Creating websites using Wordpress

Stowmarket Library8 February 2012

Martin Bazley

Course overview: WednesdayCreating websites with Wordpress

Looking at some websitesGetting to know WordpressHave a go with WordpressSurgery and review

Course overview: ThursdayWriting for the web

Why do we need to learn to write for the web? Work on your own contentReview and continueSurgery and review

Course overview: WednesdayCreating websites with Wordpress

Looking at some websitesGetting to know WordpressHave a go with WordpressSurgery and review

Header inc banner – establishes visual identityHeader inc banner – establishes visual identity

Main navigation – contents summary, links to sectionsMain navigation – contents summary, links to sections

Section (context-sensitive)

navigation – contents summary

and links

Section (context-sensitive)

navigation – contents summary

and links

Right hand column – links to relevant

items within site, sometimes outside it

Right hand column – links to relevant

items within site, sometimes outside itMain content areaMain content area

Website examples

http://eastanglianlife.org.uk/discover/ http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/London-Wall/Visiting-us/ http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/booking/index.htmlhttp://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/educators/plan_and_book_a_visit/

book_a_visit.aspxhttp://www.vam.ac.uk/http://www.amazon.co.uk/http://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/

Course overview: WednesdayCreating websites with Wordpress

Looking at some websitesGetting to know WordpressHave a go with WordpressSurgery and review

Course overview: ThursdayWriting for the web

Why do we need to learn to write for the web? Work on your own contentReview and continueSurgery and review

Course overview: ThursdayWriting for the web

Why do we need to learn to write for the web? Work on your own contentReview and continueSurgery and review

Why do we have to learn to write for the web?

Isn’t it just writing like any other kind of material?

Web users also don’t get it

People use the web differently…

… from the way they use books, object labels, magazines, newspapers,

information screens, etc

For most people the web is a

predominantly visual

medium

We are all different and some people like to read

all the text on a web page before deciding

what to do next, even though a lot of it might

be pretty redundant but most people – or at least most regular users

of the web – rather than reading through them

in detail just scan the web pages they are using, or at least the

ones where they are still trying to work out

where to go next

• Users won't read your text thoroughly word-by-word.

Exhaustive reading is rare, especially when browsing. Yes, some people will read more, but most won't.

• The first two paragraphs must state the most important information. There's some hope that users will actually read this material – though they'll probably read more of the first paragraph than the second.

• Start subheadings, paragraphs, and bullet points with information-carrying words that users will notice when scanning down the left side of your content in the final stem of their F-behaviour.

They'll read the third word on a line much less often than the first two words.

If they have to work at it for example if they

cannot see what they are looking for, or if it doesn’t make sense to

them at first glance then most people – or at least many

people who do a lot of searching or browsing on the web just

decide that this particular site is not for them, and anyway they

have a long list of other search results or ideas to try and so they go elsewhere

Exercise: Make this web page Exercise: Make this web page betterbetter

About website structure, About website structure, ways people use the web and ways people use the web and implications for writing for the implications for writing for the

webweb

Certain types of websites impose linear user journeys:

TheTrainline.comCinema ticket bookings

Self assessment tax return online

In most websites, although there are some linear elements …

… people like to have other pathways available to them…

… and most journeys are very non-linear

Also, most people reach your website via Google

Only 20% arrive at your website on the home page

Most may not have had your site in mind when searching

30% of them go to home page to ‘try and work out what this site is about’

So each page on the site must quickly: (a)engage users and (b)give sense of what site is about –

otherwise most will leave

‘Writing for the web’ is not just about text…

… but also choosing the right images… layouts

… graphical look and feel…website structure

etc etc

Key point of paragraph/

section

Image clearly related to text

Broken into short paras

Short video guides

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoU2yANNxRs&eurl=http://inside.123-reg.co.uk/archives/video-writing-your-web-copy

• Writing web headlines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBg7dJIfHM0

Home page: key functions

• Offer overview: – Show user what the site can do for them– Show user what is in the site:

• The structure at a glance• Content highlights or samples

• Engagement:– make user want to continue browsing

– www.manchestergalleries.org/

Article page: key functions

• Engage the user – make them want to consume the article

• Signposting: – Show user what else is nearby in the site

• The structure at a glance

– Show user what else the site offers them

– www.mylearning.org/overview.asp?journeyid=73

– www.manchestergalleries.org/

Short writing exercisesShort writing exercises

Short writing exercisesShort writing exercises

Home page: key functions

• Offer overview: – Show user what the site can do for them– Show user what is in the site:

• The structure at a glance• Content highlights or samples

• Engagement:– make user want to continue browsing

Article page: key functions

• Engage the user – make them want to consume the article

• Signposting: – Show user what else is nearby in the site

• The structure at a glance

– Show user what else the site offers them

– www.mylearning.org/overview.asp?journeyid=73

– www.manchestergalleries.org/

Task: create some Task: create some online contentonline content

Decide where in the site this will be

Add a title Short, clear summary Write a few

sentences. Add subheading

Few more sentences

Banner

This is an ARTICLE page

TitleAdd a summary?

Each ‘promo’ needs Title Image?One-line descn

Links to related points elsewhere in this site

Where in the site is this?

This is a SECTION page - one of these links goes to the article page

More information / advice / ideas

Martin Bazley0780 3580 737

www.martinbazley.com