Writing for the Web. Nonprofit 911 Teleconference June 16, 209. Farra Trompeter Dan Gunderman

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1 Writing for the Web Nonprofit 911 Teleconference June 16, 209 Farra Trompeter Dan Gunderman

2 Overview What s different Principles of Web text Guidelines Resources Appendix

3 What s different? Short attention spans Reading Word count Visual presentation

5 What readers want Immediate information Your POV Up-to-date, relevant content Feedback and interaction Privacy

7 Principles of Web Text

8 Principles of Web Text Orientation Background info, navigation Information Help readers understand Action What readers can/should do

9 Principles of Web Text: Orientation Job of the homepage Minimalist Coherent and consistent

10 Principles of Web Text: Orientation Print habits inform layout Key points at top Read LEFT to RIGHT Eye goes first to upper right Headlines help guide reader Put keywords in title and text Use hooks and blurbs

12 Slide 13

13 Principles of Web Text: Information Be clear and correct Audience-centric Something for everyone Organize

14 Principles of Web Text: Information Analyze Audience Develop User Scenarios Web makes your org avail 24/7 to all Add Order Narrative: Describe in stages Logical: Use sources as back-up at end Categorical: Cluster material and connect related topics

15 Three types of visitors: Readers Users Viewers

Name: Brenda Occupation: College Student Age: 20 Gender: Female Education: Junior education major at big university Location: Los Angeles, CA USA Computing and Web experience: very comfortable

16 Name: Brenda Occupation: College Student Age: 20 Gender: Female Education: Junior education major at big university Location: Los Angeles, CA USA Computing and Web experience: very comfortable Personal Web behavior patterns: Total Facebook user, avid social networker, very computer-savvy, she has a personal blog, online shopping, has an iphone Goals: Academic credit, looking for practical experience, interested in traveling, perhaps semester abroad but not sure if she can do (she doesn't speak a second language); wants to go in the summer Activities: Googled international volunteer programs, reads-up on Intern Abroad program, spends a lot of time browsing through all the possibilities of where she can go, visits the Teaching English page, Assisting Teachers page, wants to know about Program Fee, is not sure about what the difference is between Intern Abroad and Volunteer Abroad, thinking about fundraising and applying for scholarships because she's surprised about the costs, spends 3.5 minutes on the site browsing, but will return in the future.

19 Principles of Web Text: Action Positive attitude Discuss -- and listen Two way conversation Make action effortless

20 Principles of Web Text: Action Give readers reasons to act What do they get for filling out a form? Why should they join your list? Why take that quiz or survey? How will you use their donation?

23 Guidelines

24 Guidelines: Style Do not use clever or cute headings Limit the use of metaphors Use simple sentence structures Avoid complex words Develop a Style Guide

25 Guidelines: Tone Professional Conversational Use humor with caution Connect to other brand expressions / org personality

27 Personality

28 Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy Personality Leading Passionate Expert Comprehensive Successful Highly-regarded United Influential

30 Guidelines: Readability Summaries Short and simple Chunking Headings Active voice Strong verbs Grammar

33 Guidelines: Print Documents Web is archive. Provide options for readers. Scrolling tires eyes Provide links, clickable keywords at top Search within PDF helps Format Single space with line break between paragraph

36 Resources Big Duck- Podcast- Writing for the Web - Less is More Article- Write Visually. Online Guides Books Writing for the Web, by Crawford Kilian Content Critical, by Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton The Web Content Style Guide, by Gerry McGovern, Rob Norton, Catherine O'Dowd

37 Discussion Jeremy Crow

WHY EFFECTIVE WEB WRITING MATTERS Web users read differently on the web. They rarely read entire pages, word for word.

Web Writing 101 WHY EFFECTIVE WEB WRITING MATTERS Web users read differently on the web. They rarely read entire pages, word for word. Instead, users: Scan pages Pick out key words and phrases Read in