 It's been said before, but it's worth saying again. One of the most neglected aspects of
web development is the text. In our excitement to include menus, graphics, and links in
our web sites, we often forget that what we say and how we say it is as important as how
our website looks.
Statistics show that 79% of web users don't read a web page word for word. Therefore
your challenge is to draw the reader's eyes to the most important ideas on the screen. To
improve your text's effectiveness, focus on these three areas: Scannability, Organization
and Concise Language.
Scannability
A web user's goal is to quickly scan a web page for needed information. Your goal is to
help. There are simple ways to present information that improves scannability.
Headings
Headings catch the readers' attention and draw their eyes to important information. Use
headings to signify important sections in the page. However, make sure the heading is
precise. Readers feel annoyed or manipulated if the content doesn't match the heading.
Trigger words/phrases
When scanning through a web page, readers will pause on trigger words. Use words that
your average reader associates with your product. Consider which phrase will best catch
your readers' attentions. Place these words at the beginning of paragraphs where the
reader's eye naturally falls.
Columns and Bullet Lists
Columns are easier to read than rows. If you have a list of information, wherever
possible, use bullets or columns. For example, compare the following:
Services offered include free Internet access, onsite technical support, software
updates at cost, and discounted accessories.
Notice how much easier is it to scan the following list:
Services Offered
- Free Internet access
- Onsite technical support
- Software updates at cost
- Discounted accessories
A word of caution about bullet lists. Make sure each item in a list is short-about 5-6
words at most. A bullet list pulls the reader's eye down the screen, improving
scannability. If each bulleted item is long and requires readers to move their eyes across
the screen, the bullets actually hinder readability.
Font and Background Colors
A reader's eyes take a moment to adjust to light-colored fonts on dark backgrounds. This
slight pause disrupts scannability and often prompts a reader to move on to another site.
The most scannable font/background combinations are dark text and light background.
Organization
Clearly organize the information for your website. Use the following guidelines to help:
Organizing the Entire Website
While there are many differences between writing for the web, compared to a hard print
source, a significant difference is that web sites are non-linear. Users are not going to
begin with your home page and read each screen, clicking on each link, as they come to
them. Therefore, when designing your text for each screen, be sure that each piece of
information stands alone. The user should not have to click back and forth to understand
your message.
Next, ask yourself, "What is the value of this information to my reader." Organize
information by the user's needs, not your company's structure. If most users come to
your website to order a product, don't begin with the company's mission statement or
awards the company has earned. Within one or two clicks, the user should be able to
complete his or her task.
Organizing A Single Web Page
1. Length. While many readers expect to scroll through a web page to find their
information, your site will be more effective if you can arrange your text into
individual chunks of information that can be "absorbed" in a glance. The average
reader processes information in groups. If you can limit a web page to one screen
length, your readers will read more of that screen's text. A reader is more likely to
click links between shorter web pages than scroll continuously down one long page.
2. Screen Organization. English speakers naturally gravitate to the upper left corner of
documents. Put your most relevant information in the upper left section of the screen.
If possible, keep the most important information flush left with the screen's margin.
If you use frames, with a menu at the left of the screen, make sure there is a distinct
break in color between frames so that you have a definite margin where the primary
text will begin. This strong left margin draws the reader's eyes down the page.
Organizing Paragraphs
Because web users want information fast, they use a reading technique called blocking.
Rather than reading individual words, they try to read blocks of text at a time. Most
readers can read, in one glance, 2" X 2" block of text-think of your average newspaper
column. Therefore, keep your paragraphs to about two inches long.
Put the most important information in each paragraph first. Generally the reader will
skim the first sentence of each paragraph. Look at the following example. The purpose
of this website is to promote Nebraska's tourist attractions. Therefore, the first idea in
the paragraph should be, "what will a tourist do there." How well does the following
paragraph do this?
Buffalo Bill Ranch
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was said to embody the traditional "rags-to-
riches" story. After working as a Pony Express rider and serving in the Civil
War, Cody became a buffalo hunter for railroad construction crews. He gained a
reputation as a skilled marksman and started a theater act. At his ranch in North
Platte in 1882, Cody organized a rodeo event that evolved into the Wild West Show. He performed in the show for 30 years. Today, visitors to the Buffalo Bill
Ranch State Historical Park can see various artifacts and memorabilia.
Compare to this revised paragraph:
Buffalo Bill Ranch
Experience a historic re-enactment of the Wild West Show, or the guns Buffalo
Bill used in his sharp shooting exhibitions. Visitors will see these and other
artifacts and Buffalo Bill memorabilia. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was said
to embody the traditional "rags-to-riches" story. After working as a Pony Express
rider and serving in the Civil War, Cody became a buffalo hunter for railroad
construction crews. He gained a reputation as a skilled marksman and started a
theater act. At his ranch in North Platte in 1882, Cody organized a rodeo event
that evolved into the Wild West Show. He performed in the show for 30 years.
Visitors can get a glimpse into his remarkable life at the Buffalo Bill Ranch Historical Park.*
Concise Language
Keep paragraphs and sentences short and direct. To illustrate, when converting a hard
copy document to the web, you'll generally need to cut out 50% of the text. To do this,
keep paragraphs focused on one point. Also, use short, direct sentences. To help you
improve your sentence style, try the following:
Concrete Information
Make sure sentences are filled with concrete information. For example, how valuable is
the information in this sentence?
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large
crowds of people every year, without fail.
There is no real information the reader needs. Instead, make sure every sentence says
something:
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.
Avoid Flowery Promises or Language
Compare the following two sentences:
- Unix is a leading operating system in today's business world.
- Unix's operating system is used in 75% of mid-size businesses.
The second sentence has real content, rather than vague promises.
Direct Sentence Style
Put the most important idea in the sentence up front. Compare:
- The reason why videos are not the best resource is because of the high costs and
limited availability.
- Videos are not good resources because of their high costs and limited availability.
In the second sentence, the reader immediately gets to the main point-videos are not
good resources.
Conciseness
Eliminate repetitive word pairs:
| Repetitive | Concise |
| a career in the medical profession | a medical career |
| time period | time |
| red in color | red |
| upright position | upright |
Conclusion
Don't feel overwhelmed by these suggestions. Pick the one or two suggestions that seem
most necessary for your site. Then, as you update, focus on another. Each little change
will improve your site.
Anne Hendricks is a professor of english at Brigham Young University Idaho. She spcecializes in technical writing and, among other things, teaches Advanced Business English.
* Adapted from Morks, J. & Nielsen, J. (1997). "Concise, SCANNABLE, and objective: How to write for
the web." Writing for the Web. Retrieved 26 February 2002 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/writing.html
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