writing for the web
TRANSCRIPT
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Writing for the Web Made EasyAmerican Council on Education
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Actually, it isn’t really that easy….
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As web content writers,
You have the greatest impact on the user experience of the ACE site
(no pressure!)
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"Content is the heart of a brilliant user experience. From the body content to
the alt text to the footer, the words that shape the page lie at the very
center of an engaging visit. If the words aren’t beautiful and
meaningful, the sleekest design in the world won’t compensate for it. The
body can never replace a missing heart." - Amber Simmons, http://www.alistapart.com/articles/revivinganorexicwebwriting
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Beautiful
simple
concise
thoughtful
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Meaningful
useful
relevant
informative
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Agenda
Part 1
Planning ContentAudience
Crafting a Message
The Difference Between Content and Copy
Part 2
Writing ContentDELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Use Plain Language
Make your content SCANNABLE
Links
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Part 1
Planning Content
Audience
Crafting a Message
The Difference Between Content and Copy
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Part 1: Planning Content
Audience
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Persona: Face to Facer
Goals• Keep up to date with the latest
information in higher education
• Improve the quality of their institution
• Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations
• Find and maintain high quality leadership staff
• Maintain fiscal health of the institution
• Influence policy makers to make better decisions for higher education
• Network with other higher education leaders
Frustrations and Pain Points• Too much information to wade
through everyday
• Can only address limited amount of email
• Difficult to prioritize content through all the clutter
• Newsletters come out in the middle of the day when I have less time to consume information
“My work is often focused on the big issue of the
day. I need to be able to easily find information on
an issue, quickly get a high level overview of it and
be able to dive into deeper details when needed.”
Jennifer has been president of a large state university for the
past 3 years. Before that, she was a chief academic officer
at 2 other state schools and one private college.
JenniferPresident
Key Characteristics• Has been in academia her entire
career
• Prefers interacting face to face rather than online
• Relies heavily on email to get information and communicate
• Doesn't actively participate in online social networks
• Has a busy schedule
• Travels a lot
• Uses an iPad especially when traveling
• Is an ACE member
Tasks• Read the daily higher education
news
• Research a specific issue the institution is currently dealing with
• Participate in annual meeting panel
• Collaborate with others on ACE initiatives
Questions• What are the current policy issues
that I should be concerned with?
• What is ACEs position on issues?
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Persona: Technophile
Goals• Keep up to date with the latest
information in higher education
• Develop higher education career
• Improve the quality of their institution
• Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations
• Engage in dialog with other higher education leaders
Frustrations and Pain Points• Too much information
• Difficult to stay on top of topics that matter to me
• Not enough time to read long articles or papers
“I’m not afraid of new technology. If I
discover something that might be
useful, I will try it out.”
Stephen has worked at a private liberal arts college for 20
years, and has been the Chief Academic Officer the last 5
years. He started his career at this institution and worked his
way up from professor, to dean to his current position as
CAO.Stephen
Chief Academic Officer
Key Characteristics• Is very engaged online – blogging,
Twitter, Facebook, etc.
• Active in ACE programs
• Member of several other higher education organizations
• Uses a smartphone
Tasks• Find information on academic
leadership programs
• Find event information before, during and after the event
• Research information on a specific topic
Questions• Am I an ACE member?
• What new laws and regulations should I be concerned about?
• How can I make my institution compliant with existing legislation?
• What programs does ACE offer to better my institution and my career?
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Persona: Newbie
Goals• Understand the landscape of
higher education associations
• Communicate to the public the institutions point of view on an issue/topic
Questions• What is ACE?
• Why should I attend this ACE event?
Frustrations and Pain Points• Links that don’t take her to
where she expects
“I’m still trying to figure out the
landscape of higher education
associations.”
Olivia is the Vice President for University Relations at a
small community college. She previously worked in both the
private and public sector at a Fortune 500 company and at
several government agencies and NGOs.OliviaVP for University Relations
Key Characteristics• In her first higher education
position
• Comes from a career in both the public and private sector
• Unsure of what each higher education association is for
• Has never been to the ACE site
• Uses social networks such as Twitter and Facebook as tools for marketing and communication
Tasks• Create a communication plan
around a specific issue facing the institution
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Audience
Busy
On the go
Uses a mobile device
Keeps up-to-date with latest in higher education
Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations
Improve the quality of their institution
Develop their career
First Position in AcademiaIn Academia Entire Career
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Audience
Busy
On the go
Uses a mobile device
Keeps up-to-date with latest in higher education
Keep institution in compliance with state and federal regulations
Improve the quality of their institution
Develop their career
First Position in AcademiaIn Academia Entire Career
What we should write
How we should write it
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Part 1: Planning Content
Crafting a Message
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Crafting a Message
Gather a collection of messages you want the user to learn or the user wants to see
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Crafting a Message
Messages should be tied to your business goals
(you do have these business goals written down, right?)
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Crafting a Message
Messages are not contentMessages are the information that you want to convey
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Crafting a Message
Anatomy of a message
Primary Message: The single most important thing you want the user to learn. It should support a business objective
Secondary Message: A group of key messages that extrapolate the primary message.
Details: All the facts, data, anecdotes, philosophies that prove your messages.
Call(s) to Action: What you want the user to do after they get your message
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Crafting a Message
Anatomy of a message
Primary Message: TransportZ is a product that allows you to transport yourself anywhere in the world instantly
Secondary Message: Low cost, easy to use, portable
Details: Uses less energy than all of the other transport products. The user interface allows you to easily select your destination and avoid transporting to non-habitable locations. Home button instantly gets you back home. Each transport is less than $10.
Call(s) to Action: Buy TransportZ today
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Exercise
Construct a message for the program you are associated with
The purpose of the message is to describe your program to someone who has never heard of it.
Use this format:
Primary Message: The single most important thing you want the user to learn.
It should support a business objective
Secondary Message: A group of key messages that extrapolate the primary
message.
Details: All the facts, data, anecdotes, philosophies that prove your messages.
Call(s) to Action: What you want the user to do after they get your message
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Crafting a Message
Content can contain multiple messages
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Crafting a Message
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Crafting a Message
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Part 1: Planning Content
The Difference Between Content and Copy
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The difference between Content and Copy
Copy is heartless filler that takes up space and takes on the appearance of information
Bad Copy
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The difference between Content and Copy
“The Mission of ***** ****** ****** is to enrich lives by revealing the wonder, relevance, excitement, and value of creativity, laughter, and learning. This is accomplished by facilitating inspiring, innovative, and energetic education and business consultation services whenever and wherever they are needed with a sense of pride, respect, and integrity.”
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The difference between Content and Copy
“Providing solutions in real time to meet our customers’ needs.”
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The difference between Content and Copy
Content establishes an emotional connection between people
Thoughtful, personable and faithfully written
Meaningful
Reflects your brand
Good Content
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The difference between Content and Copy
“********** vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile.”
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The difference between Content and Copy
“******* mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
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The difference between Content and Copy
"A snappy design might catch their attention, but it's the words that make the
real connection.” - Jason Fried, 37 Signals, http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/why-is-business-writing-so-awful.html
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Part 2
Writing ContentDELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Use Plain Language
Make your content SCANNABLE
The Secret of Links
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Agenda
Part 2: Writing Content
DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
- Albert Einstein
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
“It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible
basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the
adequate representation of a single datum of experience.”
- Albert Einstein
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
“On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an
average visit.”- Jakob Nielsen, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Number of words MATTERS
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Number of words MATTERS
Number of words matters even more on mobile
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Number of words MATTERS
Number of words matters even more on mobile
People are going to consume your content on mobile
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
You need to use fewer words
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DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!
Use the fewest number of words that still gets the point across
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Agenda
Part 2: Writing Content
Use Plain Language
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Use Plain Language
Plain language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it.
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Use Plain Language
Plain Language Characteristics:
Logical organization with the reader in mind
Active voice
Short sentences
Common, everyday words
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Use Plain Language
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guidelines/FederalPLGuidelines/FederalPLGuidelines.pdf
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Use Plain Language
Before
In our endeavor to ensure guest safety at all times, can visitors please note that fire bell testing is carried out every Monday at 9.30am.
After
We test the fire bell every Monday at 9.30am.
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Use Plain Language
Before
When the process of freeing a vehicle that has been stuck results in ruts or holes, the operator will fill the rut or hole created by such activity before removing the vehicle from the immediate area.
After
If you make a hole while freeing a stuck vehicle, you must fill the hole before you drive away.
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Use Plain Language
Before
If you fail to comply with your duty of disclosure and we would not have entered into the contract on any terms if the failure had not occurred, we may void the contract within three years of entering into it. If your non- disclosure is fraudulent, we may void the contract at any time. Where we are entitled to void a contract of life insurance we may, within three years of entering into it, elect not to void it but to reduce the sum that you have been insured for in accordance with a formula that takes into account the premium that would have been payable if you had disclosed all relevant matters to us.
After
If you fail to disclose any relevant matter and we would not offer you insurance if this matter were known, we may within three years:
(1) void the contract or
(2) reduce the sum for which you have been insured.
If your nondisclosure is fraudulent, we may void the contract at any time.
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Use Plain Language
Before
I give my Agent the power to exercise or perform any act, power, duty, right, or obligation whatsoever that I have or may hereafter acquire, relating to any person, matter, transaction, or property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, now owned or hereafter acquired by me, including, without limitation, the following specifically enumerated powers. I grant to my Agent full power and authority to do everything necessary in exercising any of the powers herein granted as fully as I might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that my Agent shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the powers herein granted.
After
I give my agent the power to do anything that I have a right or duty to do, now or in the future.
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Agenda
Part 2: Writing Content
Make your content SCANABLE
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Make your content SCANNABLE
Users don’t read
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Make your content SCANNABLE
Users don’t read
Users SCAN and then READ
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Make your content SCANNABLE
Headlines
- Use headlines and sub-headlines to break up longer text
- Headlines and sub-headlines should be short
- Meaningful trigger words should appear in the first 2-3 words
- Should be understandable out of context
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Make your content SCANNABLE
Headline Examples:
Italy buries first quake victims
Romania blamed over Moldova riots
Ten arrested in UK anti-terrorism raids
Villagers hurt in West Bank clash
Mass Thai protest over leadership
Iran accuses journalist of spying
Noun Verb
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Make your content SCANNABLE
Paragraphs
- First sentence should contain the main idea/message of the paragraph
- Subsequent sentences should contain content supporting the the main idea/message in the first sentence
- Inverted Pyramid
- Use bullet points when writing lists
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3 Keys to Great Web Writing
Concise text- Reduce the number of words. Fewest words that still gets the point across
Plain language- Natural rather than subjective language. Pain language, not formal.
Scannable layout- Headers, bullets, main idea in first paragraph, reverse pyramid
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Agenda
Part 2: Writing Content
Links
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The Secret to Links
Three types of links
Descriptive
Action
Contextual
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The Secret to Links
DescriptiveDescribes the content you will see if you click on it
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The Secret to Links
ActionDescribes what will happen when you click on it
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The Secret to Links
ContextualProvides access to additional information about text inside of a
paragraph
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Exercise
3 Keys to Great Web Writing
Concise text- Reduce the number of words. Fewest words that still gets the point across
Plain language- Natural rather than subjective language. Pain language, not formal.
Scannable layout- Headers, bullets, main idea in first paragraph, reverse pyramid
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Exercise
Rewrite the provided text, using the techniques we have mentioned.
How to Become a Member or AssociateAs a member or associate of ACE, you will become a partner in providing leadership and a unifying voice for higher education.
First, download and complete the appropriate application form—Institutional (PDF) or Non-Institutional (PDF). If you're not sure which application to complete, you can familiarize yourself with our opportunities and criteria for involvement online or contact a member of our membership department for more information.
If you are a member of the business community, visit our web pages for The Alliance Program to learn more and download an application.
Then, complete the application and return it us at the address or fax number listed at the bottom of the form.
Your institution or organization will be activated in the ACE database and in our Members and Associates Directory. Prepayment of dues is not necessary; an invoice will be mailed to you following the activation of your membership or affiliation.
For additional information check our membership FAQ page or contact a member of our membership department.
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Exercise
Possible Solution:
How to Become a Member or Associate
1. Download and complete the appropriate application formMember (PDF) or Associate (PDF).
Which application should I choose?
2. Complete the application and return it us at the address or fax number listed at the bottom of the form.
3. Your institution or organization will be activated in the ACE database and in our Members and Associates Directory.
4. An invoice will be mailed to you following the activation of your membership or affiliation.
For additional information check our membership FAQ page or contact a member of our membership department.
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Introduction
You have the greatest impact on the user experience of the ACE site
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Links
http://www.plainlanguage.gov/index.cfm
http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/
http://www.plainlanguagenetwork.org/
http://www.amazon.com/Content-Strategy-Web-Kristina-Halvorson/dp/0321620062
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