If you have ever written for the web, you know that it’s a different animal than writing for print. Why? Isn’t writing, writing? Not necessarily. There are a number of factors that you have to consider when crafting copy for the web. You really need to understand the user behavior and experience to be successful.
There are a number of factors that should be considered related to online user experience. Let’s look at just a few:
When users read on the web, generally speaking, they aren’t doing it at the kitchen table over their morning cup of joe. They are scanning at best, trying to get to the meat of the content. Keeping relevant information at the beginning of the content is very important.
Websites are not linear. You have no idea where a user is going to go once they hit your site. You can’t define a beginning, middle, and end. You have to make sure that the user can figure out what they are looking at and how to navigate the site.
Websites should strike a balance between user goals and business objectives. In other words, you need to provide, clear, concise information and direction to satisfy the user needs. On the other hand, you have to get across what the company wants customers to know and do. Finding that happy medium is the challenge.
You’ve surely come across sites that you thought had terrible writing and content organization. Likewise you’ve probably also encountered sites with great content and writing. So what makes it good anyway? Providing the user with clear, useful, findable information is key. You want your reader to be engaged and get out of the site what they were looking for.
Of course, it’s all easier said than done. But, next time you are surfing the web, pay attention to the content and notice what you like and what you don’t. Those audits can help you the next time you are charged with writing content for the web. Until next time!
