Better Practice Checklist
About this checklist
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Writing for the Web
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With the increase of online facilities and functions to Government websites, and nongovernment websites now offering advanced interactive features, it may be easy to forget that
the quality and appropriateness of content is still paramount on the Web.
If content is irrelevant or difficult to understand and inaccurate or tiresome to read - the site will
fail to meet the user’s requirements and expectations.
The aim of this checklist is to improve the quality, relevance and readability of text on
Government websites.
Website content includes elements such as text, images, forms, tables and diagrams. This
checklist deals primarily with text.
The items in the checklist are not mandatory.
Audience for this checklist
This checklist is intended for Australian Government employees who are responsible for
writing, editing or proof-reading text for a Government website.
Overview
Understand the Web environment as a writer ............................................................................... 3
□ A website is work in progress ............................................................................................................. 3
□ The Web is about hyperlinking ........................................................................................................... 3
□ The Web is interactive ........................................................................................................................ 3
□ Search engines and Web pages .......................................................................................................... 3
Identify the aim of the content ...................................................................................................... 3
□ Identify the aims ................................................................................................................................. 3
□ Prioritise and record the aims ............................................................................................................ 4
Identify your intended audiences ................................................................................................... 4
□ Identify the intended audience(s) of the website by section and page ............................................. 4
□ Identify their characteristics ............................................................................................................... 4
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Writing approaches and techniques ............................................................................................... 4
□ Match the writing style to your aims and the intended audiences.................................................... 4
□ Layer information ............................................................................................................................... 4
□ Place critical information in plain sight when entering web page ..................................................... 5
□ Use succinct and easy-to-understand headings to help users find information fast ......................... 5
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□ Use dot-points and lists where appropriate as they are easier to scan than paragraphs.................. 5
□ Write succinctly .................................................................................................................................. 5
□ Use vocabulary users understand ...................................................................................................... 5
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Formats for conveying your message ............................................................................................. 5
□ Consider the most appropriate format for conveying your content .................................................. 5
Test the contents with the intended audiences .............................................................................. 5
Editing and proof-reading .............................................................................................................. 6
□ Have an editor check the contents throughout the writing process.................................................. 6
□ Have the contents proof-read before being published ...................................................................... 6
Managing the writing process ........................................................................................................ 6
Further information ....................................................................................................................... 7
□ Reference books ................................................................................................................................. 7
□ Online resources ................................................................................................................................. 7
□ Related AGIMO checklists................................................................................................................... 7
About the Better practice checklists ............................................................................................... 7
Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 8
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
and through interactivity e.g. diagrams,
videos and interactive maps.
Checkpoints
Understand the Web
environment as a writer
□ A website is work in progress
A website is not a static environment. It is a
dynamic environment in which users
expect to see change and read information
that is current and accurate.
Embrace the concept that a website is a
work in progress. The benefits will be
significant:
Remember, users have the mouse in their
hands and will exit a site very quickly if it
fails to engage them.
□ Search engines and Web pages
Writers should not assume readers have
seen the home page, or any other page of
the site. The text displayed on each Web
page needs to stand on its own and make
sense to the user who has just landed on
the page from a search engine or other
link.
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• writers should not concern with the
scope and depth of information on the
website as new content can be added
removed, errors or omissions corrected
and old information archived;
• writers will seek feedback from users
and respond to it; and
• readers will always have access to
current information.
Use a layered approach when presenting
users with large blocks of text. Allow them
to judge whether the section of the website
they are in is relevant before presenting the
entire information. Only when the user is
certain they are in the right area, provide a
hyperlink to all relevant information you
may have.
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□ The Web is about hyperlinking
Web users find information via search
engines such as Google and Bing. Links
from search engines hyperlink to a page
within a website, rather than to the home
page (introduction page to the website).
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Perhaps the most unique feature of the
Web as a publishing medium is
hyperlinking – the referencing to a
document, or specific element within that
document, that the reader can directly
follow, or that is followed automatically.
Hyperlinking is very liberating for writers
and readers. It means information can be
presented in layers. Non-essential
information can be referred to and
accessed via a hyperlink.
When writing, always consider any other
Web pages and online documents to which
you might refer readers.
□ The Web is interactive
The Web is not just for presenting text.
Users come to a website with an
expectation that they will not only read
information but interact with it, see things
and follow links to other information.
Web writers need to consider how their text
can be enhanced by other forms of content
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
Identify the aim of the content
It is difficult to compose a Web page
effectively if the aim of the page is
unknown or unclear. Knowing the aim of
the page can help with determining the
style, tone, depth of information and format
of the information to be displayed. The
same can be said of the importance of
knowing the audiences – see the next
section.
□ Identify the aims
Determine the aims of the page before
commencing with writing. This can be
achieved through consultation with
colleagues and managers, and in addition
through aligning the aims of the page with
the direction and intention of the web site.
Aims may include one, or a combination, of
the following:
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Understand how your
audiences use the Web
informing
raising awareness
instructing
promoting
training
engaging
persuading
People approach websites in many
different ways and have different
expectations about the content. Common
themes to Web use include the following:
□ Prioritise and record the aims
For each identified aim - determine if it is a
low, medium or high priority. Rank the aims
from high to low priority. Constantly refer to
the high-priority aims when writing to
ensure you keep on track.
Identify your intended
audiences
For every web page that is written, writers
must determine the most effective way of
presenting the information. The choice of
words, structure of the information and
tone should match the aims and intended
audiences of the web page.
Consideration also needs to be given to the
way in which people generally react to
information on a web page. The following
hints and tips are based on best practice.
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□ Identify the intended
Writing approaches and
techniques
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Knowing who the audience is and how they
use the Web is essential to effective
writing.
Writing content aimed at experienced web
users is quite different from writing for
citizens who are new to the Web.
• Users scan web pages until they see
something that meets their needs.
• Many users are impatient and time-poor.
• Users aim to spend as little time on a
website as possible.
• Many users do not care why a program
or service is offered, they just want to
know how to get it, what they need to do
or need to know.
audience(s) of the website by
section and page
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Identify the intended audience(s) of a web
page or section of a website. Typical
categories include: the public, businesses,
citizens, researchers, other governments
and tourists. Be as precise as possible
when identifying the intended audiences.
□ Identify their characteristics
For each intended audience group,
determine any characteristics that might
impact on the way in which the text should
be written or presented. Characteristics
include: age, education, cultural
background, location, gender and Web
experience.
If a web page has multiple intended
audiences, consider creating separate
pages for the different audiences.
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
□ Match the writing style to your
aims and the intended audiences
If the audience is young adults, and the
aim of the web page is to encourage them
to take up a government service, the style
needs to be positive, encouraging and
written in language to which they will
respond favourably.
□ Layer information
Do not force users to read everything
because they may not want to or need to.
Remember that many users are impatient
and time-poor.
Provide a clear and succinct summary or
heading at the top of the page that will help
readers determine if they are in the right
area. In addition provide links to more
information.
More detailed information might appear on
the same page or be spread across a
number of pages.
□ Place critical information in
plain sight when entering web
page
□ Use succinct and easy-tounderstand headings to help
users find information fast
□ Use vocabulary users
understand
Use words and phrases readers of the web
page will understand.
Avoid government and in-house jargon,
acronyms and technical language if the
page is for non-government employees.
Use a style and tone appropriate to the
aims of the content and intended
audiences.
Formats for conveying your
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Do not assume users will politely scroll
down the page to read what appears below
the screen. Users may scroll once they
know they are on the right web page, but it
is safer to assume they will miss vital
information or calls to action if these items
are out of sight.
This may mean breaking a web page into
several pages. If all information is
important and detailed, and cannot be
broken up, consider providing it as a PDF.
• not stating the obvious e.g. ‘planning’,
not ‘future planning’; and
• simplify sentences by breaking one
sentence into two or more.
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Good headings with a clear hierarchy will
help users who are scanning your pages to
find information fast. Good headings also
give structure and context to the content.
With the aim of the content and the
intended audience in mind, the writer
needs to consider how best to convey the
content. The most common method is to
present it in sentences and paragraph
form. The next most common is in bulleted
and numbered lists. However, other
methods should be considered.
□ Use dot-points and lists where
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appropriate as they are easier to
scan than paragraphs
Information presented on the Web in bullet
or list form is easier to identify and absorb
than information presented in paragraph
form. Use a bulleted list for information
such as benefits or criteria.
When presenting a step-by-step process,
or if the hierarchy of items in a list of needs
to be indicated, use a numbered list.
□ Write succinctly
When composing text on a web page keep
the number of words to a minimum. The
more words, the harder it is to scan and the
more likely the user is to miss the important
points.
Succinct expression can be achieved by:
• using just one word to express a phrase
e.g. change ‘at this point in time’ to
‘now’;
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
□ Consider the most appropriate
format for conveying your content
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step-by-step instructions
frequently-asked-questions (FAQ)
checklists
quizzes
tutorials
diagrams
flow charts
images
animations.
Test the contents with the
intended audiences
Test the contents with representatives of
the intended audiences. This can be done
via focus groups or one-on-one sessions or
via email.
Ask participants to comment on:
• the style, tone and language;
• how easy it is to understand the
headings and content;
• how easy it is to find information;
• whether the format and layout are
appropriate; and
• whether the scope and detail are
appropriate
• Act on the feedback once you are sure it
is representative and valid.
• has no grammatical, punctuation or
spelling errors and is consistent and
complies with relevant standards;
• headings, fonts and layout are correct;
• language is consistent and appropriate
to the audience; and
• hyperlinks and cross-references are
accurately presented.
Managing the writing process
Editing and proof-reading
□ Have an editor check the
Some hints and tips to help with the writing
process:
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Editing and proof-reading are essential
processes in preparing content for
publication on the Web. The writer is
usually too close to the content to check it
objectively so it should be done by
someone else experienced in these tasks.
Editors and proof-readers should refer to
the reference books cited at the end of this
checklist.
Writing for Web audiences is always a
challenge. However, a systematic
approach to writing will reduce some of the
challenges and produce a more satisfying
result for the writer and reader.
contents throughout the writing
process
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The content editor should be identified
early in the writing process and consulted
prior to the content being proof-read. A
content editor will ensure that a web page:
• set aside a block of time for writing e.g.
three hours;
• find a quiet area away from your email
inbox, phone and people;
• ensure you have relevant reference
books nearby e.g. Style Manual,
dictionary, this checklist;
• note the aims and intended audiences
at the top of the page to remind yourself
of them;
• consider the appropriate formats for
conveying the information e.g. list, flowchart; and
• create a text box in your word processor
the size of which approximates the
horizontal and vertical size of the web
page in which the content will be
displayed. Set an appropriate font size.
Type, or paste, the contents in this text
box. This reminds you of the size of
space in which contents will be
displayed on the Web, and also
indicates the layout of the content and at
what point the text disappears below the
fold in the screen.
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• is consistent with the Department or
agency’s publishing guides and the
Australian Government Style Manual;
• conforms to the advice provided within
this checklist;
• has a clear aim;
• is appropriate for the intended
audiences; and
• is consistent in style, tone, language
and presentation.
□ Have the contents proof-read
before being published
Once the editor has checked the contents,
the proof-reader will ensure that a web
page:
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
Further information
□ Reference books
John Wiley & Sons, Australia Ltd
Customer Service Department
Email: [email protected]
This Government style manual is for authors, editors and printers. It provides detailed advice
on best practices in writing, editing, design and production of publications.
The Elements of Style
William Strunk and E.B. White
The Macquarie dictionary
Prioritising Web Usability
Jakob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger
New Riders, 2007
□ Online resources
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The Australian Oxford dictionary
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Use your favourite search engine to source online dictionaries, dictionaries of synonyms and
antonyms, explanations of punctuation and grammar and of difficult words. Take care to
ensure the source of the information is reputable and is relevant to Australia and to
government websites. If in doubt, comply with the reference books cited above.
□ Related AGIMO checklists
Testing Websites with users
Managing online content
Knowledge management
Information architecture for websites
Access and equity issues for websites
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About the Better practice checklists
Comments about this checklist and suggestions for additional checkpoints can be directed to:
Better Practice
Australian Government Information Management Office
Email: [email protected]
Copies of this and other checklists are available at:
http://www.finance.gov.au/e-government/better-practice-and-collaboration/better-practicechecklists/index.html
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web
Better Practice Checklists
Managing websites
1. Use of Metadata for Web Resources
2. Online Policy Consultation
3. Knowledge Management
4. ICT Support for Telework
5. ICT Asset Management
6. Managing the Environmental Impact of ICT
7. Assistive Technology for Employees of the Australian Government
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Planning websites
8. Providing Forms Online
9. Providing an Online Sales Facility
10. Selecting a Content Management System
11. Information Architecture for Websites
12. Website Navigation
13. Digitisation of Records
14. Access and Equity Issues for Websites
15. Marketing e-Government
16. Designing and Managing an Intranet
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Building websites
17. Writing for the Web
18. Briefing and Selecting the Web Developer
19. Use of Cookies in Online Services
20. Implementing a Content Management System
21. Implementing an Effective Website Search Facility
22. Spatial Data on the Internet
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Maintaining websites
23. Managing Online Content
24. Archiving Web Resources
25. Decommissioning Government Websites
Evaluating websites
26. Testing Websites with Users
27. Website Usage Monitoring and Evaluation
Acknowledgments
This checklist was developed by AGIMO and Website Criteria Pty Ltd.
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms all material presented in this document
is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/) licence.
The details of the relevant licence conditions are available on the Creative Commons website
(accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the CC BY 3.0 AU licence
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/legalcode).
The document should be attributed as the ‘Australian Government Better Practice Checklist 26
– Writing for the Web’
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Better Practice Checklist Writing for the Web