Writing for the Web – that includes your company intranet!

You can have a pool made out of gold – if the water in it is as dirty and old as a swamp- no one will swim in it!

The same can be said about the content of an intranet. You can have the best design, the best developers and the most carefully planned out navigation and taxonomy but if the content and documents are outdated and hard to read, staff will lose confidence in its authority and relevance and start to look elsewhere – or use it as an excuse to get a coffee.
The content of an intranet is usually left to a representative from each department (if you’re lucky!) Usually people that have been working in a company for years. Or worse yet, to the IT guy. They are going to use very different language to a new starter, or to a book keeper, or the CEO. Often content is written for an intranet “because it has to be there” or to “cover ourselves” or because “the big boss said so” with no real thought into how easy it is to read or who will be reading it.

Content on the internet has changed and adapted to meet a need that a user has and to find it as quickly as possible. Why isn’t the same attitude used for your company? If your workers weren’t so frustrated finding the information they need to do their job, maybe they’d perform better, maybe that would result in faster sales, maybe investing in the products your staff use is just as important as the products your consumers use.
I’m not saying that you have to employ a copywriter for your intranet but at least train the staff you nominate to be custodians of your land (your intranet- your baby).
Below are some tips for your nominated content authors.

The way people read has changed

People read differently thanks to the web. They don’t read. They skim.

• They don’t like to feel passive
• They’re reluctant to invest too much time at one site or your intranet
• They don’t want to work for the information

People DON’T READ MORE because

• What they find isn’t relevant to what they need or want.
• They’re trying to answer a question and they only want the answer.
• They’re trying to do a task and they only want what’s necessary.

Before you write, identify your audience

People come to an intranet page with a specific task in mind. When developing your pages content, keep your users’ tasks in mind and write to ensure you are helping them accomplish those tasks.  If your page doesn’t help them complete that task, they’ll leave (or call your department!)
Ask these questions

• Who are they? New starters? Experienced staff? Both? What is the lowest common denominator?
• Where are they? At work? At home? On the train? (Desktop, mobile, laptop, ipad)
• What do they want?
• How educated are they? Are they familiar with business Jargon?

Identify the purpose of your text

As an intranet, the main purpose is to inform and educate. Not so much to entertain or sell.
When writing to present information ensure:

• Consistency
• Objectivity
• Consider tables, diagrams or graphs

Structuring your content

Headings and Sub headings

Use headings and sub headings for each new topic. This provides context and informs readers about what is to come. It provides a bridge between chunks of content.

Sentences and Paragraphs

Use short sentences. And use only 1-3 sentences per paragraph.
‘Front Load’ your sentences. Position key information at the front of sentences and paragraphs.
Chunk your text. Break blocks of text into smaller chunks. Each chunk should address a single concept. Chunks should be self-contained and context-independent.

Layering vs scrolling

It is OK if a page scrolls. It just depends how you break up your page! Users’ habits have changed in the past 10 years due to mobile devices, scrolling is not a dirty word, as long as the user knows there’s more content on the page by using visual cues.

Use lists to improve comprehension and retention

• Bullets for list items that have no logical order
• Numbered lists for items that have a logical sequence
• Avoid the lonely bullet point
• Avoid death by bullet point

General Writing tips

• Write in plain English
• Use personal pronouns. Don’t say “Company XYZ prefers you do this” Say “We prefer this”
• Make your point quickly
• Reduce print copy – aim for 50% less copy than what you’d write for print
• Be objective and don’t exaggerate
• USE WHITE SPACE – this makes content easier to scan, and it is more obvious to the eye that content is broken up into chunks.
• Avoid jargon
• Don’t use inflated language

Hyperlinks

• Avoid explicit link expressions (eg. Click here)
• Describe the information readers will find when they follow the link
• Use VERBS (doing word) as links.
• Warn users of a large file size before they start downloading
• Use links to remove secondary information from the bulk of the text (layer the content)

Remove

• Empty words and phrases
• Long words or phrases that could be shorter
• Unnecessary jargon and acronyms
• Repetitive words or phrases
• Adverbs (e.g., quite, really, basically, generally, etc.)

Avoid Fluff

• Don’t pad write with unnecessary sentences
• Stick to the facts
• Use objective language
• Avoid adjectives, adverbs, buzzwords and unsubstantiated claims

Tips for proofreading

1. Give it a rest
2. Look for one type of problem at a time
3. Double-check facts, figures, dates, addresses, and proper names
4. Review a hard copy
5. Read your text aloud
6. Use a spellchecker
7. Trust your dictionary
8. Read your text backwards
9. Create your own proofreading checklist
10. Ask for help!

A Useful App

Hemingwayapp.com assesses how good your content is for the web.

A few examples (from a travel page)

Bad Example

Why it’s Bad

Use personal pronouns such as we and you, so the user knows you are talking to them. They know where they work. Remove Fluff.

Better Example

Bad Example

Why it’s bad

The author is saying the same thing twice in two different ways. This can easily be said in one sentence.

Better Example

Bad Example

Why it’s bad

This sentence is too long. This is a case of using too much jargon. What does lowest logical fare even mean? And the second part does not make any sense. What exactly are they trying to say here? I am not entirely sure, but if my guess is correct it should read something like below.

Better Example

Bad Example

Why it’s bad

Front load your sentences. With the most important information first. Don’t make a user dig for a document, have the relevant document right there. Link the Verb. Don’t say CLICK HERE!

Better Example

Bad Example

Why it’s bad

Front load your sentence… most important information first. This is a good opportunity to chunk your text.

Better Example