Web Writers Workshop for CMA 60 min. version

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Web Writers Workshop for CMA(60 min. version)
Sponsored by

• Cynthia Ross Pedersen
• Adeo Communications
• www.adeo.com

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Innovative Thinking.Expert Delivery.
Adeo Briefer

• Web development firm since 1995
• Offices Toronto, Ottawa
• eBusiness focused
• Build bilingual Web sites (B2C), intranets and
  extranets (B2B)
• Recognized authority on user centric designs
• Clients challenged by scale, geography
  multi-audiences

• Services include
• Strategic Planning
• Site Design Development
• Application Development
• Internet Marketing
• Supporting Services
• Web and Email Writing
• Seminars and Training
• Usability Testing
• Site reviews
• Metrics

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Corporate Clients

• Aecon
• CIDA
• EMCO Ltd.
• First Canadian Title
• Ford of Canada
• DFAIT
• Hay Group
• HRDC
• Inco

• Industry Canada
• Infiniti Canada
• MM Meat Shops
• Nissan Canada
• Norbord Industries Inc.
• Ontario Power Generation
• PWGSC
• RBC Financial Group
• ShawCor

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Web Writers Workshop
Adeo Briefer

• Designed for planners, contributors writers of
  web sites and intranets
• Helps develop web writing skill mindset
• Running since 1997 - North America wide

• Presentation version
• In-house session
• Tailored to the organization
• Full day workshop
• In-house session
• Tailored to the organization
• Mix of presentation hands-on exercises

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Cynthia Ross Pedersen
Adeo Briefer

• Journalist
• Copywriter
• Desktop publisher
• Technical writer
• Web strategist

• Ive given up eloquence in favor of being better
  understood by more people

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Why Web is different
Overview

• Online medium
• Difficult to read on screen
• Scrolling issue
• Screens devices
• Structure is different

• Users
• Dont want to read
• Dont read, they scan
• Want fast easy access to information
• Expect explanations
• If they wanted to talk to you they would

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Everyone needs to know
Overview

• Understand how visitors interact with web pages
• Understand the opportunities limitations
• Select appropriate material
• Produce appropriate material
• Approve appropriate material

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Lets visit some examples
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The context of Web
Consider

• Informational
• Instructional
• Promotional
• Policy
• Service
• Transactional or workflow
• Research
• News

• Scope
• Web addresses a varied audience of individuals or
  companies
• Intranet is an internal audience
• Role or task, and level of understanding
• Change the expectations
• Key is content architecture sharing
• Extranet is for clients or partners
• Change the expectations
• Geographic focus, multilingual

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The audience
Consider

• Who are they?
• Are they returning visitors?
• New to Web or experienced?
• What do they want?
• How do they consume information?

• User configuration affects content display
• Where do your words show up
• When do your words show up
• Templates designed with limitations in mind

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The medium
Consider

• Hyperlinked, non sequential
• Content presented in connected layers
• A little goes a long way
• Page site sizes variable

• Interactive
• Search engines defeat structure
• Easy to change
• Its new

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Architecting content
Approach

• Structure your content by how it will be used
• Make the structure of the site obvious
• Contextual relevance
• Labeling or taxonomy

• Put yourself in the users place answer their
  questions at appropriate times
• Make sure there is valuable content on every page
• Key is content architecture sharing

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Content for Web
Approach

• Simplicity in approach
• 2 lines off the top to explain what youre
  offering
• Emphasis on mini-content scalable content
• Content presented in connected layers

• Watch words on both informational transactional
  pages
• Online reading vs. online distribution

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Choosing a format
Approach

• Native file for download
• PDF version
• Online version
• Use words or convert to a feature

• Webby content
• Snippet
• Summary topic at a glance
• Full version
• Tailored version
• Print version
• E-mail version

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Web Writing Guidelines
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Writing style
Web writing

• Direct/No fluff
• Inverted pyramid
• Its tough to be funny/hip
• Talk to the visitor
• Short pages, short paragraphs

• Size Guidelines
• Word length
• Bulleted point length
• Sentence length
• Paragraph length
• Page length

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Bell case study
Example

• Quick Way Pilot Service is used to leading the
  way. Usually its with pilot trucks to guide
  oversized vehicles on the highway. These, days,
  its with an innovative mix of customer service
  and marketing - using Advantage Call-Me service.

• Advantage Call-Me is used by Quick Way Pilot
  Service to enhance customer service.
• Quick Way provides pilot trucks that guide
  oversized vehicles on the highway.

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Lets visit some sites
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More on style
Web writing

• Mix of headings, paragraphs, bulleted points
• Use upper/lower case lettering
• Consistent spelling use Canadian or U.S.
  spelling for all English content
• Other languages need more/less space
• Spell grammar check your work!

• Consider a style guide
• Overall tone and approach
• Standard terminology
• Language
• Sizes benchmarks
• Process

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Linking words
Web writing

• Consistent treatment
• Readability
• Keep the link text short
• Link keywords
• Avoid phrases like click here
• Dont overuse hyperlinks

• Navigational elements
• Space often limited
• Taxonomy is an issue

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Text within Flash
Text Graphics

• Understand what textual treatments work well in
  Flash
• Know your audience
• Make sure the designers/programmers understand
  the audience and your message

• Watch the fonts, size, colour
• Limit the textual content
• Understand the other elements in the movie
  (distraction or aid your message)
• Audio can help your message

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Carrying the concepts to email
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Communications
email

• Essential part of Web
• Use it to drive people to the web site
• Part of business process with notifications
• Key to client service
• Timely, informative, to the point

• Subject line is key
• Short is sweet
• Simple, direct message
• Narrow columns (newspaper)
• Break apart sections
• One subject vs. multi-subject messages
• Message, attachment or link
• Respect netiquette
• email is not a memo or a flyer!

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Consumer email
Example

• I recently had a can of your pie filling which I
  felt was not good and hence having dumped it into
  the shell ended up throwing both in the garbage.
• It was runny and very dark in colour, not the
  usual bright red. I am providing all of the
  numbers from the can so that you might explain
  why this particular can of filling did not meet
  the quality I have come to expect.
• The numbers are as follows 37 274 2024 87 3,
  cor 65 0 67324208 and 72 75 CHP1828

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The response
Example

• Thank you for visiting our web site. We enjoy
  hearing from consumers who appreciate the quality
  of our products and are concerned that your can
  of company namePie Filling did not meet your
  expectations.
• The production code which you provided indicates
  that the filling was quite old. We recommend that
  our fruit fillings be used within two years of
  production for best quality. After this time, the
  flavour begins to lose its freshness and the
  colour darkens. Although the filling is still
  safe to consume, we recommend that it be
  disposed.
• It is important that both retailers and consumers
  constantly rotate the canned goods on their
  shelves to ensure that no can awaits consumption
  for over a year. We apologize for your
  disappointment and inconvenience, and would like
  to forward coupons for three company name
  products of your choice, which we hope you will
  enjoy with our compliments. We are confident that
  the products will meet your expectations. Please
  e-mail your current mailing address, so that we
  may forward the coupons to you.
• We appreciate your interest in our company and
  our products. Thank you for your inquiry.

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The response revised
Example

• Thank you for contacting us. We are concerned
  that your can of company namePie Filling did
  not meet your expectations.
• The production code which you provided shows that
  the filling was quite old. We recommend that our
  fruit fillings be used within two years of
  production. After this time, although the filling
  is still safe to consume, the flavour begins to
  lose its freshness and the colour darkens.
• We apologize for your disappointment and would
  like to forward coupons for three company name
  products of your choice, which we hope you will
  enjoy with our compliments. Please e-mail your
  current mailing address, so that we may forward
  the coupons to you.

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How do you know it works?
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Usability testing
It works

• Testing
• Navigation
• Content
• Readability Comprehension
• Processes
• Qualitative quantitative goals
• Selecting the testers (different groups
  represented)
• Facilitating the sessions but users surf as
  individuals
• Emulate or test in their environment

• Test multiple approaches
• Only needs a few users
• Build it into the process
• Act on what you learn

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Metrics
It works

• Traffic per page or section
• Duration of visit
• Use it to judge popular/unpopular content
• Click patterns
• What do you do about it?
• Write more of what works
• Fix problems by moving content on the page or in
  the site
• Rewrite portions
• Add or remove links adjust wording

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Good web writing
Lastly

• Focuses on the user
• Is appropriate for the medium
• Uses a clear, readable style
• Has valuable, up to date content
• Uses page layouts that ease comprehension
• Comes from good writers
• Costs money and time

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Download this presentation from www.adeo.com
Sponsored by

• Cindy Ross Pedersen cindyrp_at_adeo.com
• Adeo Communications
• [phone]
• www.adeo.com