effective writing for the web - how to make your content stick?

Writing for the web –How to write good content and why it matters

Writing for the Web is different

1. The medium is different

2. Reading habits are different

3. Ease of Use is different

4. Objectives are different

1. The medium is different – Paper vs. Screens

• High contrast

• High DPI: 1200+

• Text first – visualsecond (if at all)

• Low contrast

• Low DPI: 150

• Text + visual elements equally.

DPI = Dots per Inch

2. Habits are different - scanning first

• Web users don’t read like a book

• They scan & skim first

• Then they read (maybe!)

This image shows where people focus on in a web page.Red is highest frequency of focus, yellow is least. White is ignored.

3. Ease of use is different – time sensitive

Book/news paper/journal readers are…

• Not time sensitive

• Engagement is frequently > 10-20-30 minutes or even hours

• More Comfortable for longer periods

For web - look at your site analytics, maybe 1-3 minutes total across all pages…

Web users normally want to…

• complete a task

• that is time sensitive task

• with search or with navigation

4. Objectives are different – Web is Task Driven

Book/news paper/journal readers want to… digest information typically with less time sensitivity…

Time is the single most critical factor

• You often have about 3 or 4 seconds to answer the visitors question

• You need clear, compellingcontent

• Otherwise you drive traffic away (to call centres), OR visitors churn / disengage.

So, what is good web content?

Know your Audience – visitor profiles

• Who is your audience?

− Jill , stay at home mother of 3 kids under 8 OR

− Joe, retired school teacher OR

− Mary, IT professional OR

− Kevin, a fisherman (and many more)……

• What do people want to do on my site?

− How can I access a grant?

− When will the new regulations start fox XYZ?

− Will pylons be close to my property?

Visitors are task driven, content needs to match

• What do your visitors want?

− NOT what do you want to tell them

• How do you make it easy for them?

− NOT what makes it easy for you

Good text content for the web is…

• Written with the visitor in mind

• Easy to navigate & jump to more detail

• Easy to skim

• Short and punchy

• Using Active voice, (especially for instructional text)

• Using shorter words

So what about your site?

Can we get answers fast ?

• How many CTAs (Call to Actions)?

• Who is the target visitor?

• The kitchen sink home page

• URL-a-rama!

A bit like this…

What do your visitors want?

Is it really this? (all about me, nothing about you)

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has responsibility for the Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Energy sectors. It regulates, protects and develops the Natural Resources of Ireland.

And, let’s say we must explain...

Then, couldn’t we do it better?

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has responsibility for the Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Energy sectors. It regulates, protects and develops the Natural Resources of Ireland.

We are responsible for Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Energy in Ireland.

We regulate, protect and develop Ireland’s Natural Resources.

Words: 27

Words: 18

And diving deeper… the detail…

• Who is visiting?

• What do they need?

• Content Likely copied from print media (PR or brochure)

• Not writtenfor the web

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Energy/Sustainable+and+Renewable+Energy+Division/Renewable+Energy+Export/Renewable+Energy+Export.htm

Quantify the problem -measure your clarity

Copyright Visible Thread 2014– Confidential and Proprietary

Average words per sentence: 10.5

Hard Words: 2.9%

FOG Index (readability): 5.5

Average words per sentence: 21.6

Hard Words: 5.11%

FOG Index (readability): 10.7

A quick example in a different context

You are not alone

Nice Graphic Design...

Nice clean fonts too –how about the copy?

The learner registration process will not be

deemed to be complete until the appropriate fees

have been paid to the Awarding Body.

To register as a learner, you must pay

appropriate fees to the awarding body

this is the

actual copy!

…this is the target

audience – non English speaking

students

Nobody is innocent….

Sections of pages scored in government site. 100 page sample

Broadcasting(100 pages scored)

Communications(100 pages scored)

Natural(100 pages scored)

Energy

Sections of pages scored in government site. 100 page sample

Broadcasting(100 pages scored)

Communications(100 pages scored)

Natural(100 pages scored)

Energy

Takeaway: Very Complexcontent across all sections of the site. Levels

of long & run-on sentences very high.

Audience will not read or engage.

Copyright Visible Thread 2014

Long Sentences in context (blue)27

A self-insurer must pay a fee as a contribution to the

overheads of the WorkCover scheme and this includes a

component to cover the liabilities of self-insurers in the event of insolvency

Passive Voice in context (maroon)28

Prior to making a decision on applying to be registered as a self-

insured employer, you should become familiar with the

requirement of self-insurance contained within the Code of

conduct for self-insured employers under the WorkCoverScheme.

Readability – what is it?

1. Flesch Reading Ease Index (Rudolf Flesh - Austria)

2. Attempt to generically measure how readable your content is

3. Formula – number between 0 and 100

4. 0 – most complex, 100 least complex

Readability for content

Readability – a note on readability in the context of tech pubs

(206.835 – (1.015 x Average Sentence Length) – (84.6 x Average Syllables per

Word)) heavily weighted towards syllables per word

Score:

• 0–29 (Very Difficult);

• 30–49 (Difficult);

• 50–59 (Fairly Difficult);

• 60–69 (Standard);

• 70–79 (Fairly Easy);

• 80–89 (Easy);

• 90–100 (Very Easy)

1. For non-tech pubs,

readability measure is

important. e.g. Consumer

Facing Credit Agreements

2. BUT, if you have a tech

heavy document you may

see limited improvements.

3. Focus more on reducing

long sentences and

passive voice. These will

improve the readability

score, but it may not be

significant.

What’s driving your scores?

Let’s consider a sample page

Back to our sample page – from Energy

Content was Likely copied from print (PR or brochure)

Lots of sentences are

>20 wordsLots of

Passive Voice

How can we easily tell? Clarity Grader report

57% of sentences > 20 words

32% use passive voice

Readability level requires 3rd level degree

Copy like this...

Words in sentence: 52

2 passive constructs

Readability of this sentence = 0 (between 0 and 100)

Direct copy from print not effective for the web

Remember:

1. The medium is different

2. Reading habits are different

3. Ease of Use is different

4. Objectives are different

The problem is pervasivebut fixable...

How can we do better?

The framework and associated environmental assessments (including Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment) will be prepared over the coming twelve months and will provide an opportunity for all stakeholders including local authorities, potential project developers and local communities to be consulted and have an input into the national policy for wind export.

- We will prepare the framework and associated environmental assessments in the next 12 months.

- You will then be able to provide feedback into the national policy for wind export.

1 sentence - 52 WordsVS.

2 sentences – 14 / 15 Words each Pronouns – we / you ’12’ versus ‘twelve’ Dialogue between you and visitor

It’s not just your site...

Example of 12 US banks

Takeaway: Very Complex content on multiple pages.

Level of long & run-on sentences very high. Audience will

not read or engage.

Detailed reports flag the content

What about jargon?

Jargon – negative impact on your audience?

Take this page...

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Energy/Sustainable+and+Renewable+Energy+Division/Offshore.htm

and this example text...

“The Stakeholder Forum was intended to provide the relevant industry stakeholders with an opportunity to get an update from Redpoint and GarradHassan on the study approach and methodology to be applied.”

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Energy/Sustainable+and+Renewable+Energy+Division/Offshore.htm

So how much jargon is there here?

We created a fairly simple dictionary of jargon phrases

Scan results across different sections of the site

Jargon checkedTakeaway: jargon likely in the pages

we scanned.

‘key’ is very popular

The content...

A key focus of digital inclusion is getting more people to use modern digital

technologies, in particular internet related technologies. The Department,

through the eInclusion Section of the Knowledge Society Division, is seeking

to promote higher levels of digital inclusion in Ireland. In pursuit of this

objective we work with other key stakeholders to identify the most effective

approaches and strategies to promote more digital inclusion. The National

Digital Strategy launched in July 2013 outlines these approaches. The

Department also represents Ireland on the Digital Inclusion Workstream set up

under the British Irish Council .

David Puttnam was appointed as Ireland's first Digital Champion in

December 2012. His focus is on digital engagement and on the priorities

set out in the National Digital Strategy. In this short clip recorded for the

EU Commisison, he outlines some of the opportunities and challenges of

his role as Ireland's Digital Champion. David Puttnam's key objectives .

Some Key Stats

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Knowledge+Society/Digital+Inclusion/

...in the page

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Knowledge+Society/Digital+Inclusion/

What about Acronyms?

Again we created a simple dictionary of acronyms

If used, then is it used sparingly?

with a definition?

Scan results across different sections of the site

Acronyms Takeaway: probably acronym heavy

copy in the pages we scanned.

So here’s a sample page full of acronyms

Takeaway: Overused DCENRNo definitions

...and the page

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Knowledge+Society/BenefIT/BenefIT+Digital+Skills+Training+Grant+Scheme.htm

Key content likely not findable and searchable

Your audience may be confused and may not

engage due to a mix of terminology

Your SEO keyword strategy may be diluted

Your content may not align with Brand/Corporate

Standards.

We care about language consistency - why?

Worried about Clarity or Inconsistency on your site?

Or Let us show you with a 30 minute demo

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effective writing for the web - how to make your content stick?

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