Business Communications: The New Road Rules

Carolyn Hudson, Molly Coustan October 14, 2015

What will we do today?

Introductions

•! Your name

•! Your practice

•! Your Twitter or Instagram bio

Today’s Agenda

Message Development Digital Rules of the Road Visualizing the Story

Search Engine Optimization, Tagging & Keywords

Wrap Up 4

Hotlinks & Hot Buttons

The Punctuation Assumption

The average attention span

in 2000 was

seconds 12

The average attention span

in 2013 was

seconds 8

Nielson Norman Group/UX Research Group

The average attention span

of a goldfish is

seconds 9

6

In bull-riding, the rider must stay atop the bucking bull for eight seconds.

It’s been called “the most dangerous eight seconds in sports.”

7

Message Development

If I am to speak ten minutes, I need a week for preparation; if fifteen minutes, three days; if half an hour, two days; if an hour, I am ready now. - Woodrow Wilson

2015 Multimedia Trends

7

16

25

75

CMS Wire, Dec. 2014 10

11

Characteristics of Effective Communication

12

Digital/Electronic/Distance Face-to-Face Format and Print Options

•! Email •! Infographics •! Websites •! Webinars •! Conference Calls

•! Social Media •! Text Messaging •! Video (Delta Vision)

•! Roadshows •! Leader Meetings •! Divisional Meetings •! Town Hall/All-Hands •! Briefings

•! FAQs •! PDFs •! Posters •! Memos •! Bulletins

13

The one thing your users should know

Who, what, when, where and why

Additional facts, information and quotes

Background and alternative explanations

Least important information

14

Know Your Audience

Reading by Bram van Rijen from the Noun Project

15

Think Like a Rookie – imagine you’re not you

Take Out the Guesswork

!! Test communications on others who don’t know the topic well

!!Would your mom understand it?

1. Use Inverted Pyramid.

2. Write engaging headline/subject line.

3. Ensure the message is complete.

4. Edit. Keep paragraphs short: 6 lines max.

5. Test communications for clarity.

6. Ask someone else to read. (They’ll find issues 10X faster).

7. Read out loud from the last sentence to the first (bottom to top).

8. Publish and establish expiration or review date.

“Too much black makes your writing look FAT.”

What’s Wrong With This Homepage?

20

Words to Watch

86 the wimpy words

Seems to be; In order to; Not only is there

Say it with less words

Give out = Offer; Find out = Discover; Make it clearer = Clarify

Nix Passive Tense

“Sally built the model,” not “The model was built by Sally.”

Use “Power Words” IF applicable

“He conveyed an incredible spirit,” versus “He was a great example.”

Indifferent by Dani Rollifrom the Noun Project

http://boostblogtraffic.com/power-words/

A farm girl is dropped into a surreal world,

incurring the wrath of an evil witch. A scarecrow,

woodsman, and lion help her get home. The Wizard of Oz

25 words

Current Rewrite

1.! When staff fatigue was very high during the fourth quarter because of the additional work on that project that had to be done by everyone, I led an initiative to improve morale, efficiencies and to help people feel better.

2.! You should give your writing a proofread.

3.! Alcohol is the single-most cause of hangovers.

4.! The plane’s slow approach was not moving quickly and was met with the scramble of emergency crews.

5.! I believe that what I have seen is that he shows signs of carelessness.

6.! She has an extremely high level of intensity.

I led an initiative to improve morale and efficiencies during the fourth quarter.

Proofread your writing.

Alcohol causes hangovers.

The plane approached and emergency crews scrambled.

He is careless.

She is intense.

Digital Rules of the Road

I was always aware that this whole earth is on overload. - Ridley Scott, Director (Alien, Blade Runner)

It’s human nature to reduce the amount of

cognitive effort

Only 25% words on a webpage are read

26

Go Fish We have one of the best and most popular

intern programs of all companies in our

industry and are looking forward to beginning

this selection process for this year. We are

writing to inform you that all of the information

that we will need from you if you wish to apply

to our program can be accessed through an

online link that can be found below. You will

need to be a college student in order to meet

our eligibility requirements and must complete

the form before the deadline tomorrow. CLICK

HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FORM FOR THE

PROGRAM

Delta’s College Internship Program Applications are being accepted for Delta’s best-in industry college student intern program.

•!Application Form

•!Eligibility: Currently enrolled college students

•!Deadline: November 2, 2015

Writing for “Scannability”

29

Go For It!

•! Summaries

•! Bullets/Numbered Lists

•! Additional headings

•! Shorter paragraphs

Limit

•! BOLDFACE

•! Colored text

Titles, Headlines and Subjects

Core Content Clear, Specific and Relevant

•! Relevant and Informative Performance Review Process

•! No-Nonsense 2014 Year in Review

•! Numbers Top 3 Ways 2014 Was Great

•! How to How to Get the Most from 2015

Core Content Clear, Specific and Relevant

News Attention-Grabbing and Engaging

•! Controversial 2014 Was the Best Year Ever

•! One-Word 2014

•! Questions Did You Get Ahead in 2014?

•! Best of Personal Highlights from 2014

Apple Core by Arthur Shlain from the Noun Project

Headlines Have A Secret Formula!

31

Use

•! Number

•! Interesting Adjective

•! Unique promise

•! Power Word

•! Keyword

Formula = Number + Adjective + Promise + Power Word + Keyword

“18 Unbelievable Ways to Bathe an Elephant Indoors”

Treat as mini-headlines

5 Basics of Bullet Points

Use symmetry

Avoid bullet barrage

Keep the flow

Include keywords (Search Engine Optimization)

Break

Visualizing the Story

I never read. I just look at pictures. - Andy Warhol

Visual Superiority Theory: Articles with images get 94% more views than those without images

10% 65%

Retention with Content Only Retention with Content + Visuals

Use Images Wisely

Image Design Tips: Graphics & Images

38

Graphics & Images •! Use high resolution

•! Hero shot should pop against site colors

•! Don’t be afraid of white space

•! Serve the story

•! Consider using images of people

Image Design Tips: Infographics

39

Infographics

•! Consider using a templating tool Visme Canva Easel.ly Piktochart Infog.ram

•! Keep it scannable and simple

•! Limit your color palette

Remember: Keep It Simple

40

•! Avoid these color combinations:

•! Make it monochrome using various shades of the same color

•! Use high contrast

•! Use thicker lines

•! Don’t assume colors will signal emotions in and of themselves, add another symbolic image

•! Use texture instead of color

•! Consider checking your colors on a Color Blindness Simulator

42

43

44

Hotlinks & Hot Buttons

45 45

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein

Click Here

Should I Use Click Here?

•! No!

•! Never!

•! Nada!

Instead

•! Link to specifics

•! Use nouns as an anchor

•! End on a link

click by Spencer Loveless from the Noun Project

47

RULES RISKS REWARDS

•! Relative and descriptive

•! Limit the # of links

•! Users leave your content

•! Readers should land in the right place you promised

•! Preserves white space

•! Used as a call to action

•! Point to an example

•! Serve as the “why”

Test your links regularly!

48

Unlike regular manners, tables should be used infrequently.

Potential issues •! Skewed view on various devices

•! Slow to load

•! Can be too wide for printing

Consider Alternatives •! Use headers and bullets

•! Create large tables in Excel

Potential issues Skewed view on various devices

Slow to load

Can be too wide for printing

49

PDFs: The Lookers and the Haters

•! PDF is mainly for docs to download and print •! Usability is ~ 300% worse compared to HTML pages •! Consider the feasibility of incorporating into a webpage

50

Noteworthy Newsletters

•! Purpose

•! Audience

•! Frequency

•! Length

•! Shelf Life

•! Style Guide

Should not be core reference material.

FAQs are: •! Reinforcement of key concepts

•! Additional points about a topic

•! Details for a subset of your main audience

FAQs are not: •! A quick-fix due to the lack of a communication plan

•! The primary source for core information

•! A place to hide the good stuff

Lastly…Make sure they are frequently asked!

Think Carefully about Dating

53

Today, tomorrow, yesterday, next week •!

Dates within content can skew perception •!•!

Users can access content without context of the initial

announcement –

so it has to stand on its own.

54

Search Engine Optimization,

Tagging & Keywords

56

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

What Is It?

The process of making your content recognized

by a search engine

Who Does It?

You do!

But Why?

The ability to find something is only as good as the content

57

Findability

How? •! Optimize

•! Select the keywords a user would use to search

•! Keyword use is 1%-3%

•! Keep content fresh

Where? •! The title

•! The first sentence

•! The first paragraph

•! Sub-heading

Findability is a content responsibility not a search problem. Maze by gilbert bages from the Noun Project

Nalley Infiniti Marietta - New Infinti & Used Luxury Car Dealership From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine maintenance to repairs...Nalley Infiniti Marietta, serving Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to repair your vehicle yourself, we can get you any of the manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along the way. As such we're constantly training and retraining, and upgrading our maintenance and auto repair shops with the latest technologies available. Come see why so many customers choose our greater Atlanta Infiniti dealership for all their automotive needs.! You can also visit the Nalley Infiniti dealership near Atlanta in person and see for yourself our stellar lineup of new Infiniti models, including the EX37, FX37, G37 and QX56; our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto repair and service facilities. You can find us easily at 2020 Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia.

Findability

Nalley Infiniti Marietta - New Infinti & Used Luxury Car Dealership From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine maintenance to repairs...Nalley Infiniti Marietta, serving Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to repair your vehicle yourself, we can get you any of the manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along the way. As such we're constantly training and retraining, and upgrading our maintenance and auto repair shops with the latest technologies available. Come see why so many customers choose our greater Atlanta Infiniti dealership for all their automotive needs.! You can also visit the Nalley Infiniti dealership near Atlanta in person and see for yourself our stellar lineup of new Infiniti models, including the EX37, FX37, G37 and QX56; our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto repair and service facilities. You can find us easily at 2020 Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia.

Findability From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine

Infiniti Marietta, serving maintenance to repairs...Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to maintenance to repairs...Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to repair your vehicle yourself, we can get you any of the Atlanta and Smyrna, has you covered. And, if you want to

As such we're constantly training and retraining, and As such we're constantly training and retraining, and upgrading our maintenance and auto repair shops with upgrading our maintenance and auto repair shops with As such we're constantly training and retraining, and upgrading our maintenance and auto repair shops with the latest technologies available. Come see why so many customers choose our greater Atlanta Infiniti dealership customers choose our greater Atlanta Infiniti dealership for all their automotive needs.

in person and see for yourself our stellar lineup of new Infiniti models, including the EX37, FX37, G37 and QX56;

Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia. Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia. Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia. Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia.

Infiniti models, including the EX37, FX37, G37 and QX56; Infiniti models, including the EX37, FX37, G37 and QX56; our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto

From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine maintenance to repairs...maintenance to repairs...maintenance to repairs...From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine From new Infiniti models to used cars... From routine

repair your vehicle yourself, we can get you any of the manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along manufacturer-certified Infiniti parts you might need along

our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto repair and service facilities. You can find us easily at 2020 repair and service facilities. You can find us easily at 2020 Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia. Cobb Parkway Marietta, Georgia.

Infiniti dealership near Atlanta

our impressive used car inventory; and our top-notch auto

Metadata

•! Classify and categorize content

•! Promotes findability

•! Does not show within content

•! Ours will be selectable from a list

60

Metadata, Keywords, & Tags

Keywords and Tags

•! Descriptive words and phrases

•! Include terms users may search on

•! Work into content where possible

•! Input as tags when uploading content

Keywords and Tags Metadata

Slalom Sabbatical

Writing For Digital - Activity

61

NO iStock_000004221245XSmall.jpg

YES Dog_With_Overbite.jpg

Tag Images for SEO

Use Keywords… •! In the file name

•! In captions

•! Alt text

•! Tagging

Wrap-Up

"! Have a communications strategy

"! If using multiple vehicles (i.e. video), sync messages across channels

"! Gather your facts

"! What’s the purpose?

"! Consider your audience

"! Check to ensure you’re not duplicating existing content on Deltanet

"! Anticipate responses and feedback

"! Use Inverted Pyramid

"! Scannable

"! Findable

"! Use bold/colored text sparingly

"! Keywords and tagging

"! Headlines and subheads

"! Beware of acronyms, slang and jargon

"! Consider using!quotes!

"! Active voice

"! Thoughtful use of images

"! Print it out and edit

"! Take a break

"! Read it out loud.

"! Spell-check!

"! Do all your links work?

"! Is hyperlink text consistent?

"! Expiration date

"! Approval

"! Check for keyword effectiveness by searching for your content

notebook paper by Anna Ho from the Noun Project

The Importance of Review

The Importance of Review

Continued Reading

•! “True Colors: What Your Brand Colors Say About Your Business” https://kothea.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/true-colors1.png

•! “Business Communications are “Always On” in 2015” http://image.slidesharecdn.com/2015communicationinfographic-150220162059-conversion-gate02/95/infographic-4-trends-in-workplace-communication-1-638.jpg?cb=1424449534

•! Color Blindness Simulator http://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/