Web site handbook > Style guide > Writing for the Web
Writing for the Web
Remember
Document titles and headings use sentence case unless proper nouns.
Do NOT use colons in document titles and headings.
Writing guidelines
The work of Nielsen and others provide several common themes for writing web content.
1. Text should be short and to the point.
Web users don’t read; they scan looking for sentences or words that will get them the information they want. Some will read only the first sentence of each paragraph. Keep your writing simple. Don’t bury key information. Generally, Web documents should be about half the length of printed documents.
2. Text should be scan-able.
Headings, bulleted lists, and other style elements make the text easier to scan. Large, bold, and highlighted text can also be used, but with care. (NEVER use underlines for emphasis. Underlines indicate links on the Web.) Limit the number of items in a list to nine, and limit levels to two: primary and secondary.
3. Content should be simply organized.
Try to use only three levels of headings. If the text needs more, split the documents over several pages.
4. Use meaningful headings.
Meaningful headings help the user navigate and comprehend when scanning text. Let them know why the page is important.
5. Create searchable titles.
Headings, titles, and summary descriptions are also used in search procedures, so make the first word descriptive and unique, avoid generic words, give different titles to different pages, and strive to create titles that make sense when viewed completely out of context.
6. Start with the conclusion.
The inverted pyramid style of writing should be used. This style starts with news, summaries or conclusions, followed by details and background. The first paragraph should make clear why the story matters. Readers don’t want to search for information.
7. Write simply and informally.
Readers detest promotional writing, and technical writing requires more attention and slows the reader. Write in plain English. Don’t over complicate.
8. Split paragraphs with more than one idea.
Numbered or bulleted lists work well, but long lists must be broken up with headings and connecting text. Use tables for statistics and timetables. Each paragraph should contain one idea.
9. Don’t use buzz-words, jargon or acronyms.
If you use acronyms, they should be spelled out the first time they appear on a page. Visitors to your website may have been referred directly to a specific page, without the benefit of navigating and reading your Web site’s hierarchy.
10. Organize information in discrete sections rather than sequentially.
Unlike a book, the user of a website knows nothing of its size or organization. This “disorientation” can be overcome by keeping information in “digestible chunks.”
11. Write factually.
Avoid fluff and hype.
12. Use humor with caution.
People have different preferences for humor. Know your audiences before you use humor.
13. Use links carefully.
Hypertext links add a new element to writing content. They allow the author to direct the reader in new ways. Give the user enough information to know what’s happening next. Be specific, if possible.
14. Use links properly.
Write about the subject first. Don’t write about the links, the reader’s movements (e.g., go to the home page of …), or the interface (click here to…). Use links to introduce text into a document, not on every occurrence. Remember that direction is relative; what is “back” or “home” to you, may mean something very different to your readers.
Writing examples
Source: useit.com
Bad
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).
Better
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were:
- Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors)
- Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166)
- Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000)
- Carhenge (86,598)
- Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002)
- Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).
Best
In 1996, six of the most-visited places in Nebraska were:
- Fort Robinson State Park
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum
- Carhenge
- Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
- Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
Content development resources
- Dangerous Words
- Writing Hypertext copy
- Top ten ways to make your WWW service a flop (Ciolek, 2000)
- Writing for the Web
- How to Write for the Web (McManus, 2003) BIZTEK Library, requires paid membership
- Writing for the Web (Starling)
- Don’t Forget to Write; Graphics May Get Attention but Good Writing Rewards It (Dougherty, 1997)
Style guides
- Multnomah County Library Style
- Sun Microsystems
- Web Style Guide 2nd edition by Sarah Horton
Usability research
Research conducted in the late 1990s by Jacob Nielsen into the behavior of web users.
- Inverted Pyramids in Cyberspace (Nielsen, 1996)
- How Users Read on the Web (Nielsen, 1997)
- Why Web Users Scan Instead of Read (Nielsen 1997)
- Concise, Scannable, and Objective: How to write for the Web (Morkes and Nielsen, 1997)
- Be Succinct! Writing for the Web (Nielsen, 1997)
- Applying Writing Guidelines to Web Pages (Morkes and Nielsen, 1998)
