Writing for the Web
When writing content for the web, it is important to understand your target audience to know who you are writing for and creating content that will be most meaningful for them. Users rarely read every word on a web page, but rather scan for content that is pertinent to them.
Consider the following tips to create effective, user-focused web conten:
Front-load important information
When creating a page, use the "inverted pyramid" model, by including the most important information at the very top of the page. This will attract your users attention and help them decide whether the page is relevant to their needs.
Use bite-size content and subheadings
Format your page into bite-sized paragraphs. This formatting allows the user to scan through your page, without feeling overwhelmed with the amount of content. Using headings and subheadings also allows the user to quickly skim topics that are relevant to them.
Format content with bolding or italics for importance
Bolding or italicizing attracts the attention of the user towards significant content and also boosts SEO. Note, avoid the overuse of bolding or italicizing, as it will garner opposite opposite results.
Use bulleted lists and tables
Bulleted lists are useful to classify a web page and are easy for a user to quickly scan through. Consider a table for further organization of information and if you have a significant amount of content to relay.
Communicate with an active voice
Format your sentence with an action. This aids in content being concise.
For example: Do – The Mercato served dinner. Don’t - Dinner was served in the Mercato.
Hyperlink when necessary
Incorporate links to direct users to relevant information on your webpage. This should only be used if you have referred another page.
Search Engine Optimized (SEO)
Many users find your webpage using a search engine. These engines identify pages with significant words recognizing a topic. Therefore, use important words on your page that are directly applicable to the topic of your webpage.