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Web Writing Workshop!Help your users get the most out of your site  

Today’s Objectives In this training, we will cover:

•  Best practices for content creation

•  How to write content for users with different needs

•  How to write and format content for users with disabilities

•  How to tailor your content to attract prospective students and faculty

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!

Making Your Message Stick

You only have a few seconds to catch your visitor’s attention with your content. If you don’t have what they’re looking for, they’re leaving.

Strong content makes your department a strong choice for a student’s major or for a potential faculty member.

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Web Writing Workshop!

Key Messages Keep these in mind while developing your content.

•  We’re committed to research for a reason.

•  This is our time, and we’re determined to make the most of it.

•  We have a gift for bringing people together.

•  We’re eager to share what we’re learning.

•  We teach the real meaning of joie de vivre.

•  Our Ragin’ Cajun spirit goes beyond athletics.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Know Your Audience Who are you writing for?

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Web Writing Workshop!!

For most of you, your primary audience will be prospective students. What are they looking for? What will a degree from your department or college provide for them?

Who are your other audiences? What do you want or need them to know?

Know Your Audience Who are you writing for?

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Your objectives are to inform, encourage a specific action, and elicit a response. For prospective students, you want to tell them about your department, encourage them to be a part of it, and then have them apply — and enroll!

User Personas Putting a Face to a Concept

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Avery James is an ambitious, social, and independent student looking for a university that would feel like home — a place where he can really get involved. He's looking for a business program that will give him the skills he needs to be successful while still having a manageable workload. He'll use the site to learn more about business majors as well as ways to get involved on campus and things to do in the community.

Jacob Michaels served in the Army Special Forces after 9/11 and was constantly deployed, so he wasn't able to do school online like he had planned. After completing his service and getting married, he started working as a carpenter. He's ready to pursue an architecture degree, but is concerned about the cost of schools because he recently became a father. He's looking for an affordable program that will give him the skills he needs to find a steady job he enjoys with opportunities for hands-on experience.

User Personas Putting a Face to a Concept

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Shanna Comeaux has a full-time job as a PR coordinator, is married with a 2-year-old son, and is very active in beauty pageants and philanthropic organizations. She is ready to pursue her MBA and wants to return to UL Lafayette. She's not sure if returning to school is worth the time and investment, so she'll browse the site for information on the MBA program, particularly to see if there are night and online classes that will work with her schedule.

Ming Chin Yen Tze is an English major from Malaysia who is looking to pursue her masters in English and women's studies. She is interested in living in the South because of its unique culture and reputation for friendliness. She can't visit schools, so she has to base her decision on gut feelings and what she can learn from a website.

Know Your Audience Who are you writing for?

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!!

Put yourself in your user’s shoes. What are you looking for and where will you go to find it?

Site Formatting Keep it Clean.

The University website templates are designed so you don’t have to do extra work — no extra spaces, lines, tabs, or fonts.

We want the entire site to have clean, consistent formatting, making it easier for you and for your users.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Web Writing Best Practices Place important information first on your pages. Don’t make your user dig.

Be concise:

•  Use short sentences •  Use bulleted lists to group information

•  Use one idea per paragraph •  Break up content by using headings and sub-

headings

Write in conversational, easy-to-understand language. Refer to “us” and “you.” Use words that are familiar to your users.

Link to relevant pages and embed your links!

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Web Writing Workshop!!

web.louisiana.edu!

web.louisiana.edu!

Never use all caps – it’s like YELLING AT YOUR USER.

Never center text.

Use italics for composition titles and nothing else.

Do not use a photo as the primary source of information. It should be written out on the page.

Best Writing Practices

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Best Writing Practices

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Where’s the info? Guess what happens when your photo breaks…

Your information vanishes!

Headings & Screen Readers

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Headings

Headings describe the topic that is about to be covered.

Different sized headings create a hierarchy for the information on the page.

That hierarchy is especially important for people who require screen readers to navigate a website. It also establishes a visual hierarchy for all site visitors.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Headings sizes are H1 through H6.

H1 is always reserved for the name of the page, so headings in your content should always start with H2.

Create a hierarchy with your headings. For main ideas, use H2. For sub-ideas, use smaller headings starting with H3 and working your way down.

You will rarely use H5 and H6.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Headings Best Practices Creating the Hierarchy

Building: H1

Judice-Rickels Hall: H2

Lounges: H3

Resources: H3

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Headings Best Practices Creating the Hierarchy

Headings Best Practices The dangers of bolded text

Normal sized text that is bolded is not considered a heading. It does not read the same as a heading on a screen reader.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Note: Do not place a link in a heading.

Headings Best Practices

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Web Writing Workshop!!

How do I make the different sized headings?

Tables Need Headings, Too!

Users who require screen readers have a difficult time navigating tables if they’re not created properly.

In tables, use headings to properly identify information. They provide context!

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Tables Need Headings, Too!

Make a cell’s contents into a heading by changing the cell properties.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Headings Best Practices

Do not bold a heading. The heading then appears to be a different font than other headings.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!!

Links Best Practices Making Mobility Easy

A link should never be a full URL.

Always embed links with action verbs.

Correct: “Download the form.”

Incorrect: “Download the form here: www.louisiana.edu/web/pdf”

Incorrect: “Download the form here.”

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!!

Links Best Practices Making Mobility Easy

Remember: Never put a link in a heading.

Consider grouping your links at the top or bottom of the page if you have a large number of them.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Links Best Practices Making Mobility Easy Don’t underline text if it’s not a link.

If text is underlined, people think it’s a link and then get frustrated when they can’t click on it.

You don’t need to underline text if it is a link – the template will do that for you.

Photos

Photos in the content body should be used sparingly, because you can showcase your department or office through the centerpieces and top images on your site.

If you choose to have a photo in the content body, you must adhere to these practices. Otherwise, it is very difficult to read through your content.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!!

Photos Best Practices Working With the Content

When placing a photo in the content body, make sure you float it.

That means you manipulate how it appears with the text, instead of at the top or bottom.

Choose left or right alignment, and choose a VSpace and HSpace of 10. The text will wrap around the photo.

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Photos Best Practices Working With the Content

With a photo in your content body, do not place the photo at the top of your content body.

It pushes down your content, so people must search for the information.

web.louisiana.edu!

Web Writing Workshop!!

Photos Best Practices Working With the Content

Do not put all of your photos in the body content of your page.

It is visually unappealing and pushes all of your important content to the bottom.

Web Writing Practice

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Web Writing Workshop!!

Thank you for attending today’s workshop!

Elizabeth Rose Web Content Strategist erose@louisiana.edu

482-1626