Writing Content for the Web

The Problem

Here’s a question we often hear from writers who are used to designing and developing documentation for paper: “When we put our existing content on our Web site, the pages seem static and dense—and sometimes information can be hard to find. What can we do differently to make our content work better for the Web?”

The Information Mapping Solution

If you use the same approach to write for the Web as you do for paper, you are likely to find that your content lacks the navigational abilities and functionality that users have come to expect from Web content. You need a different skill set to design and develop documentation for the Web than what you needed in the good old days of paper.

Due to its universality, the Information Mapping method can be applied to Web-based documents just as easily as it can be to any other type of communication. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when developing information for the Web.

Write for the Medium

Just as the information in a newspaper article would not be the same as the information included in a radio broadcast, the information written for the Web is going to be different, or, at the very least, presented differently. As a result, it is important to focus on how people use the Web to retrieve information.

For example, when users go to a Web page, they tend to take a quick look at the content and then read on only if they find information that is relevant for their needs. To help users find the information they are looking for on a page quickly, use the inverted pyramid style. This style allows you to place critical content at the top of the page and more detailed and/or less critical information lower down.

You can also keep users attention and help them quickly locate what they need by

• writing in short chunks rather than long scrolling paragraphs
• using white space to visually separate the chunks of information, and
• using graphics to illustrate content whenever possible.

Write Non-Linearly

Readers on Web sites do not always take a linear pathway through the content—they like to skip around. Support their needs by placing related content in separate pages, secondary windows, and sidebars.

When using separate pages for the same topic, link the pages together so that the user can navigate to and from the pages easily.

Example: Below is an example of how you can create separate pages for a particular topic and link them together to provide users quick access to more detail. The main page provides the most important information on the ingredients and steps for baking a cake. Then, the links on the right side of the page allow the user to gain additional information on the topic, such as

• a demonstration on how to bake a cake
• troubleshooting during the baking process
• baking terms, and
• related recipes.

Write with a Human Voice

Web users expect a friendlier tone from Web content than from paper-based content. Your writing should sound like it comes from a human being, not from a Public Relations department.

To write with a human voice

• delete marketing fluff
• avoid sounding as if the information were written quickly without much thought or sincerity
• refer to the reader as “you” and your organization as “we,” and
• tell a story.

Promote Scanning with Lists and Tables

Help readers scan the content quickly by

• presenting series of items in lists, and
• comparing and contrasting data in tables.

For example, in the “Before” page below the user needs to read all of the text to understand where to enter the account numbers for new business accounts and new personal accounts.

Before:

However, in this “After” example, presenting the same information in a table reduces the number of words and makes it easier to quickly access the needed information with less reading.

After:

Reduce Word Count

Reducing word count is another way to improve Web content and help users quickly access the information they need. You can cut words by eliminating or revising

• empty descriptors
• prepositional phrases
• unnecessary details or explanations
• stilted or formal language
• passive verbs, and
• subordinate clauses.

Invite Interaction

The Web provides opportunities for interaction that are not possible with paper. Take advantage of this capability to help engage your readers and keep them interested in your content. You can invite the reader to interact with you or the content by providing links to interactive features such as

• e-mail
• a comments page
• social networks, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook
• surveys or polls
• discussion boards, or
• chat rooms.

Conclusion

Due to the different features the Web has to offer, and the ways readers like to use Web content, you should take a slightly different approach when you write for the Web than when you write for paper. The principles of the Information Mapping method apply to all aspects of writing for the Web—from the overall organization of a Web site to the content of each page. In addition, writing for the medium, organizing information non-linearly, trying to use a human voice, promoting scanning with lists and tables, reducing word count, and inviting interaction with your readers will help make your content work for the Web environment. Using the Information Mapping method in combination with these guidelines is a guarantee for a successful migration of your content to the Web.