Writing Best Practices

Web users don’t read. They scan.

Users want to find information as quickly as possible. Good web content tells them at a glance whether or not they’ve arrived at the right place, and helps them do what they need to do so they can go on about their day.

Fortunately we can all take some simple steps that go a long way toward making our content great. Next time you update your pages or send content to the webmaster for updating, please consider:

Structure

• Write meaningful link text – the text your visitor clicks to follow a link should tell them where they’re going. ie. U-M human resources website, NOT click here

• Use subheadings – they create landmarks on your page

• Make bulleted lists – if your sentence has more than two commas, it may be a list.

Word choice

• Be concise – if you can say it in fewer words, do so. One idea per paragraph.

• Be conversational. Speak to your audience, not about them. (ie.use words like "we" and "you")

• Use active construction. Structure your sentences to avoid "is" "are" and "were." 

• Use inverted pyramid style – put the most important information first.

• Avoid acronyms – if you must use an acronym on the page, be sure to use it’s full name on first reference and include the acronym in parentheses. ie. Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Education (ADGPE).

Ask yourself

• Is there a legal or policy obligation to use this specific wording or include specific information? (If not, seize the opportunity to remove jargon)

• Does this information already exist somewhere else? (example: Standard Practice Guide). If so, link to the original. Duplicate content invites inaccuracy because it gets outdated easily.

• If you’re listing resources, does your list represent the best tools available or just tools that are available? A short, carefully curated list is better than a long, exhaustive one.

Having trouble getting started?

Try pasting some of your content into The Hemingway App (http://www.hemingwayapp.com/). Your content should be at no higher than a ninth-grade reading level. (Yes, even for a college site!)