Writing for the Web

Reading Prioritizing Web Usability by Nielsen and Loranger is one of the best ways I know of to learn how to write for the web. When I was seconded to Alberta Education as a Resource Manager for the LearnAlberta project, I was asked to read this book as preparation for writing web content. Through it I learned that writing for the web is very different from other types of writing, and Nielsen and Loranger backed up what they were saying with results from studies of web users. The fact that what they said made sense to me based on my own experience using the web sealed the deal for me: I whole-heartedly adopted their recommendations.

Prioritizing Web Usability concisely outlined best practices in writing content for web delivery. With plenty of evidence to show that the experience of reading online is very different from the experience of reading offline, Nielsen and Loranger clearly explain the ways in which writing for an online audience has to be done differently. To honour their work, I present what I feel are their key findings below, written in a web-friendly format.

Layout Enhances Reading

·         short paragraphs containing concise text

·         cluster information into meaningful, easily-scanned chunks using:

o   subheadings

o   white space

o   bullet points

·         provide objective, neutral language in a clear voice

·         break content into multiple pages linked via hypertext

Writing Style

·         start with your conclusion (inverted pyramid), then gradually add detail

·         topic sentence = conclusion

·         1 idea / paragraph

·         simple sentence structure

·         avoid metaphors

·         allow users to select only those topics about which they care to read

·         1 topic / page: users don’t like to scroll

Page Title Importance

·         title is microcontent: all the user sees in a bookmark

·         be concise: 2-6 words; 40-60 characters

·         each page must have a unique title

·         information-carrying terms should be used at the beginning of the title, and should match user’s need

·         title should be a slogan for the page, and doesn’t have to be grammatically correct

Headline Use

·         should stand on its own, since often provided out of context (e.g., as search engine hit)

·         use plain language

·         avoid teasers

·         information-carrying terms should be used at the beginning of the headline

Legibility

·         black text on plain white background best

·         large font that can be resized if desired

·         stationary text (not animated)

·         left-justified by default; centred or right-justified only for effect

·         serif font is easier to read if resolution is adequate; use sans-serif such as Verdana if smaller

Follow Conventions

·         users can construct meaning more easily when the page functions in a manner to which they have become accustomed

·         unvisited hyperlinks should be indicated using blue underlined text

·         visited hyperlinks should be indicated using purple underlined text

·         avoid underlining text that is not a hyperlink, as it confuses users

·         ALT text should be provided for all images used (accessibility issue)

·         WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes should be included on all images and tables

Following these guidelines makes it easier for users to extract meaning from information delivered in an online environment.

References

Nielsen, J. & Loranger, H. (2006). Prioritizing web usability. Berkely, CA:  New Riders.