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Design Tip:
Writing "Browsable" Web Pages
by Tom Dahm,
Chief Operations Officer,
NetMechanic, Inc.
Want to learn how to write for the Web? Here's a good rule of thumb: visitors don't read your page, they browse it. A well written Web page should read more like a brochure or a briefing than a formal report.
When writing for the Web, try to follow these concepts:
- Reduce your word count. Terse pages are easier to read than long pages.
- Use one idea per paragraph. Ideas buried inside a paragraph are often missed.
- Use bullet lists, bold text, and sub-headings to highlight key points.
- Write using an"inverted pyramid" style, placing the most important ideas at the top of your page.
- Avoid clutter. A crowded Web page creates visual noise.
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Why are these rules important? If you've ever reviewed your access logs in detail, you've probably learned a humbling fact: most visitors spend less than 30 seconds viewing your page. This data is confirmed by a number of Web usability studies. These studies have found that visitors scan Web pages, picking out prominent words and phrases, rather than reading them word-for-word.
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"Visitors often lack the patience to read each line of your page." |
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With the next Web site just a click away, visitors often lack the patience to read each line of your page. Your Web page should be designed to draw the reader's eyes to the most important information.
How can you accomplish this? Jakob Nielsen's excellent AlertBox column has some tips. Click here to read his column.
Still not convinced?Try reading our alternate version of this page. We've included our first draft of this page, written as a full text article. See if you don't agree that the current page is more readable.
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