Writing for the Web

ironworks.com

Writing for the Web Made EasyAmerican Council on Education

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Actually, it isn’t really that easy….

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As web content writers,

You have the greatest impact on the user experience of the ACE site

(no pressure!)

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"Content is the heart of a brilliant user experience. From the body content to

the alt text to the footer, the words that shape the page lie at the very

center of an engaging visit. If the words aren’t beautiful and

meaningful, the sleekest design in the world won’t compensate for it. The

body can never replace a missing heart." - Amber Simmons, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/revivinganorexicwebwriting

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/revivinganorexicwebwriting

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/revivinganorexicwebwriting

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Beautiful

simple

concise

thoughtful

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Meaningful

useful

relevant

informative

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Agenda

Part 1

Planning ContentAudience

Crafting a Message

The Difference Between Content and Copy

Part 2

Writing ContentDELETE! DELETE! DELETE!

Use Plain Language

Make your content SCANNABLE

Links

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Part 1

Planning Content

Audience

Crafting a Message


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Part 1: Planning Content

Audience

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Persona: Face to Facer

Goals• Keep up to date with the latest

information in higher education

• Improve the quality of their institution

• Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations

• Find and maintain high quality leadership staff

• Maintain fiscal health of the institution

• Influence policy makers to make better decisions for higher education

• Network with other higher education leaders

Frustrations and Pain Points• Too much information to wade

through everyday

• Can only address limited amount of email

• Difficult to prioritize content through all the clutter

• Newsletters come out in the middle of the day when I have less time to consume information

“My work is often focused on the big issue of the

day. I need to be able to easily find information on

an issue, quickly get a high level overview of it and

be able to dive into deeper details when needed.”

Jennifer has been president of a large state university for the

past 3 years. Before that, she was a chief academic officer

at 2 other state schools and one private college.

JenniferPresident

Key Characteristics• Has been in academia her entire

career

• Prefers interacting face to face rather than online

• Relies heavily on email to get information and communicate

• Doesn't actively participate in online social networks

• Has a busy schedule

• Travels a lot

• Uses an iPad especially when traveling

• Is an ACE member

Tasks• Read the daily higher education

news

• Research a specific issue the institution is currently dealing with

• Participate in annual meeting panel

• Collaborate with others on ACE initiatives

Questions• What are the current policy issues

that I should be concerned with?

• What is ACEs position on issues?

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Persona: Technophile

Goals• Keep up to date with the latest

information in higher education

• Develop higher education career

• Improve the quality of their institution

• Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations

• Engage in dialog with other higher education leaders

Frustrations and Pain Points• Too much information

• Difficult to stay on top of topics that matter to me

• Not enough time to read long articles or papers

“I’m not afraid of new technology. If I

discover something that might be

useful, I will try it out.”

Stephen has worked at a private liberal arts college for 20

years, and has been the Chief Academic Officer the last 5

years. He started his career at this institution and worked his

way up from professor, to dean to his current position as

CAO.Stephen

Chief Academic Officer

Key Characteristics• Is very engaged online – blogging,

Twitter, Facebook, etc.

• Active in ACE programs

• Member of several other higher education organizations

• Uses a smartphone

Tasks• Find information on academic

leadership programs

• Find event information before, during and after the event

• Research information on a specific topic

Questions• Am I an ACE member?

• What new laws and regulations should I be concerned about?

• How can I make my institution compliant with existing legislation?

• What programs does ACE offer to better my institution and my career?

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Persona: Newbie

Goals• Understand the landscape of

higher education associations

• Communicate to the public the institutions point of view on an issue/topic

Questions• What is ACE?

• Why should I attend this ACE event?

Frustrations and Pain Points• Links that don’t take her to

where she expects

“I’m still trying to figure out the

landscape of higher education

associations.”

Olivia is the Vice President for University Relations at a

small community college. She previously worked in both the

private and public sector at a Fortune 500 company and at

several government agencies and NGOs.OliviaVP for University Relations

Key Characteristics• In her first higher education

position

• Comes from a career in both the public and private sector

• Unsure of what each higher education association is for

• Has never been to the ACE site

• Uses social networks such as Twitter and Facebook as tools for marketing and communication

Tasks• Create a communication plan

around a specific issue facing the institution

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Audience

Busy

On the go

Uses a mobile device

Keeps up-to-date with latest in higher education

Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations

Improve the quality of their institution

Develop their career

First Position in AcademiaIn Academia Entire Career

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Audience

Busy

On the go

Uses a mobile device

Keeps up-to-date with latest in higher education

Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations

Improve the quality of their institution

Develop their career

First Position in AcademiaIn Academia Entire Career

What we should write

How we should write it

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Crafting a Message

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Crafting a Message

Gather a collection of messages you want the user to learn or the user wants to see

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Crafting a Message

Messages should be tied to your business goals

(you do have these business goals written down, right?)

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Crafting a Message

Messages are not contentMessages are the information that you want to convey

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Crafting a Message

Anatomy of a message

Primary Message: The single most important thing you want the user to learn. It should support a business objective

Secondary Message: A group of key messages that extrapolate the primary message.

Details: All the facts, data, anecdotes, philosophies that prove your messages.

Call(s) to Action: What you want the user to do after they get your message

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Crafting a Message

Anatomy of a message

Primary Message: TransportZ is a product that allows you to transport yourself anywhere in the world instantly

Secondary Message: Low cost, easy to use, portable

Details: Uses less energy than all of the other transport products. The user interface allows you to easily select your destination and avoid transporting to non-habitable locations. Home button instantly gets you back home. Each transport is less than $10.

Call(s) to Action: Buy TransportZ today

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Exercise

Construct a message for the program you are associated with

The purpose of the message is to describe your program to someone who has never heard of it.

Use this format:

Primary Message: The single most important thing you want the user to learn.

It should support a business objective

Secondary Message: A group of key messages that extrapolate the primary

message.

Details: All the facts, data, anecdotes, philosophies that prove your messages.

Call(s) to Action: What you want the user to do after they get your message

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Crafting a Message

Content can contain multiple messages

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Crafting a Message

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Crafting a Message

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The difference between Content and Copy

Copy is heartless filler that takes up space and takes on the appearance of information

Bad Copy

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“The Mission of ***** ****** ****** is to enrich lives by revealing the wonder, relevance, excitement, and value of creativity, laughter, and learning. This is accomplished by facilitating inspiring, innovative, and energetic education and business consultation services whenever and wherever they are needed with a sense of pride, respect, and integrity.”

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“Providing solutions in real time to meet our customers’ needs.”

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Content establishes an emotional connection between people

Thoughtful, personable and faithfully written

Meaningful

Reflects your brand

Good Content

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“********** vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.”

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“******* mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

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"A snappy design might catch their attention, but it's the words that make the

real connection.” - Jason Fried, 37 Signals, http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/why-is-business-writing-so-awful.html

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/why-is-business-writing-so-awful.html

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Part 2

Writing ContentDELETE! DELETE! DELETE!

Use Plain Language


The Secret of Links

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Agenda

Part 2: Writing Content

DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!

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"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

- Albert Einstein

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“It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible

basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the

adequate representation of a single datum of experience.”

- Albert Einstein

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“On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an

average visit.”- Jakob Nielsen, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html

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Number of words MATTERS

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Number of words matters even more on mobile

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Number of words matters even more on mobile

People are going to consume your content on mobile

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You need to use fewer words

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Use the fewest number of words that still gets the point across

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Agenda


Use Plain Language

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Use Plain Language

Plain language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it.

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Use Plain Language

Plain Language Characteristics:

Logical organization with the reader in mind

Active voice

Short sentences

Common, everyday words

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Use Plain Language

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guidelines/FederalPLGuidelines/FederalPLGuidelines.pdf





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Use Plain Language

Before

In our endeavor to ensure guest safety at all times, can visitors please note that fire bell testing is carried out every Monday at 9.30am.

After

We test the fire bell every Monday at 9.30am.

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Use Plain Language

Before

When the process of freeing a vehicle that has been stuck results in ruts or holes, the operator will fill the rut or hole created by such activity before removing the vehicle from the immediate area.

After

If you make a hole while freeing a stuck vehicle, you must fill the hole before you drive away.

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Use Plain Language

Before

If you fail to comply with your duty of disclosure and we would not have entered into the contract on any terms if the failure had not occurred, we may void the contract within three years of entering into it. If your nondisclosure is fraudulent, we may void the contract at any time. Where we are entitled to void a contract of life insurance we may, within three years of entering into it, elect not to void it but to reduce the sum that you have been insured for in accordance with a formula that takes into account the premium that would have been payable if you had disclosed all relevant matters to us.

After

If you fail to disclose any relevant matter and we would not offer you insurance if this matter were known, we may within three years:

(1) void the contract or

(2) reduce the sum for which you have been insured.

If your nondisclosure is fraudulent, we may void the contract at any time.

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Use Plain Language

Before

I give my Agent the power to exercise or perform any act, power, duty, right, or obligation whatsoever that I have or may hereafter acquire, relating to any person, matter, transaction, or property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, now owned or hereafter acquired by me, including, without limitation, the following specifically enumerated powers. I grant to my Agent full power and authority to do everything necessary in exercising any of the powers herein granted as fully as I might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that my Agent shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the powers herein granted.

After

I give my agent the power to do anything that I have a right or duty to do, now or in the future.

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Agenda


Make your content SCANABLE

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Users don’t read

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Users don’t read

Users SCAN and then READ

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Headlines

- Use headlines and sub-headlines to break up longer text

- Headlines and sub-headlines should be short

- Meaningful trigger words should appear in the first 2-3 words

- Should be understandable out of context

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Headline Examples:

Italy buries first quake victims

Romania blamed over Moldova riots

Ten arrested in UK anti-terrorism raids

Villagers hurt in West Bank clash

Mass Thai protest over leadership

Iran accuses journalist of spying

Noun Verb

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Paragraphs

- First sentence should contain the main idea/message of the paragraph

- Subsequent sentences should contain content supporting the the main idea/message in the first sentence

- Inverted Pyramid

- Use bullet points when writing lists

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3 Keys to Great Web Writing

Concise text- Reduce the number of words. Fewest words that still gets the point across

Plain language- Natural rather than subjective language. Pain language, not formal.

Scannable layout- Headers, bullets, main idea in first paragraph, reverse pyramid

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Agenda


Links

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The Secret to Links

Three types of links

Descriptive

Action

Contextual

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The Secret to Links

DescriptiveDescribes the content you will see if you click on it

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The Secret to Links

ActionDescribes what will happen when you click on it

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The Secret to Links

ContextualProvides access to additional information about text inside of a

paragraph

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Exercise

3 Keys to Great Web Writing

Concise text- Reduce the number of words. Fewest words that still gets the point across

Plain language- Natural rather than subjective language. Pain language, not formal.

Scannable layout- Headers, bullets, main idea in first paragraph, reverse pyramid

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Exercise

Rewrite the provided text, using the techniques we have mentioned.

How to Become a Member or AssociateAs a member or associate of ACE, you will become a partner in providing leadership and a unifying voice for higher education.

First, download and complete the appropriate application form—Institutional (PDF) or Non-Institutional (PDF). If you're not sure which application to complete, you can familiarize yourself with our opportunities and criteria for involvement online or contact a member of our membership department for more information.

If you are a member of the business community, visit our web pages for The Alliance Program to learn more and download an application.

Then, complete the application and return it us at the address or fax number listed at the bottom of the form.

Your institution or organization will be activated in the ACE database and in our Members and Associates Directory. Prepayment of dues is not necessary; an invoice will be mailed to you following the activation of your membership or affiliation.

For additional information check our membership FAQ page or contact a member of our membership department.

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Exercise

Possible Solution:

How to Become a Member or Associate

1. Download and complete the appropriate application formMember (PDF) or Associate (PDF).

Which application should I choose?

2. Complete the application and return it us at the address or fax number listed at the bottom of the form.

3. Your institution or organization will be activated in the ACE database and in our Members and Associates Directory.

4. An invoice will be mailed to you following the activation of your membership or affiliation.

For additional information check our membership FAQ page or contact a member of our membership department.

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Introduction

You have the greatest impact on the user experience of the ACE site

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Links

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/index.cfm

http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/

http://www.plainlanguagenetwork.org/

http://www.amazon.com/Content-Strategy-Web-Kristina-Halvorson/dp/0321620062










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