Writing for the web
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This document discusses best practices for writing web content. It recommends writing in a scannable way using highlighted keywords, meaningful sub-headings, bulleted lists, and one idea per paragraph. Users tend to scan web pages rather than read word-by-word. Headlines should be short, information-rich, and front-load keywords. Teasers are important to entice users to click through and should summarize the story while leaving some details undisclosed. Visual elements like photos and bullet lists can break up blocks of text.
Writing for the web
- 1. Writing for the Web Ujjwal Acharya Most of the content is derived from or based on writings of Jakob Nielsen http://www.useit.com/
- 2. This session What we are going to discuss and do? How and why are web writing different from news written for newspapers, radios and televisions. Discuss about headline and need to write teaser text Discussion on paragraphing, sub-titling, visual aesthetics and use of eye-friendly stuffs – photos / lists /info-boxes Finally, try writing a small content for web using everything we discussed
- 3. How Users Read on the Web • They don't read, they just scan the page. • 79 % of always scan page; only 16 % read word-by-word. So what to do then? Simple, write scannable text, using • highlighted keywords • meaningful sub-headings • bulleted lists • one idea per paragraph • Concise text http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
- 4. The F Theory Of Pattern of Reading Web Content By the way: F is for FAST! What were you thinking?
- 5. Reading on computer screen Is it same as reading newspaper or book?
- 6. Headlines The average headline is mere 5 words and 34 characters. So, good headlines are • short • rich in information scent • front-loaded with the keywords • understandable out of context • predictable http://www.useit.com/alertbox/headlines-bbc.html
- 7. Teaser The first paragraph of news is not the lead Teaser is important for two reasons • Users do not read much on the web • On index page (such as homepage), only headlines and teasers are displayed. Teaser is a paragraph that tells the details of the news story but should also leave lure user to click to read full story! It should contain many of 5WH to summarize story but could leave one or two to keep the interest!
- 9. Long story short How to write news for web? PARAGRAPHING One idea per paragraph One or two short sentence per paragraph Blank line after each paragraph VISUAL STUFFS Break after 4 or 5 paragraphs by sub-title or visual stuff • Photo • Bulleted list • Info box • Hyperlink SUB-TITLE Could be simple ‘what to come’ summary or quote or simple two-word description No need to stress over to find clever sub-title
- 10. Example Watch out for • white spaces around • Length of paragraphs • Number of sentences in a paragraph • Use of photos • Use of sub-title
- 11. Let’s Begin! Now, Please write a NEWS or OPINION or EXPERIENCE on either MEDIA or THANKYOU! CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE [email protected] www.facebook.com/ujjwal.acharya Approximately 400 words www.NepaliVoices.com