: punctuation, spelling, links, metadata, consistency with house style Editing establishes credibility and trust SLV websites are publications with global reach Would we publish the Annual Report without editing it?

Editors ensure:

Information and ideas are ordered logically and appropriate for the audience and the medium

Information is presented consistently – structure, voice, tone and style

Text does not distract the user from their key task, but helps them achieve it

Editors check:

Text conforms to web best practice

Images and captions enhance the content and are relevant

Ideas are clearly expressed and appeal to the audience

Fundamentals: punctuation, spelling, links, metadata, consistency with house style

Editing establishes credibility and trust

SLV websites are publications with global reach

Would we publish the Annual Report without editing it?

Peer editing Everyone needs someone to love their text Double-check your own work Ask others to check your text Offer to check others’ work Use an industry style guide

Everyone needs someone to love their text

Double-check your own work

Ask others to check your text

Offer to check others’ work

Use an industry style guide

References Standard dictionary: The Macquarie Dictionary Style guides: Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers , AGPS Press, Canberra SLV Style Guide Web gurus: Jakob Nielsen, www.useit.com Gerry McGovern, www.gerrymcgovern.com Us: Ask questions – now and any time.

Standard dictionary:

The Macquarie Dictionary

Style guides:

Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers , AGPS Press, Canberra

SLV Style Guide

Web gurus:

Jakob Nielsen, www.useit.com

Gerry McGovern, www.gerrymcgovern.com

Us:

Ask questions – now and any time.