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For more detailed听information and tips on content creation for your site,听check out our听Content toolkit听or register for the听Writing for the web at McGill course.听听
User-centric language
Always consider听your target听audience听when writing for the web.听Is your site听mainly听visited by听prospective students听who听are听interested in applying to听McGill?听Or is your audience made up of business听and government听partners? Knowing your听target audience听should set the tone for your writing so that you can听tailor听content听strategically听to those users听and maintain their interest.听
Here are some tips听for writing user-focused听web content:听
- Use听the words听they听use:听familiar terminology will deliver your message more quickly听and听also听help optimize听your copy听for search engines;听
- Address users directly:听听the pronoun听鈥測ou鈥澨齣s engaging for听users听and makes for听more approachable content.听
Inverted pyramid
This听journalistic听standard听helps you get听straight听to the point. Start听with the most essential 鈥榟eadliner鈥� information听first听(who, what, when, where, why),听and follow with听additional听details听afterwards.
User research supports this approach for web content.听According to one study, 81% of online users read the first paragraph, while only 32% read the fourth paragraph.听Make sure you get your key messages across by front-loading them at the top of your content.听
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Instead听of reading听webpages听word-by-word,听users听actually听scan听them听in a "Z" pattern, going from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner (if they have enough time to get there).听The following听strategies will help听format your writing into scannable, user-friendly content:听
- Highlighted keywords听
- Bulleted lists听and numbered听steps!听(much easier on the听eyes,听and everyone loves a good list)听
- Short sentences and paragraphs (no more than 20 words per sentence, 1 idea per paragraph)听
- Concise and descriptive titles and headings听
(Nielsen, 2000; Nielsen & Loranger, 2006; Nielsen &听Pernice, 2009)鈥�
References
鈥� by Jakob Nielsen and Kara听Pernice听
by Jakob Nielsen听
鈥� by Jakob Nielsen and听Hoa听Loranger听
鈥� by Everett N McKay听