Writing for the Web - Full
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
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Content is hard because:
It takes more time than you think
It's tedious
It requires brain power
A blank page is daunting.
It's not as glamorous as choosing a design or thinking up ideas.
It takes more time than you think
It's tedious
It requires brain power
A blank page is daunting.
It's not as glamorous as choosing a design or thinking up ideas.
Photo by DeeAshley
It's a process
I was going to just go through best practices and tips for writing page content. And do exercises where we look at stuff and rewrite it.
But then, I got thinking about the whole process of preparing content for the web. And it's a whole log bigger.
You can google top web writing tips and get thousands of blog posts.
But you might not find something that walks you through a 4 month process.
So that's what I'm going to try and do today. To give you a structure to move through that will get you there, if you follow it.
But then, I got thinking about the whole process of preparing content for the web. And it's a whole log bigger.
You can google top web writing tips and get thousands of blog posts.
But you might not find something that walks you through a 4 month process.
So that's what I'm going to try and do today. To give you a structure to move through that will get you there, if you follow it.
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- organize
- draft
- prep
- load
- maintain
1. Organize
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Use a content matrix
Content matrix lets you know
- what
- who
- when
Create your site structue Google Drive and outline content types
I've provided more info about drafting your content in Google docs and a link to your Google docs folder on the project site:
http://mccwebstrategy.weebly.com/content.html
Event page example:
Name
Date
Time
Location
Image for page
Image for homepage
Event details
Registration info
Form/link to register
http://mccwebstrategy.weebly.com/content.html
Event page example:
Name
Date
Time
Location
Image for page
Image for homepage
Event details
Registration info
Form/link to register
What's next?
- Finalize your structure (update grid and Google Drive)
- Figure out workflow and tasks
- Determine content types
- Set deadlines
- Block time on your schedule
Top 3 writing best practices
- write for your audience
- don't be complex
- show your personality
“People don’t buy quarter-inch drill bits. They buy quarter-inch holes so they can hang their children’s pictures.”
-Made to Stick (page 179) by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
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Tips on writing for your audience
- Think about needs, hopes, wants, dreams
- Talk to people
- Read intake notes
- Remove insider language
How would I explain it to grandma?
Photo by John B Thomas
Tips for reducing compexity
- Identify the key tasks or goals for your audience
- Make it easy to accomplish those tasks
- Break up paragraphs and cut stuff
- Change your process
- Read it out loud
Next steps
- Review voice and personality info on the project site
- Update it to best fit MCC before you start writing
After your content is drafted:
- Create main components of each webpage
- Format your content following web best practices
- Gather files and imagery
Page title
(should tell visitors exactly what they'll find)
Tips for page titles
- Keep it short
- Use clear language
- Make the first two words count
- Avoid internal jargon or acronyms
ID
(label assigned to webpage that appears in url)
Tips for IDs
- Use words that make sense
- In almost every case your ID should match your page title
- No capital letters
- Use hyphens between words
- Don't use obscure abbreviations or acronyms
Description
(one sentence summary of your page content)
Tips for descriptions
- Use key terms
- Don't over use key terms
- Think about what would be helpful in a Google search list or a Facebook post
Page content or body
Tips for page content
- Put most important info first
- Use short sentences and graphs
- Put some structure to your info
Call to action
Tips for your call to action
- Think about the next logical step for your user
- Make it easy for them to take that step
- Use clear, active language
Make sure these components are on your docs
Template your pages in google drive with at least these key items.
This is so important from a search engine perspective.
Make sure you have all of these items before you sign off saying your page is done and ready for loading!
This is so important from a search engine perspective.
Make sure you have all of these items before you sign off saying your page is done and ready for loading!
Create structure with headings and lists
Tips for structure
- Break info into logical sections
- Write clear, concrete headings
- Find list opportunities
- Repeat structures for similar content (staff bios, event pages, stories)
Add emphasis only when needed
Tips for emphasis
- Use bold for emphasis - but don't over use!
- Never underline text (people will think it's a link)
- Italics should be used minimally, almost never
- ALL CAPS TEXT IN YOUR BODY IS RUDE
Find linking opportunities
Tips for links
- Link nouns and key phrases (verbs are more vague)
- Create a strong info scent
- Never use "click here"
- Don't bombard people - link what seems natural
Gather and ID your files
Make loading easy!
Use the same best practices for page IDs
Include the file extension:
.jpg
.pdf
.doc
Include the file extension:
.jpg
.doc
Test some pages
And some users
Next steps:
- Look in your CMS to see if they have some structures already created
- Come up with a plan for gathering images and where to store them
- Draft and prep a few key pages early so you can start testing
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We have to remove formatting and paste our content as plain text.
And then we reapply our formatting using the CMS tools.
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Tips for loading
- Make loading and proofing assignments
- Do the tedious work to reformat content in the CMS
- Repeat formatting for similar pages
- Keep heading styles consistent across pages
- Test on multiple devices
- Proof everything and test links
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Two kinds of content
- Needs frequent updates
- Requires review every 6-12 month
What needs frequent updates?
- Events
- Blog
- Homepage feature
- Training resources
For things needing frequent updates
- Create a schedule - calendar events, editorial schedule for blog posts
- Assign owners - who is involved, what do they do
- Stick to your schedules. Follow your process.
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What needs scheduled review?
- Our story
- Contact info
- How to give
- Team bios
For things needing review
- Assign content owners
- Block off time twice a year on your calendar to review your content and make updates
Recap
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- Organize
- Draft
- Prep
- Load
- Maintain
Don't wait till the last minute.
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You won't make everyone happy.
Photo by Fabiana Zonca
