Web Writing

1. Web Writing Ag Media Writing 3/19/03

2. Web Writing • “People who surf the Internet use a special medium that requires concentration and attention, and they seek information that interests them.” • Audience interests drive the content.

3. Reading rates slow by 25-40% on the Web. Monitor’s flicker causes eye strain. Almost 80% of Web readers scan Web text. Problem • Web readers fickle. • Tons of competition. • Readers scan a Website for 8-10 seconds before moving on.

4. Solution • Design for easy scanning. • Provide visual navigation and accessibility. • Be concise. • Convey credibility.

5. Solution: Design for easy scanning • Select legible fonts - san serif best for Web. • Use large enough fonts. • Italics decrease legibility, use sparingly. • Dark type on light background reads and prints much better than light type on dark background.

6. Solution

7. Solution • Keep line lengths short. • Use headlines and subheads to break up text. • Use bullets or numbered list. • Highlight or bold key words. • Use navigational tools and menus.

8. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ0856.htmlhttp://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ0856.html http://cgil.uoguelph.ca/pub/Update2000/AllGenes.htm http://www.agweb.com/sig_get_article.asp?file=AgNewsArticle_2003325941_912&articleid=96424&sigcat=corn Example

9. Solution: Concise/Credibility • Avoid “Fatigue Factor”. • Use concise, “lean” text. • Chunk content. • Just the facts ma’am. • Make sponsors known. • Only link to high credibility sites.

10. Web Writing • Use of graphics can help readers navigate a Website.

11. References • Bunton, K., Writing Across the Media,Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, 1999. • http://www.useit.com/alertbox/whyscanning.html