Submitted by crinadmin on
Studies of how users read on the Web found that they do not actually read: instead, they scan the text looking for key words and sentences. Make it short • Use the ‘inverted pyramid’ style, by placing the most important information at the top (like newspaper articles). • Is it necessary? Do not put content on the website ‘just because you can’. Ask yourself if the information is relevant and should be on the website at all. • Use objective language and a neutral tone. Very biased language (e.g “CRIN has been doing outstanding work to improve…”) puts people off. • Hyperlinks split up information on your website so pages are shorter. • Search Engines use hyperlinks to categorise websites, so hyperlinked keywords help to rank your site too. • Use bold or different colours to highlight key words. Such words stand out and catch the eye on a page filled with text. Remember though that too many of these, or different fonts, might be confusing. They may also create problems for people with visual impairments.
• Use at least 50 per cent fewer words than if you were writing on paper.
Make it easy on the eye
• Do not use large blocks of text. Instead, use bullet points, sub-headings and summary paragraphs where possible. E.g. http://crin.org/themes/ViewTheme.asp?id=5
• Make one point per paragraph and then expand on it for the rest of the paragraph. If your first sentence doesn’t grab a reader they are likely to skip the whole section
Keep the writing simple
• Avoid exaggeration and jargon. Long words lengthen sentences and bloat content. (See section on press releases).
Highlight and hyperlink
They are often underlined and in a different colour, so stand out.