How to create useful and scannable Web content that will both attract and retain visitors for your site.

1. Writing for the Web
HOW TO CRAFT CONTENT THAT WILL
ATTRACT YOUR ONLINE AUDIENCE

2. Keep in Mind...
“How do readers read on the Web?
The answer – they don’t.”
– Jakob Nielsen

3. 11 Tips for Web Writing
WITH EXAMPLES

4. 1. Shorter is better
Make This Look Like This
 Aim for 600-700 words On July 5th, 2012, July 5, 2012 –
Jeffery Immelt, the General Electric
max CEO of U.S.-based CEO Jeffery
conglomerate
Immelt goes to
General Electric,
eastern China to
 “If it is possible to cut a traveled to the
meet with
eastern border of
word out, always cut it the People’s biochemists.
Republic of China
out.” – George Orwell in order to conduct
a meeting with key
science researchers
in the biochemistry
field.

5. 2. Write for the reader, not yourself
Write This Not This
How R&D affects How does  Think of readers as busy,
the economy: research and impatient people
development
1. Creates jobs affect the
2. Develops new economy? Well,
sources of there are a lot of
 Be concise, not chatty
revenue different ways.
3. Technology The answer really
transfer depends on your
individual
perspective...

6. 3. Question your modifiers
Mark Zuckerberg
is preparing for
Facebook’s IPO.
 Avoid overuse of
adjectives and adverbs
The omnipresent
Mark Zuckerberg
is busily
preparing
himself for the
long-awaited,
definitive IPO of
Facebook.

7. 4. Be direct
 Make information easy
to find
 Straightforward headings

8. 5. Use headings that work
Write This Not This
 Make article easy to find NRC explores Semiconductor
semiconductor technology is
technology currently being
 Short and direct with explored by NRC
active language

9. 6. Use subheadings as much as possible
 Visual road-sign
 Every few paragraphs

10. 7. Page chunk
 Make text short
 Split information into
multiple pages with
different pieces of the
topic

11. 8. Make sentences short and simple
Make This Look Like This
Engineers apply Engineers use
scientific principles science to solve
to solve significant problems and  Long sentences distract
technical problems
and to deliver
develop and drive away readers
breakthrough innovative
products, processes, products and
raw materials and processes that  Communicate quickly
packaging people use every
technologies that day. and efficiently
delight consumers
throughout their
day-to day.

12. 9. Create meaningful links
Use This Not This
For more To find out more
 Descriptive information, information
please visit about our Health
Health Science Science
 Signposts for scanning Laboratories Laboratories,
click here

13. 10. Watch formatting
Would You Want to Read This?  Avoid at all costs:
P&G’s structure offers our employees the benefit
of an international company with the local
 Over-bolding
focus to win with consumers in roughly
180 countries where P&G brands are sold.
 Underlining for emphasis
The US Educated Foreign National recruiting  Italics
program is seeking to utilize your skills to build
the business in one of our Emerging Markets.  WRITING IN CAPS
As a build-from-within Company, our success  Lists more than 2 levels
depends entirely on the strength of our people.
To ensure a fast start, we have our new hires
begin their careers in a location where they have
the BEST OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. This
typically means a location where they have:
•Exceptional business knowledge
•Language skills
•Oral and written
•Tests will be administered
•Technical mastery
•Unrestricted work authorization
•Ability to work in the United States

14. 11. Edit
 Clearest
 Simplest
 Shortest
 Most necessary