Text is the core element of any web site. Experts have determined that users primarily go on-line to retrieve information, yet most of us have very little training in how to write effectively for this medium. The most important thing to remember is that writing for the Web is different from writing for print. The Web is not structured like a report or a book that people will read in a linear fashion. It is a collection of electronic files that users will read in any order they please.

This document summarizes the key factors involved in writing good Web documents.

• a. Know your audience
• b. Insert key messages
• c. Use plain and simple language
• d. Legibility and readability
• e. Scannability and the ‘inverted pyramid’
• f. Page length – “chunking” vs. scrolling
• g. Meaningful titles
• h. Using headlines and sub-heads
• i. Navigation: links, buttons, bars and maps
• j. Accessibility
• k. Editing and proofreading
• l. Web content checklist

a. Know your audience

The key factor in the development of any web site is knowing your target audience. For example, you should determine whether your site will reach an internal, national or international audience. Knowing this basic information allows you to decide in which language(s) your text will be written, consider foreign browser capabilities and other important site design elements.

As part of the IMFN, you should assume the information you are posting is being consumed by both a national and international audience which may include (but is not limited to):

• The general public
• Clients, partners and stakeholders
• Government employees and decision-makers
• Academics and the scientific community
• Donors and potential donors
• The media
• NGOs
• Environmentalists, recreationalists and conservationists

If your site does not offer a foreign language option, be sure to use plain language so that information can possibly be understood by non-native speakers.

Finally, be careful when posting information denoting time or dates which may be written or understood differently than in your country. The same goes for currency values, units of measurement or punctuation.

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b.  Insert key messages

What you are trying to say, or your key messages, should be obvious in the first line or paragraph of your document. To achieve this goal, keep the “three Cs’” in mind when drafting content:

• Clean
• Clear
• Concise

Ask yourself the following question: what are the one or two (or three, etc.) ideas I want to get across to every visitor to my site? The answers are your key messages.

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c.  Use plain and simple language

Plain and simple language—with correct spelling and grammar—is essential in all communications with the public. This especially holds true when writing for the Web.

Since users will primarily visit your site to retrieve information, say what you mean, simply and accurately. Ambiguous language can frustrate a visitor. For example, when appropriate, use:

• “information” rather than “data”
• “decide” instead of “determine” or “resolve”
• “stop” rather than “cease” or “terminate”
• “now” instead of “presently” or “currently”

The active voice

Be sure to take advantage of the power of the active voice. Although the passive voice seems more professional and objective, it diverts attention away from the actor. It can also unnecessarily lengthen your message. For example:

The project officer attended the forestry conference (active)
The forestry conference was attended by the project officer (passive)

Professor Dupuis studied the development of the Gassinski Model Forest.  (active)

The development of the Gassinski Model Forest was studied by Professor Dupuis. (passive)

Note, the passive voice should not be confused with the past tense.

Jargon and clichés

Start from the assumption that your reader knows nothing about the subject you are talking about. Then carefully edit your text for jargon, uncommon acronyms and clichés. Jargon will only confuse readers and acronyms are usually meaningless to people outside of a particular organization or strain of research. Finally, clichés can make your text seem unoriginal.

Strong verbs

Choose strong verbs over weak ones. They eliminate redundancies and reduce text length. For example:

• Make a decision / decide
• Conduct a survey / survey
• Make use of / use
• Serves to explain / explains
• Conduct a review / review

It's also acceptable to address the reader personally. When appropriate, use "you", "we", "us" and "our".

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d. Legibility and readability

Experts say people read 25 per cent slower from a screen than from paper. To improve the legibility of your text:

• Leave lots of empty space on the page—it provides relief for the eyes
• Use colours with high contrast between text and background, such as black type on white background
• Avoid background graphics, they divert the eye
• Use large fonts (10 to 14 points). Small fonts should be left for text few people are expected to read, such as disclaimers
• Do not use moving or flashing text, it’s much more difficult to read than stationary words

Typography, the sort of fonts and type you use, can either improve or hinder a user's experience with your site. Use a limited number of common fonts in your document since not all users have the same fonts on their computers as you do.

It is generally recommended to use a sans-serif font, such as Arial or Verdana, for on-screen text because they have better resolution. On the other hand, large headlines usually take a serif font, such as Times New Roman, because they are less bulky.

Bold fonts draw the reader’s eye, but don’t overdo it. See how difficult it is to read a paragraph with too much bold text. The change from bold to normal can slow down the eye, or conversely, speed it up by attracting it forward to the next bold word. Keep your text consistent—reserve bold fonts for key words and messages.

Italics and all caps used for emphasis should also be avoided. We are not used to reading type in this way. They can also detract from other text that may be of equal value.

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e. Scannability and the ‘inverted pyramid’

Most people do not actually read web pages in a linear fashion, they scan them for areas of interest. And by using links, they jump unpredictably through a site. This behaviour leaves the writer with little to no control over how readers approach their material. This is why it is important to make your document scannable.

The inverted pyramid

Newspaper articles are usually written in an “inverted pyramid” style where the conclusion and basic facts come at the top of the document. Details or background information comes later, in descending order of importance.

This is an effective style of presentation for the Web because not all users will read an entire document. The idea is that the reader can stop at any time and still have read the most important information.

An easy way to follow the “inverted pyramid” structure is to include as many of the “5 W’s” in your first paragraph as possible:

• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why or how

Short sentences, bulleted lists and sub-heads

Using short sentences and bulleted lists allows the user to move quickly through large amounts of information and pick out key messages. Run-on sentences or excessive punctuation can be difficult to read on a screen. We recommend keeping sentences to a maximum length of 20 words. Remember, user satisfaction encourages repeat visits and helps build clientele.

We also recommend the ‘one idea per paragraph’ rule. When users scan a page they tend to read only the first sentence of each paragraph. They will probably not stop to absorb a second or third idea buried inside a lengthy paragraph. Keep your paragraphs to no more than five lines.

Sub-heads also facilitate scanning. We talk more about sub-heads in section H

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f. Page length – “chunking” vs. scrolling

There are no set rules about the length of an on-line document. The organization of information on the page generally falls into one of two categories: chunking or scrolling. Let common sense be your guide when deciding which approach to use. Consider the following trade-offs between breadth and depth:

“Chunking”

Chunking was developed as a way to organize and present information without forcing the user to scroll down a page. The term usually refers to the amount of information you can fit on a single screen.

Chunking is a good way to keep your text clean because you are limited to about 100 words per screen. This practice helps the reader grasp all the information on a page quickly and decide if they want to continue. Think of chunking as a sort of ‘hit and run’ method.

Scrolling

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to arbitrarily break text into chunks. Many reports, or other detailed sources of information which have to be read in a particular sequence, can be put on-line as a PDF file. Users must then scroll down the page to find what they are looking for, which can be tiring.

Research has shown that users easily become disoriented because they cannot remember information once it has scrolled off the screen. Here, the Web acts like an archive where users download a file and print it to read off paper. It is best to provide users with both an HTML and PDF option for long documents.

However, long web pages can have their advantages. They are simpler to maintain. You can also make scrolling text easier to read by adjusting the document layout. Providing internal links and breaking up long blocks of grey text with appropriate sub-heads help. Be aware that only about 10 per cent of users will scroll through an entire document longer than three pages (or about 400 words).

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g. Meaningful titles

The title of a document appears in the blue bar at the top left corner of a page, not in the browser window. Although titles are easily overlooked, they are a fundamental part of writing for the Web. They not only help users navigate through a site, they may also serve as bookmarks for future reference. Therefore, it is important they be meaningful.

Tips for writing titles:

• Titles should range from four to six words (or 40 to 60 characters)
• Use only meaningful words. The first word will be the one a search engine looks for and should, therefore, make sense when viewed completely out of context
• Titles should be written in both capital and small letters
• Each new page should have its own title
• Drop articles such as a, an or the

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h. Using headlines and sub-heads

Writing headlines for the Web is different than writing for print. The amount of information available all at once is restricted on a screen. For example, with newspapers you can see the headline, photo, cut line, deck and body of the article all at once. You are therefore better able to interpret the meaning of the headline at a single glance.

On-line we often only have the headline to go by. Although a brief summary may accompany the headline, many people don’t stop to read it. This is why direct, accurate headlines are so important when writing for the Web.

A few tips for writing headlines for the Web include:

• Keep them short
• Write in clear, plain language: cute or clever headlines can be meaningless
• Leave out articles such as a, an or the
• Make the first word the most important one
• Keep titles as regular text. Avoid graphics which may take longer to download
• Avoid ‘teasers’—they may work in print but people will not wait for a page to download if they do not know exactly what they are getting

Sub-heads are an effective tool for breaking up text. They also facilitate scanning. Long blocks of grey text can overwhelm a reader. Creating links at the top of your document to sub-heads provides the user with a quick-pick option. They can jump directly to their topic of interest rather than wade through the entire text.

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i. Navigation: links, buttons, bars and maps

Navigation serves three general purposes:

• To tell users where they are
• To tell users where they have been
• To tell users where they can go

The most important thing to remember is that the user is in control of his or her experience. Trying to direct users by preventing links or greying out options tends to result in user frustration.

Rather than trying to control the user’s behaviour, help them move quickly and efficiently through a document or site. Never trap a user in a dead end page. Always provide options for escape. Four common ways to do this are:

• Hyperlinks
• A navigation bar on each page
• A menu bar on each page
• A site map linked from each page

The Web as a whole operates on established conventions. Users have come to expect a certain navigational pattern based on past experiences (i.e. blue text indicates a hyperlink). They do not want to relearn how to use a site, so stick to familiar territory.

Finally, make sure your text can stand on its own. Avoid starting any part of your document with “As noted above…” or “The next thing is…” because the user will not have necessarily come from the previous page. They could have jumped in from anywhere, and it’s up to you to ensure that what they find is understandable.

Hyperlinks

Links help users manage large amounts of information. They also provide the quickest means of moving through a site or document. But there is such a thing as overdoing it. Do not use a link of the information can be consistently delivered on the current page. In short, when writing for the Web:

• Do not use the words “click here” or “follow this link”. Instead, use key words or the link address itself as the hyperlink
• Use links to supply supplemental information such as background information, definitions, etc.
• Do not use the colour blue for text other than to indicate a link
• List less important links at the end of the document rather than embedding them in the text
• Only provide useful links. Outdated or misleading links can waste a user’s time

Keep in mind that users of both older and newer technological devices can face navigation challenges of their own. Heavy graphics can cause lengthy delays when downloading from an older computer. Pop-up windows and other advanced Web features can cause navigation issues on compact screens, such as cell phones and palm pilots, because the user may not be aware they have opened a new window. Both can cause frustration.

Be aware that IMFN members are operating on a wide range of systems and bandwidths when writing and designing the content of your site.

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j. Accessibility

The Web is a highly visual medium. As such, the most common accessibility problems relate to sight. Colour blind or visually impaired users need large type fonts and strongly contrasting foreground and background colours to be able to read text. Auditory browsers can accompany photos, logos or graphics for full support users, making it important to properly label alt tags.

Other impairments to consider when designing your site include:

• Hearing: transcripts can be made available for audio clips
• Motor: do not make image maps or navigation buttons too small. It can be difficult for some users to position their mouse over too small a target
• Cognitive: keep your site navigation simple

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k. Editing and proofreading

The importance of reviewing the content of your site cannot be stressed enough. It's too late to find out that your site has a serious error only after thousands of users have visited it and your credibility is irreparably damaged. Here are some guidelines that will help you find weaknesses, glitches and oversights before you go on-line.

Edit a second time

This is a good practice for all media containing the written word, but especially for the Web. People simply cannot take in as much information from a screen as from a print document. To counteract this, review your work and remove all extraneous words from the text. Here's an example:

Original: In order to understand the severity of this issue...    
Revised: To understand the severity of this issue...

In the revised version, "in order" has been removed. While, in general, such phrases are important for the rhythmic flow of a written passage, on the Web they're time-consuming space-hoggers that detract from the key messages you're trying to convey. Your pared-down version may not be as eloquent, but readers will read more, absorb more and tire less quickly.

Proofreading Your Document

You should always proofread your document. But more importantly, have someone else proofread it, too. How many times have you read and re-read a document but missed the same glaring mistake every time? Be sure to have your material edited by a professional copy editor before posting the final copy.

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l.  Web content checklist

• Know your target audience
• Use the "three c's" - be clear, clean, concise
• Sentences should contain no more than 20 words
• Limit sentences to one idea per paragraph
• Limit paragraphs to no more than five lines
• Follow the "inverted pyramid" - put the most important idea first
• Use plain and simple language - write the way you speak
• The active voice; avoid jargon and clichés (if you have to use them, spell out acronyms); use strong verbs 
• When appropriate, address the reader personally using words such as "you" or "we"
• Reduce text by omitting unnecessary words such as "in order to" or "as previously discussed"
• Increase readability by employing lots of white space and guarding use of different fonts
• Use meaningful headlines and subheads to break up text and facilitate scanning
• Avoid long blocks of grey text by using bulleted lists
• Proofread your document for grammar and spelling mistakes
• Have a professionsal, a colleague, or a friend take a second look before you publish

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