| ||
|
|
| |
| ||
| ||
| Inside Technique : Writing for the Web : More Tips... 5.) Keep scrolling to a minimum, and keep content short Internet users hate to scroll. If you have to post long pieces of text online, split it up into multiple pages. C|NET, Wired, and Webmaster-Resources.com all have a rough 500 words/page limit. Splitting content over multiple pages also increases the chances that someone will read through the entire thing. If someone hits a page and sees dozens of screens, full of text, they are unlikely to even begin reading it. The prospect of reading a huge chunk of text onscreen will not seem very appealing. Breaking it into smaller, manageable chunks, greatly increases the probability that someone will read through the entire thing. Studies have shown that people read 25% slower onscreen than they do on paper. This means that you should make your content at least 25% shorter than an equivalent text version. 6.) Black against white One very common mistake is using "busy" backgrounds that distract the eye from the text. If you have to use a background image dull it down so that it doesn't pull the viewers attention away from the text. The classic white background with black text is still the best choice for text heavy pages. 7.) The International Factor The Internet is truly a global phenomenon. The Internet doesn't just reside within the boundaries of the USA. As a courtesy to your international visitors, please note somewhere on your front page if your products/offers/contests are only available to residents of the US. The International factor should extend to the rest of your website. Tell your visitors what currency prices are quoted in. Use short sentences, and avoid using English slang or region-specific words. 8.) Typefaces There are two fonts specifically designed for maximum readability on screen, they are the Verdana and Georgia typefaces. The only down side to these two fonts is that they do not print out very well. Arial and Times Roman are both very legible both onscreen and off. Unless you have a good reason not to, stick to these four fonts. 9.) Avoid Caps People read by recognizing the overall shape of words. CAPS slow down the character recognition ability of a person, and with it their reading speed. Therefore, caps should be avoided completely, even in headlines. 10.) Keeping it current Many websites cover a topic that is constantly in a flux. If your site is one of
them, be sure to set aside some time to revise content to keep it current.
Keeping it up to date not only increases the value of your website, but it is a
valuable service to your visitors.
Page 1:Writing for the Web © 1997-2000 InsideDHTML.com, LLC. All rights reserved. |