‘Writing for the web’
with Usman Hasan and Patrick Kennedy
How to write so that it isn’t all long and
confusing and stuff.
How to write with simplicity without
appearing simple
How to write with simplicity.
How to write simply
Writing simply
Why should I?
Readers want to get something
done. Fast.
• Very few people are viewing your pages
for fun.
• So when you’re trying to tell someone it
may rain, don’t say:
“We are presently anticipating experiencing
considerable precipitation”
VS
Other reasons
• Reduces the ‘noise level’ of your site.
• Not everyone knows your jargon.
• A simple process means less chance of
‘second thoughts’.
• Less confusion.
• Stops readers blaming themselves.
This isn’t a lack of respect for the
reader’s intelligence.
It’s a respect for their time.
Okay fine. So how do I do it?
Who am I speaking to?
• Speak to your reader directly and personally.
• Be like a recipe book – think: ‘here’s how you
do it’
• Don’t patronise, or try to manipulate
emotions – particularly if you’re presenting
case studies.
• Equally, don’t overcomplicate things.
What am I trying to say?
• What’s the core message/process I’m trying to get
across?
• If I’m trying to persuade, what can I use?
• Try to find the core truth or benefit behind your
service and how it improves people’s lives – and
your reader’s.
• Organise your thoughts into a logical outline –
before, during and after the writing process.
Leave out the fuzz
Super fun activity
• Assistance
= Help
• Numerous
= Many
• Facilitate
• Individual
= Ease
= You
= Rest
• Remainder
= First
• Initial
• Implement
= Do
= Enough
• Sufficient
= Try
• Attempt
• Referred to as
= Called
You’d be surprised how hard it is
to cut out the fuzz.
Especially when “due to the fact
that” seems far grander than
“because”.
It might take a little longer to
write at first, but it’s worth it for
the reader.
A few other quick tips
Every time you write something new, try to
delete something old.
Don’t overwrite instructions just in case
someone might miss a point.
Super fun activity #2
What’s wrong with this page?
I forgot everything you said.
Remember.
• Readers want to do something fast. No
hanging about.
• Know who you’re speaking to.
• Know what it is you want to say.
• Find the hidden truth – the benefit your
service provides.
• Connect on an emotional level.
• Cut out the fuzz.
• Check you said that thing you needed to say.
Now your words are more likely
to stick in a person’s mind
Part two.
Over to Usman...
Your readers vs. your page
Your readers
Confident Familiar
Intelligent
Calm
Confused
Learning impaired (SEN)
Stressed
Blind
Angry
Impatient
Recently bereaved
Frightened
Colour-blind
Computer phobic
Elderly
Poorly equipped
Badly connected
Slow
Dyslexic
Lost
Rushed
Underpaid
Visually impaired
Non-native English speaking
How do they read?
Content is strange. Very often, the more content there is the less useful it
becomes. The longer the sentence the less likely it is to be read. In fact,
the first 3-4 words in a sentence are absolutely critical. If they are not
informative, the reader ignores or scans on. The longer someone has to
spend reading a piece of content the less likely they are to understand it.
Content changes over time. Content that is useful in 2013 may not be
useful in 2014. Print content tends to disappear over time (it gets lost, it
gets burned, it gets worn out). If the Web were a digestive system it
would have no capacity to poop. It just grows and grows and grows.
That’s a painful situation to be in, particularly for the customer who finds
lots and lots of out-of-date content. Gerry McGovern
Did it look more like this? ...
Content is strange. Very
often, the more content there is
the less useful it becomes. The longer
the sentence the less likely it is to be read. In
fact, the first 3-4 words in a sentence are
absolutely critical. If they are not informative, the
reader ignores or scans on. The longer someone has
to spend reading a piece of content the less likely
they are to understand it. Content changes over time.
Content that is useful in 2013 may not be useful in 2014. Print
content tends to disappear over time (it gets lost, it gets burned,
it gets worn out). If the Web were a digestive system it would have no
capacity to poop. It just grows and grows and grows. That’s a painful situation
to be in, particularly for the customer who finds lots and lots of out-of-date content.
Gerry McGovern.
There are 3 types of reading...
1. Reading for detail
2. Scanning
3. Skimming
Reading for detail
Content is strange. Very often, the more content there
is the less useful it becomes. The longer the sentence
the less likely it is to be read.
Scanning
Content is strange. Very often, the more content there
is the less useful it becomes. The longer the sentence
the less likely it is to be read.
Skimming
Content is strange. Very often, the more content there
is the less useful it becomes. The longer the sentence
the less likely it is to be read.
The ‘F’ pattern
What do we scan for?
o Titles
o List items
o Headings
o Link text*
o Bullet points
... and any other bits of text that stand out
These are called ‘nanocontent’
Link text guidelines
• Clearly indicate where it leads to.
• Accurately describe the destination.
• Make your links concise but specific.
• Don't use the same text for more than one destination.
• Don’t use different text for the same destination.
• For external links, mention the name of the website.
Activity
 Click here for more details about Guildford Museum's open day.
 If you have comments about the service, send them to us.
 There are six leaflets available about countryside walks.
 Surrey County Council holds a great deal of information. Much of this
information is already published.
Answers
 Click here for more details about Guildford Museum's open day.
 Guildford Museum's open day will be held on 24 October.
(“Click here” tells nothing about where the link will go)
 If you have comments about the service, send them to us.
 Send us your comments about our service.
(Gives more information about what is being sent)
 There are six leaflets available about countryside walks.
 There are six countryside walks leaflets available.
(Make it more specific and informative)
 Surrey County Council holds a great deal of information. Much of this information
is already published.
 We have a list of our published information.
(Concise wording improves the description)
Nanocontent
• Divides your page into meaningful blocks
• Helps people locate the right information
• Search engines like nanocontent (H1, H2)
Page titles
Are IMPORTANT, because they
•
•
•
•
are your first contact with your readers
help determine if page is relevant
(should) summarise your page
enable search engines (therefore readers) to find your page.
Titles: good or bad?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Success in Muddleford
Fishford Pond Now Closed For Maintenance
FAZ to Visit Muddleford Park
Where to go and What to See During Next October’s Annual Fishing
Parade
New streetlights
Muddleford police to unveil new monument in honour of local celebrity
magician Clarence ‘Calamity’ Whittleton MBE
the letter box
New Language School in Fishford
Great news for residents
About us
Local EFL opportunities
Where to go if you want to recycle asbestos in Woking, Runnymede &
Guildford
Titles: good or bad?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Success in Muddleford - not specific enough
Fishford Pond Now Closed For Maintenance - unnecessary capitals
FAZ to Visit Muddleford Park - unexplained acronym
Where to go and What to See During Next October’s Annual Fishing
Parade - too long
New streetlights - too vague. Where?
Muddleford police to unveil new monument in honour of local celebrity
magician Clarence ‘Calamity’ Whittleton MBE - too long and acronym
the letter box - too vague. Where? No capital at start
New Language School in Fishford - unnecessary capitals
Great news for residents - too vague
About us - far too vague (if this appears on a google results page user
will have no idea what it’s about)
Local EFL opportunities - unexplained acronym
Where to go if you want to recycle asbestos in Woking, Runnymede &
Guildford - too long
First paragraph
Should summarise what you are going to say
• Is all most people need(*)
• Helps confirm if page is relevant
• Outlines content further down page
(*) if the page is well written
The inverted pyramid
This is a writing style where all your important information appears
at the start.
It is also how most newspaper articles are written.
Questions?
Possible topics:
• Search Engine Optimisation
• Use of images
• Landing pages
• Feedback on your site
• Naff things to do on your page
• IA (organising your content)
• Speed read