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Whether creating content for your own
personal home page or developing the content for a complex
corporate site, the way that your message is written
will determine your success or failure on the Internet.
Whether you are selling a product, managing customer
relations or introducing a new concept it all starts
with the site user understanding your message and instructions.
Here are some basics to understand;
Writing Styles - In writing for a website,
the single most important difference with writing for
print publication is the inherent ability of web communications
to be interactive. Hyper linking makes it easy for any
reader to browse the information you have presented
in a manner that is the most comfortable to them. Suggestion
- Use hyperlinks wisely.
The beauty of a website, whether internal (Intranet)
or external (Internet), is that the user has the ultimate
control over what content they see. Users no longer
want content pushed at them and have become “pullers"
of information...they review material pulling out what's
meaningful or useful to them and ignoring the rest.
An important goal is to make the information you offer
easy to “pull" from.
Appearance – Here are some basics
to consider
- If you want to use backgrounds,
be sure the texture or pattern is subtle so it doesn't
compete visually with your words. Solid, pale colors
are best, with black or very dark type.
- Use small, multicolor graphics to add visual interest,
but don't overdo. And remember that big splashy graphics
take a long time to load, which can drive your readers
away.
- Use white space and font changes for visual interest
instead of graphics, where possible. Columns (including
empty ones to create white space in a page format)
can be made using the "table" function and
the ``block quote" function of the HTML language.
How Web readers Read - Only 16% of
readers read a document word for word. Shocked? According
to a web usability study by Sun Microsystems, 79% merely
scan on-screen pages without taking time to read what
they find. It's more than just attention deficit. Computer
screens are about 25% harder to read than print. Larger
screen type fonts improve readability. Short line lengths
help. So does reducing the number of words from print
to the on-screen version by about 50%.
A fundamental question you should always ask,
whether it's for your own web site or one you are developing
for your employer --What is the purpose of the web site?
If yours is a small business, this is especially true.
You can't afford to make mistakes. Here are some important
questions to answer before you begin:
- What is the purpose
of your web site?
- Who is your audience?
- What do you want them to
know, understand or do after they
visit your web site?
- How will you measure
your success?
- Are you committed to maintaining
the site to keep it timely?
- Have we done the best possible
design job to make the site useable?
IF YOU ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH WHAT TO SAY,
THEN LET OUR WRITERS GET THE BALL ROLLING FOR YOU. WE
HAVE PROFESSIONALS ON STAFF THAT CAN TAKE YOUR SITE,
NEWSLETTER, BROCHURE, OR PRESS RELEASE AND MAKE YOU
LOOK FANTASTIC!
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