Web Writing Style Guide

Most people will read your websites from the screen. It's hard. It puts strain on the eyes, requires more concentration and takes 30% longer. Onscreen fonts have less than a quarter of the quality of fonts used on paper so different rules apply.

Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

Present yourself well by getting the basics right. You can prepare your documents in Microsoft Word and use the spelling and grammar tools to fine-tune your writing.

Short and Sweet

Say what you need to say in as few words as possible. This does not mean leaving out information, but avoid the overuse of adjectives, adverbs and unneccessary commodious phraseology! Your visitors will appreciate your to-the-point everyday language.

Use Lots of Headings

People scan web pages looking for items of interest. Make it easier for them by adding a heading to each topic of interest. Let them find what they want before they move on to the next website!

Use Lists

Numbered and bullet-point lists are also easier to scan and they break up the monotony of paragraph after paragraph. Keep the lists under nine items to achieve the best effect.

More Ideas for Easy Reading

• Keep paragraphs short.
• Keep lines short. After 80 letters it gets harder to read from one line to the next.
• Use a sans-serif font. These fonts, like Arial and Verdana, don't have little sticky off bits (known as serifs) coming from the points of letters. On paper they lead our eyes from one word quickly to the next, but on the screen there is not enough detail to give the same effect.
• Add links to relevant words in the text. That way you don't need to stop the flow and say Click Here all the time. Your readers will see the link and know what it is without being told how to use their mouse!

When Advertising...

You can forget the rules of grammar! Ignore full stops - keep them reading on! Use big quote marks to draw attention! And remember, it's about you, you, you! (Your reader, that is.)

Avoid Using...

Capitals

On the web and in emails, CAPITALS are used to signify shouting and can be interpreted as being rude. Capitals are also harder to read. Try using bold or italics instead.

Underlining

Anything that's underlined looks like a hyperlink. If it's not you are likely to confuse your readers. Again, try using bold or italics.

Too many fonts

Stick to the fonts chosen by your web designer. Using too many creates a jumbled, unprofessional appearance.

A Thesaurus

Repeating the same words will avoid confusion. Use other means to keep your writing lively. (An exception to this is if you want search engines to pick up on the variations.)

Clipart

A poor choice of clipart on your website will look amateur.

Got any comments or tips of your own? Send them to Ian Fleeton.

Additional Resources

• Four Fatal Errors of Web Writing (web article)
• Hot Text: Web Writing That Works (book)

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Associated Companies:
First Business Systems Ltd
Florida.co.uk Ltd