#32895
What is Web 2.0 and How Will Technical Writers be Impacted?
Understanding the potential implications of a paradigm shift in how we view writing for the web. For content to reach the types of syndication and distribution imagined by web 2.0 enthusists, content needs to break free of the containers that both bind it and display it. One of the most significant ways that this transition to Web 2.0 can be seen is in the move toward XML, and semantic markup. With this move toward the granulation of content however technical writers need to rethink how to present content.
Diehl, Amy. Content Matters (2006). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Technical Writing
#32906
Best Practices: Writing for Accessibility
Most of the time, the primary focus of information about accessibility has to do with making non-text information available as text. Captioning and audio description for video, transcriptions for audio, simple text alternatives for static images. But what about the content itself?
Dolson, Joe. Accessible Web Design (2008). Articles>Accessibility>Web Design>Writing
#32910
Determining Readability: Readability and its Implications for Web Content Accessibility
One area of accessibility often overlooked is the readability of the content of your web pages. Not every user may be familiar with terms or terminology being used. Others may not have the same socio-political background, literacy skills or capacity to fully comprehend what it is you are saying. One goal of the content author then is to try and identify their target audience, and then ensures that they are not "writing over their heads".
WATS.ca (2006). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Assessment
#33032
Metadata is Essential Web Writing Skill: Part 1
Metadata is one of the most misunderstood aspects of content management and website design. Editors and writers tend to look at it as a technical issue. Technical people look for a software solution. Both are wrong. Metadata is a fundamental skill that web writers and editors must acquire.
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2003). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Metadata
#33033
Metadata is Essential Web Writing Skill: Part 2
Creating great metadata for your content begins with understanding who your reader is. What is the metadata they look for when they read a page of your content? What are the type of words they use when they search for your content? When scanning your classification, what are the "trigger words" that will make them want to go deeper into your website?
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2003). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Metadata
#33039
Writing for the Web requires careful planning. Your content needs to fit well within the context of your website. When a reader finds your content, they need to be able to scan it quickly. That's what metadata is about. In order for your website to be found, you need to write for how people search.
McGovern, Gerry. New Thinking (2003). Articles>Web Design>Writing
#33458
About Us Information on Websites
We found a 9% improvement in the usability of About Us information on websites over the past 5 years. But companies and organizations still can't explain what they do in one paragraph.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2008). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Writing
#33662
The landscape of web writing has changed. The value of well-edited and reviewed content is giving way to faster, less-refined posts on blogs, comments and services like Twitter. It is clear from the dwindling number of article pitches that many prefer to draw traffic to their own sites.
Finck, Nick. Digital Web Magazine (2008). Articles>Web Design>Publishing>Writing
#33676
Why Text Remains King of the Web
I am starting to believe that despite all the hype around online video, text remains King of the Web. Why text? There are at least five reasons.
Micro Persuasion (2009). Articles>Web Design>Multimedia>Writing
#33960
Using good sub-headers will help your users find the information they are looking for. It’s like navigation but without the clicking and the cool roll-over effects.
Hamill, David. Good Usability (2009). Articles>Web Design>Information Design>Writing
#33961
When you’re writing for the web, try to keep your sentences under 20 words in length. Your content will be easier to read this way. This is because it’s easier to read a few short sentences than it is to read one big one.
Hamill, David. Good Usability (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Minimalism
#34034
Seven Top Web Writing Principles For Technical Writers
Web writing is one of those assignments that technical writers do well due to their organized approach to technical information. But web writing differs from regular user guide and procedural writing in some important respects. The Web is a fast place. People usually don’t have the time to go through long essays.
Technical Communication Center (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Technical Writing
#34105
The parallels between the theories of technical communications and those of web design are very similar, the key aim is to keep the audience in mind at all times. The way you structure and present the information is also important, as is a sense of usability of the content itself.
McLean, Gordon. One Man Writes (2009). Articles>Web Design>Technical Writing>User Centered Design
#34212
Once the main text has been written, you edit it. Editing means breaking text into sub-documents; pointing out connections to other texts; making sure the document as a whole is in good shape; adding indices and outlines. Editing doesn't necessarily happen after the first text has been written - I mix those stages all the time - but it deserves to be thought of as an independent discipline, because the problems it deals with are different. Most of what people do on the World Wide Web is really editing, not writing.
Technische Universität Berlin. Articles>Web Design>Editing>Writing
#34289
World's Best Headlines: BBC News
Precise communication in a handful of words? The editors at BBC News achieve it every day, offering remarkable headline usability.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Case Studies
#34291
First Two Words: A Signal for the Scanning Eye
Testing how well people understand a link's first 11 characters shows whether sites write for users, who typically scan rather than read lists of items.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Usability
#34308
Is Self-Centered Web Copy Hurting Your Websites?
Web developers frequently launch websites with self-absorbed web copy, which turns off visitors and kills conversions. Who’s to blame? Self-absorbed copywriters and business owners. To engage prospects and turn them into customers, web copy needs to appeal to the visitor’s self-interest.
Webdesigner Depot (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>User Centered Design
#34314
Fifty Inspirational Website Introductions
In portfolio web pages, especially in the field of design, one of the first things that you will notice is an introductory text consisting of a few words about the company or the designer behind the site. This can be extremely useful for readers, as it provides quick and direct information about the designer, or the company behind the site. These introductions are generally highlighted by the use of large text, positioned at the top of the site, and always catch the visitor’s eye. They give a more personal feeling to the site and tend to replace the traditional taglines under a logo for example. In this article, we list 50 examples of excellent web page introductions used in portfolio websites that you can use as inspiration for your own designs.
Webdesigner Depot (2009). Careers>Portfolios>Web Design>Writing
#34559
“About Us” Doesn’t Have to be All “Ugh.”
No matter how beautifully designed, if a site’s voice doesn’t ring true, it’s easy to spot an “ugh.” Rather than using this section of a site like a congratulatory press release, consider approaching “About Us” like a magazine’s Editor Letter.
Vollenweider, Julie. Brain Traffic (2009). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Business Communication
#34614
People don’t come to the web to linger over the words. Most uses of the web are for gathering information or doing tasks, not for the pleasure of reading. If your busy web users lose interest or don’t find the information relevant, they’ll stop reading. If they can’t find what they need quickly enough, they’ll leave your site and go elsewhere.
Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. Redish.net (2007). Articles>Web Design>Writing
#34618
New Accessibility Guidelines Part III: Understandability
The understandability of text is crucial to web accessibility. At broad levels, this means specifying text languages, explaining the meanings of jargon or idioms, and expanding abbreviations to clarify text. It's not just text that can present a barrier to accessibility, however. A lack of organizational predictability or proper error management can greatly decrease the accessibility of any website.
Dolson, Joseph C. Practical eCommerce (2009). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Writing
#34635
The task of writing clearly and simply has never been either clear or simple. In fact, it can be one of the most difficult of all writing tasks. Clear and simple writing is an art to which many aspire and few achieve. Even so, the understandability of web content depends upon clear and simple writing. Unclear or confusing writing is an accessibility barrier to all readers, but can be especially difficult for people with reading disorders or cognitive disabilities.
WebAIM (2007). Articles>Web Design>Writing>Cognitive Psychology
#34679
Be Known For Your Content, Not Your Name!
Be known for your content first, for your name second. I can’t bear to hear anyone say one more time that “content is king,” but the truth is simple, if painful.
Content Strategy Noob (2009). Articles>Content Management>Web Design>Writing
#34686
#34716
Always keep the small screen in mind when you’re preparing your docs. There are some W3C “mobileOK” guidelines to consider to ensure that your content meets requirements. Here are some highlights.
Norris, Julie. 2moro Docs (2009). Articles>Web Design>Wireless Web>Technical Writing
