Web Copy Too Wordy?
Web copy is unlike other copy. Does your company's web copy meet web reading criteria?
Studies done by Jakob Nielsen, the man touted as the, "King of usability" by Internet Magazine, show that people read text differently online.
Instead of reading large blocks of text, the studies reveal that web site visitors scan for important information and respond better to clearly written information.
Quick Improvements
The following three tips will help you increase your web site usability:
1. Concise Text Is Key
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Jakob Nielsen and John Morkes website usability report
explains that web pages written in a clear and concise manner dramatically improve visitor retention and overall web site usability.
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Keeping paragraphs focused on
one single idea
can help to increase information understanding.
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Start with the home page. Take out long, multiple thought paragraphs and edit them down to precise ideas. Remember, one idea per paragraph. Once you finish your idea - keeping it to four or fewer sentences - start another paragraph.
2. Make Text Easily Scannable
Web site users do not read online text. They scan it.
Use short bold text to emphasize important information. For example, bold a hyperlink.
Bullet lists are also an invaluable tool. For example, the following paragraph explains information but is not easy to scan.
"You will learn how to create your own web site, design pages that load faster, pick the right color scheme, and improve your sites navigation."
Using bullets, the same information is easier to read:
You will learn:
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How to create your own web site
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Design pages that load faster
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Pick the right color scheme
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And improve your site navigation
Use subheadings in your web site pages. Select important points and put them in heading tags.
Placing important points in heading tags will break up the page and readers will be able to get the main points of the information.
3. Be Objective and Offer Value Driven Resources to visitors
Far too many web sites are "me, me, me" oriented.
Being objective means putting links to other related sites through out your web pages. This allows the visitor the option to stay at your site or click through to another link to find the information.
Offering additional links is not a bad thing because the links can direct visitors to the sites
you
want them to visit.
Conclusion
Take a few days to review your web site content and/or have the web designer review the content. Consider where to effectively make changes.
By taking the time to make changes to your web site, your visitor's web experience will be enhanced and pleasant, encouraging them to visit again.
Proven Systems can help increase your web site usability with our strategic email newsletter solutions that provide value driven content to visitors. Visit
Proven Systems
for more information about email newsletter solutions for your company.
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