1. Writing for the Web
James Carney
Web Manager

2. What we’ll cover today
• Differences between reading on the web and reading
print
• Guidelines for effective web writing
• Optimising your page content for search engines

3. [ reading on the web ]
People don’t read web pages, they scan them.
• 79% scan new pages
• Only 16% read word-for-word [Jakob Nielson]

4. [ reading on the web ]
Why?
• Reading from computer screens is tiring
• Modern life is hectic and people simply don't have time
to work too hard for their information
• Each page has to compete with hundreds of millions of
other pages for the user's attention

5. [ reading on the web ]

6. [ reading on the web ]

7. [ reading on the web ]
What are the implications of this behaviour for web writers?
• Users won’t read your text thoroughly
• Your first two paras have to contain your most
important information
• Paras, headings and bullet points should carry
information-carrying words

8. [ reading on the web ]
In summary:
• because people read differently on the web, you have
to write differently

9. [ effective web writing ]
Effective web writing involves relearning
• structure
• style

10. [ effective web writing ] structure
Info users must have for
the page to succeed
Intro
Additional info
that’s helpful
but not crucial
Supporting
detail
Nice to
have
Conclusion

11. [ effective web writing ] structure
Inverted pyramid writing
• Lead with a para that clearly defines the content of the
page
• Add progressively more detailed info in short paras
This helps users pick up clues as to whether the page contains
what they’re looking for - the ‘scent of information’ that keeps
them on the page and your site

12. [ effective web writing ] structure
Do users scroll?
YES!
But...

13. [ effective web writing ] structure
The fold is still important - the 80:20 rule

14. [ effective web writing ] structure
Implications of the 80:20 rule
• Prioritise your content
• Keep your most important or
appealing messages above the fold
• Make sure that what’s above the
fold makes users believe it’s worth
their time to scroll down
• Don’t forget to finish with a nice
hook

15. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Know your audience!
• Think about successful outcomes:
- Repeat visit
- Dwell time
- Registration
- Enter competition
- Forward to a friend

16. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Make sure your writing style and tone of voice is
appropriate for your content and the audience
• What’s your tone of voice?
- Conversational
- Engaging
- Positive/ bright/ active/ dynamic
- Accurate
- Jargon-free
- Cliché-free

17. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Reduce your wordcount (by up to 50% of print length)
• Use an active, rather than a passive voice
- Passive: ‘A free gift is given to all new customers’
- Active: ‘All new customers get a free gift’
- Passive: ‘Our brochure can be downloaded free’
- Active: ‘Download our free brochure’

18. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Keep sentences short and punctuation to a minimum
• Keep paras short and only cover one idea in each
• Break up longer paras into bite-sized chunks with
subheadings, lists, bullet points, etc.

19. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Keep headings/subheads to one line (6-8 words max)
• Keep headings/subheads meaningful
• Use verbs or adjectives in headings/subheads
subheads to fix user attention

20. [ effective web writing ] style
Examples of good headlines from BBC News website
• ‘Man on Jo murder charge’
• ‘Music owners plan rights database’
• ‘Scots bid to undo US haggis ban’
Short Rich in information scent
Understandable out of
Predictable
context

21. [ effective web writing ] style
Stylepoints for effective web writing
• Highlight key words/phrases in bold
• Write numbers as numerals rather than spelled out
• Keep intro text short and meaningful
• Write the opening para last!
• Avoid ‘marketese’

22. [ effective web writing ] style
Effective web writing is
• Concise
• Scannable
• Objective

23. [ effective web writing ] practise
‘To make you text better you should avoid using long
words, avoid using jargo, avoid using long inline comma
lists, use bullit points use good structure and use the
active rather than the passive voice’

24. [ effective web writing ] practise
To make your text better you should
avoid using
• long words
• jargon
• long in-line comma lists
but use
• bullet points
• good structure
• the active rather than the passive voice

25. [ effective web writing ] practise
‘Scotland is blessed with an amazing variety of
internationally recognized attractions that draw large
crowds of people every year, without fail. In 2008,
some of the most popular places were Glasgow's
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (1,445,098),
Edinburgh Castle (1,128,394 visitors), the National
Museum of Scotland (614,894), also in the capital, New
Lanark Village & Visitor Centre (341,340), the Scottish
Seabird Centre in North Berwick (284,166), and the
Aros Centre on Skye (214,934).’

26. [ effective web writing ] practise
Scotland's Top Visitor Attractions
In 2008, 6 of the most popular attractions in Scotland
were:
• Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (Glasgow)
• Edinburgh Castle
• National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh)
• New Lanark Village & Visitor Centre
• Scottish Seabird Centre (North Berwick)
• Aros Centre (Skye)

27. [ effective web writing ] practise
‘Imagine the scene: An open canoe is gently paddled
along a stretch of tranquil river as the sun slowly rises.
Passing a woodland, a lone roe deer suddenly pops out
and takes the opportunity for an early morning swim.
High above on smooth cliffs in the fairytale-style
gorge, the insistent sound of hungry young birds can
be heard as they await the return of their parents with
breakfast. And, then, the river water ripples and an
otter pops up as if to smell the fresh air of a
promisingly sunny day. If you're wondering where this
is: it's in the Highlands of Scotland. And if you're
pondering if this might be for you then you're right.’

28. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
Keywords are KEY to having your content found by Google

29. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
5 areas of your writing where keywords count
1. Title
• Include key words/ phrases in title of your piece
• Keywords as close to start of title as possible
• Title no more than 72 characters in length
• Use ‘Title tag’ option in CMS to provide more
optimised description of the page in the browser bar

30. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search

31. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
2. Meta description
• Start meta description with keyword/phrase
• Succinctly summarise what users will find on the page
• No more than 165 characters in length

32. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
3. Content
• Keep on topic and focused on subject matter of
keyword phrases
• Longer copy better than short: > 300 words if possible
• Include keywords in subheads

33. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
4. Keyword frequency
• Use common sense!
• Repeat the key phrase 2-3 times
• Don’t over-do it

34. [ effective web writing ] optimising text for search
5. Linking
• Link to relevant content fairly early in body copy
• Link to relevant pages every 120 words of content
approx.
• Link to interior pages of your site or other sites
• Link with naturally relevant anchor text (no 'read this'
or 'click here' - use keyword phrases if possible)

35. Thank you!