Writing copy for the web

According to research carried out by Jakob Nielsen, people rarely read Web pages word by word. Instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences. In one study carried out by Nielsen's company, it was found that 79 per cent of users always scanned any new page they came across, with only 16 per cent reading word by word. As most people scan Web pages, and also to assist those with reading difficulties and those using assistive technology, it is very important that the information contained in a document is presented correctly. The correct use of bullet points, headings and summary paragraphs throughout a publication will ensure that the maximum number of readers will gain the information you wish to impart. Writing for the web is a specific skill. It is more like writing copy for adverts, brochures or exhibitions than writing books or articles. Every page should be written as if the user has not seen the rest of the site. Many visitors will access Web pages direct from internet search engines, or through links from other web sites. Although good design, branding and navigation will help, the text on a page must stand alone.

Jakob Nielsen has identified four ways in which existing text can be adapted to make a website more usable:

• Using objective language. The usability of the information on a site can be improved by 27 per cent by using neutral language -simply stating facts and drawing a conclusion -rather than boasting or using exaggerated language.
• Making the text scannable. Modifying text to use bullet points, instead of lists within the body copy, improves usability by 47 per cent.
• Making the text concise. If the word count is cut by half, usability will be improved by 58 per cent.
• Combining all three. Using all three techniques together in a fourth, master method of writing for the web leads to an overall improvement of usability of 124 per cent.

Content should ideally be displayed in three levels: a short, scannable headline; an intermediate précis; and the full document. Nielsen recommends this approach as it orientates users to what is on the site quickly and efficiently. However, the first two levels should not replace whole documents, such as in depth articles, no matter how long they might be.

To achieve scannable text, web pages should employ:

• highlighted keywords using, for example, hypertext links, bold text or colour contrast . However remember that too many type face variations will lessen the visual clarity of the text)
• meaningful sub-headings
• bulleted lists
• one idea per paragraph. Users might miss additional ideas if they are not caught by the first few words in a paragraph
• half the word count (or less) than conventional writing
• the inverted pyramid style. This means starting with the conclusion and ensuring that the "Who", "What", "Where", "When", and "Why" of a piece of copy appears at the beginning with other main points following on. In this way, if a piece of text has to be edited, it can be cut from the bottom without the salient points being lost.

More information about search engine optimisation.