1

Making Your Content Count

An Invitation to Your Audience

Nancy DuVergne Smith

MIT Alumni Association Editorial Director

2

How Do Readers See?

F-shaped eye scans

3

What Do Readers See?

Eyes seek text first– Headlines– Summaries– Navigation– Captions

Images are secondary– Medium to large photos hold attention. – Small photos and thumbnails do not.

4

EyeTrack07 Key Findings

People read more online than in print– 77% online; 62% broadsheet; 57% tabloids

Alternative story forms—Q/As, bulleted lists— attract more attention that paragraphs

Photos of real people doing real things get more attention that staged photos

Source: http://eyetrack.poynter.org/

5

How Do We Know?

Research tracks users– Poynter Institute-Stanford University

Eye-tracking study Credibility guidelines

– Web usability guru Jacob Nielsen User experience

– Web Style Guide, Yale Center for Advanced Instructional Media

6

Why Is Web Viewing Behavior Different from Print?

Limits of screen loads Poor screen resolution Lost scent of information 25% slower reading online

7

Why Should We Care?

Web = professional front door Global reach 24/7 availability Accurate and timely information Matches audience needs Provides a web of information

8

Why Use Writing Guidelines?

"The main ideas keep popping out at you. Boom. It's very easy to follow."

– Nielsen found that concise writing, objective language, and scannable text improved usability by 159% in satisfaction, task time, task errors, and memory.

Source: http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/rewriting.html

9

Online Writing Style

Web Style Guide recommendations– Concise, not verbose– Factual, not vague– Cultivate a voice– Think globally

Example: http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/asp/index.html

Source: http://www.webstyleguide.com/style/online-style.html

10

Using Microcontent Strategically

Readers look at headlines first. – Begin each page with a headline– Use subheads every three to four paragraphs.

Links should identify actual content. – Avoid generic “click here.” Instead use actions or key words, such

as “Sign up for online services” or headlines.

Write captions for photos. – Readers do see captions, sometimes before the images.

Example: http://www.nytimes.com/

11

Headline Style

Headline style– Initial caps for key words in the headline

Down style– Cap first word of subheads

Avoid all caps– Perceived as shouting– 10% slower to read

Example: http://emailuniverse.com/ezine-tips/?id=1094

12

Sentence Style

Start with the subject ~ SVO Use a dynamic, active verb Limit sentences to 15-25 words Limit paragraphs to two-three sentences Use concrete, familiar words

Example: http://storybank.stanford.edu/story.php?id=96

13

Attractive Web Images

Images related to page content Real people, smiling at the reader

– Single face– Small groups where faces are distinguishable

Items a reader might want to buy

Source: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=103505

14

How Do We Bring This Home?

Fresh site, fresh content. Focus on audience needs. Make your ideas pop by using the MITAA

Web Content Style Guide.

15

MITAA Web Content Style Guide I

Web writing should be clear, concise, and engaging.

Writing tone should be conversational. – Mostly use third person (he/she)– Second person (you) or direct address works for

limited, informal use. – Only use first person (I/we) with an acknowledged

author.

16

MITAA Web Content Style Guide II

Headlines should top every page; long articles need subheads every three-four paragraphs.

The lead—an inverted pyramid paragraph—should deliver the main point of the page's contents.

Sentences and paragraphs should be short and focused.

17

MITAA Web Content Style Guide III

Top level pages should be sticky—fresh content should be added on a regular basis.

Write captions for photos. Use photos to tell a story or illustrate an

event. Set up photos with small groups so faces are

visible; avoid lineups if possible.

18

Transitioning Our Web Pages

Example: Profile of Eric Mibuari ’06http://alum.mit.edu/ne/noteworthy/profiles/mibuari.html

Microcontent checklist:– Headline?– Subheads?– Summary/Inverted Pyramid Lead?– Caption?– Midsized photo with face?– Conversational tone?– Short sentences and paragraphs?

19

Transforming Headlines

Noun phrase– Executive Education

Gerund phrase – verb+ing– Educating Executives

SVO – subject-verb-object– Executives Bring New Knowledge Back to Work

20

Headline Writing Exercise

Write a new headline for the ALC page:http://alum.mit.edu/ne/alc/index.html

Headlines:– Use an active verb– Capture the gist– Make sense independently– Run eight words or less

21

Inverted pyramid

An inverted pyramid paragraph presents the main idea immediately– Most news leads use the inverted pyramid style– Summarize or present the conclusion– Why, what, when, where, and why

22

Which paragraph is an inverted pyramid?

Even those enriched by U.S. tax law generally acknowledge that it's a pitiable mess. Devoid of underlying principles and with provisions variously inspired by noble purpose, opportunism, and outright bribery, it's a labyrinth that annually absorbs billions of unproductive dollars in advice, preparation, and enforcement.

U.S. tax law is generally acknowledged as a pitiable mess, even by those it benefits. Tax law is devoid of underlying principles and shaped by both noble purpose and opportunism. Annually this labyrinth absorbs billons of unproductive dollars in advice, preparation, and enforcement. The solution? A universal transaction tax.

23

How Are We Going to Get There?

Web Redesign Content Team Support– Content Inventory assignments– Image galley development– Content partners work with

area managers– Editing and feedback

24

Content Resources

MITAA Web Content Style Guide: server location ~\\Addsalum\assocsrv\PUBLIC\Work Area\AA Web Redesign

2007\Content and Style\Web Style Guide Making Your Content Count: http://web.mit.edu/ndsmith/www/

Web writers resources (Nancy): http://members.aol.com/nancyds/resources.html

Poynter Institute: http://www.poynter.org/ Jacob Nielsen: http://www.useit.com/ Web Style Guide: http://www.webstyleguide.com/ Stanford Credibility: http://credibility.stanford.edu/guidelines/ Contentious: http://www.contentious.com/