Effective Web Writing

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Effective Web Writing

• April 2009

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Overview

• - Why Content Matters
• - Reading Online vs Print
• - Best Practices with Web Writing
• - Content Plan/Schedule
• - Other Strategies to Think About
• - HANDOUTS
• - Try This 21 Items to Write About
• - Content Strategy Plan Chart
• - Top 10 List
• - Q A

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Launch of Perinatal Web site

• - Inventory of Original Content
• - Outline of New Site
• - Site Questionnaire
• - Vendor Forum One
• - Requirements and Strategy
• - Architecture for 4 Audiences
• - Design and Layout
• - Graphics
• - Page Templates
• - Photos
• - Style Guidelines
• - Added More Content and links
• - Continue to Update Regularly, Archive

www.aap.org/perinatal January 2009
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Why Online?

• - Goal Driven
• - Active Medium Where Users are Engaged
• known as Web 2.0
• - Task-orientated
• - Think about the last few times you were
• online what did you do?

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Basic Rules of Web Writing

• - Write for your audience
• - Follow Style Guidelines with consistency
• - Write, rewrite, edit, proofread, test, and
  repeat
• - Feedback is crucial
• - 3-30-3-30 Rule..
• - 3 seconds
• - 30 seconds
• - 3 minutes
• - 30 minutes

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How Visitors Read Online

• - Scan text, not read.
• - 79 of users scanned the page instead of
• reading word-for-word
• - F-shaped pattern for eye-tracking
• - Read 25 slower on screen than paper
• - Reading level (50 US Adults - 8th grade)
• - Monitor light puts strain on eyes, cannot read
  a long
• time, blink less often

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How to Help Your Visitors
TEXT

• - Provide meaningful headlines, titles,
  sub-heads
• - avoid same word for all
• - focus on verb
• - short, clear, plain, accurate
• - do not use UPPERCASE
• - leave out article A, An, The
• - dont settle for just Welcome
• - Highlight keywords, be specific with audience
• - Words are very important, choose wisely
• - Avoid buzzwords and jargon

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How to Help Your Visitors
PLAIN ENGLISH

• - Subject-verb agreement
• - Conversational, active voice
• - Omit needless words
• - Positive form
• - Spell out acronyms first time
• - Always check spelling!

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How to Help Your Visitors
BE CONCISE

• - Use clear, short sentences
• - Trim 50 of paper-based text
• - Separate content pieces into chunks
• - Avoid long words with multiple syllables
• - Limit to max 3 scrolling pages
• - Each paragraph is short ( 4 sentences)
• with ONE idea

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How to Help Your Visitors
EASY SCAN

• - Use indented bullet points and numbered lists
• - Sub-points should have 3 items
• - Small, compelling photos
• - Add variety of tables, diagrams, check lists,
  charts
• graphs, captions, overviews
• - Include white space it has a purpose
• - Paragraph should not be full width of page
• - Readable font San Serif (Arial/Verdana)
  10-12 pt

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How to Help Your Visitors
IMPORTANCE ON TOP

• - Place most relevant content at top
• - Make next action clear
• - Microcontent structure
• - main idea
• - major points
• - minor points
• - series of sub-points
• - Organize content on each page by
• - task - audience
• - time - type of content
• - alpha - topic

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Schedule for New Content

• - Update on monthly basis
• - Use new icon and identify date
• - Check links regularly
• - Ask for ideas
• - Tell users when to expect new content
• - Encourage repeat visits in future with
  lead-ins
• - Best time of week to post new content T, W,
  TH

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Other Items for Discussion

• - Search optimization
• - AAP Meta Manager
• - External links TO Perinatal site
• - Title tags with links
• - Connect print newsletter w/ site to drive
• online visits
• - Donate button
• - Social media blog
• - No page is an island all connected

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More Items for Discussion

• - Contact information on every page
• - meaningful links (NOT click here)
• - under 8 words for link title
• - link keywords, not full sentence
• - link promise
• - Marketing of URL on all items
• - Submit AAPNews and AAP News OnCall

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Effective Web Writing

• Thank You.
• Let the discussion begin.
• Any questions?