Developing Website Content

Project Process Content Strategy and Management Writing for the Web Tips and Tricks Discussion Items

Preparing your files 1.Stay organized: set up a file directory 2.Follow file naming conventions 3.Prep images before integrating them

10 Content Development Tips

#1: Focus on goals and tasks 1.What goal(s) does this page need to support? 2.What specific tasks are completed on this page? 3.Be direct, but not necessarily brief –Length of content depends on the purpose of the page

#2: Use the language of your audience 1.General audience: target a 9th grade reading level 2.Watch word choice, grammar & punctuation, voice, and tone 3.Avoid jargon and acronyms 4.Use action words 5.Offer translations, when appropriate for the audience

#3: Make critical information easy to find 1.The inverted pyramid: Put conclusions at the beginning 2.Use meaningful page titles and headings 3.Use trigger words, put them at the beginning 4.Follow the “F” pattern 5.Use sidebar modules for top tasks

#4: Be consistent 1.Predictable layout makes content/functionality easier to find 2.Use consistent vocabulary and tone 3.Don’t override the site styles (fonts, colors, spacing, borders) 4.Use consistent number formats for phone numbers, times and dates

#5: Use structure for readability 1.Use headings to call out sections & show hierarchy 2.Write short paragraphs and use proper spacing 3.Use bullets, quotes, paragraphs to break up text 4.Use images to break up text, but don’t overwhelm the page

#6: Follow Web conventions 1.Spell out acronyms 2.Underlines = Links 3.Put links in context 4.Don’t shout at the audience with ALL CAPS 5.Use key phrases for SEO (if that’s a goal of yours)

#7: Keep it current and relevant 1.Update your site regularly 2.Review the content with your audience & experts 3.Solicit regular feedback 4.Use an editorial calendar & plan ahead

#8: Follow company policies and guidelines 1.Writing style guide 2.Workflow for review and approval 3.Public information requirements

#9: Follow accessibility guidelines 1.Alt text for images 2.Use tables for tabular data (not for layout) 3.Use block quote indents for quotes (not to indent text) 4.Transcripts & captioning for audio and video content

#10: Review your work online 1.Read through your content 2.Check spelling, grammar, tone, & voice 3.Check the content against goals and tasks

Resources The StyleSheet – TradeMark Media’s newsletter and online magazine. Many great articles about content strategy and developmentwww.thestylesheet.com UX Booth – Online publication for user experience professionals. Search for “content” for great content development articles. A List Apart – Online publication for web developers. Many great articles about content development. Visit the “Content” topic area.

Thank You! Nick Weynand (512) x202 Carly Hohl (512) x208