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Creating Effective Web Content

Most visitors will arrive at your website searching for answers or looking for information that will help them solve a problem. Most internet users are busy people who want information quickly. They won't want to spend time scouring the text for information.

Designing an efficient website includes creating informative, searchable content. Before you begin writing ask yourself:

  • Who will be visiting this site?
  • Why will they visit the site?
  • What problems will they be looking to solve?
  • What information will help them find a solution?
  • How can I make it easy for them to find the information they need?
  • What steps do I want them to take?

People Don't Read Websites

No matter how well you have written the content, people will only scan or skim the pages. Although well written content is important it is even more important that you design your site so that people can find key information quickly.

Scannable Format

Researchers have tracked the eye movement of people as they look at web pages. They found that in most cases, eyes scan the page following an "F" pattern. People consistently start scanning horizontally across the top of the page, then down the left side of the page slightly before moving horizontally again. Their eyes then move up and down the left side of the page creating the shape of an F. Ideally you will want to place your key information within that same F pattern.

Page Design

  • State your key point at the top of every page
    • People will scroll only if they have found useful information
  • Divide the content into small bite-size chunks
  • Use headings and subheadings to catch your visitors' attention
    • When creating a heading, state your key point clearly; summarize the content found in the section; ask a question that will be answered in the section; and/or use key search terms
  • Use font, colours and/or bold or italics to highlight the headings and key words in the text
  • Keep the page free of clutter
  • Use top-quality graphics and images that complement the text
    • If the graphic/image is not self-explanatory remove it or add a caption
    • Use an image transition if you have more than a few images for the page

Caution: overuse of colours, fonts, bold, italics, flashing and/or blinking images will distract from your message. Studies have found that if something looks like a promotional piece, people will skip it. Make your information stand out by using creative, subtle techniques.

Scannable Content

Paragraphs

  • Ensure the paragraph content matches the heading
  • Summarize the page content in the first paragraph
    • Ask yourself what is this page about?
    • What is in it for the reader?
    • Why is the information on this page important?
  • Present only one idea per paragraph
  • State your key point in the first sentence
  • Keep paragraphs short and concise

Presentation

  • Use Sans-Serif fonts
    • The fonts Verdana or Arial are found on all computers - fonts won't work as intended unless the user has them installed on their computer
  • Use numbered and/or bulleted lists to highlight key points
  • Select a tone for your content
    • A casual and personal tone works better than a formal one
    • Make it personal e.g. use "we" rather than the organization's name

Information

  • Only include information that will be useful to your visitors
    • Avoid fluff, filler and excessive details
  • Provide helpful content, rather than a sales pitch
    • Include facts
    • Avoid the overuse of adjectives
    • Avoid promotional language, bragging or exaggerated claims
  • Use clear, plain language
    • Avoid jargon, buzzwords and technical language
  • Use visual cues so you don't need to state the obvious
    • It is no longer necessary to say "Click Here" or "Welcome to our Website"
  • Include content that encourages the reader to take action

Note: If there are several people contributing content to a site, select one person to edit the material. This will help ensure a consistent style, tone and flow.

When you Need to Include Detail

Although short pages with focused content is ideal, there may be times when you need to add long, detailed text...take this page for example.

If your pages are long and the content is dense, ensure that it is:

  • easy to read
  • well written
  • divided by headings and sub-headings
  • all on the same page
    • Leave related text together so it is easier to read and print

If you have a lot of text you can present a summary or introduction and include a "read more..." link to the details.

Reading on the screen is difficult so if you have more than a few paragraphs it is safe to assume that visitors will print the page. By including a print utility and keeping all related text on the same page, you will make it easier for the reader.

You Can't Control Your Visitors' Behaviour

People will often arrive at your site on a page other than your Home page, so ensure the content of each page has value and can stand alone.

Visitors will move around in a way that makes sense to them. This means every guest will read your content in a different order. Additionally it is impossible to predict the order they will use links. Therefore, when writing content, you must assume that every page is the first and only page they will read. For this reason, it's a good idea to repeat key content.

Links

Links are a great addition to your site because they will catch the reader's eye and complement your material. In addition to moving people around within your site, external links add credibility to your content by connecting people with supporting information. It is also important to know that links will make it easier for search engines to index your site, resulting in improved search rank with search engines.

There are some potential drawbacks to using links:

  • Links to other sites need to be checked often to ensure they still work
  • They can detract from the content, interrupt the flow and distract the visitor
  • People may click on the link before they finish reading/scanning the page
  • Links to other sites draw people away from your site – so make sure external links are set to open in a new browser window

Remove 50% of Your Content

It is recommended that the information on your website represent only 50% of the material you would use if you were writing for print. When you are designing content, think of it as writing text for a billboard or a magazine ad, rather than writing content for a brochure.

Once you have written your content take some time to edit before posting it to the site.

Review your material with the goal of removing any unnecessary words and details.

Evaluate Your Own Website

Most people visiting your site will have no previous experience with your organization, so you need to gain their confidence with your site alone. It's essential to have a professional, informative, visually appealing site that is easy to navigate.

We recommend taking time to review your content before launching the site. Have someone outside your organization review your site as well.

Consider the following questions:

  • What will the reader get from the site?
    • Will visitors find the information useful, helpful and interesting?
  • Is the information accurate and current?
  • Is the information well organized and easy to find when the page is scanned?
    • Do keywords, sentences and phrases stand out?
  • Is the site easy to use?
  • Is the content easy to read, well written and error-free?
  • Could a visitor to the site start on any page?
  • Are there links to other quality sites?

For more information about or assistance with writing for the Web, contact us at .