Writing for the Web
Why write different for the web
Research has shown that people read quite differently on a screen to on paper, as such you have to write differently to your usual writing style. There are numerous reasons for this - some of the most significant reasons are:
- Reading from a computer is tiring
(when your using a screen, how long before you want to get a coffee, more often than if you were reading from a printout - this is due to a screen having much lower resolution 72 dots every inch than print which is more like 300. - Speed of reading is reduced to only about 70%
- You drive on the web
With one hand on the mouse, and several million web pages, you want to drive til you get to the right article or information, you have to think about which link to click on as opposed to just flicking through.
How to write for the web
So what can you do to combat against the resultant short attention span of your readers:
- Inverted pyramid writing style
(start with the most important parts, and further details down the page) - Scannable text by using good headings, sub headings and bullets
- Reduce the amount of words
If people can read at only about 70%, reduce the amount they need to read - KISS
Keeping it Short and Simple
Links:
- Sift - Writing for the web (part 1)
Excellent article written by a Bristol based firm - Use it - Writing for the web
articles by the famous Jacob Nielson - Usable Content - training days
About the author
Gerry has been employed to provide training and management for website content - from SME ecommerce firms through to Government offices, day training courses are available seperately, or can be included in a package - for more information contact us through Usable Content