1 / 63

Strategies for Effective Web Writing

Learn how to write web content using best practices and strategies, including developing voice and tone guidelines for your library. This webinar covers various types of web content libraries send out, understanding user behavior on the web, and effective writing techniques.

ljacobson
Download Presentation

Strategies for Effective Web Writing

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Strategies for Effective Web Writing Heidi Steiner Burkhardt User Experience Specialist | University of Michigan Library LibraryLinkNJ Webinar January 27, 2016 heidisb@umich.edu | @heidi_sb | #webwriting

  2. Learning Objectives • Identify the various types of web content your library sends out into the world • Initiate the development of established voice and tone guidelines for your library • Write web content using best practices and strategies

  3. Agenda • What web content do libraries send out into the world? • Why do users end up at our content? • How do we read on the web? • How can you approach learning about your audience? Status check and short question break • Why are voice and tone important? • What’s your library’s personality activity • How can I write effectively for the web? • Bringing it all together Q&A

  4. Hello.

  5. “...writing well is part habit, part knowledge of some fundamental rules, and part giving a damn. We are all capable of producing good writing. Or, at least, better writing.” - Ann Handley, Everybody Writes (pg.1)

  6. What web content do libraries send out into the world?

  7. Short Answer Poll #1 Enter all the ways you can think of that libraries interact with users in writing on the web.

  8. Instructional Content Web pages Guidelines & Policies Interface language & microcopy System messages Email, chat, text Newsletters Social Media Blog posts

  9. Support Web copy Policies & General Info Different types among web pages...

  10. Support Web copy Policies & General Info ...and so much more beyond that. Interface Live Interactions Editorial Outreach & Marketing

  11. Why do users end up at our content?

  12. Need information or answers Web pages Guidelines & Policies

  13. Trying to accomplish or troubleshoot something Web pages Instructional Content System messages Interface language & microcopy Email, chat, text

  14. Anticipated Newsletters Email, chat, text System messages Social Media Blog posts

  15. Sphere of their life Newsletters Social Media

  16. Empathy Help documentation or how-to Consider your users potential emotional state.

  17. Empathy Help documentation or how-to Consider your users potential emotional state. Downloading ebooks takes 15 steps. We know downloading ebooks is a little tricky, follow these steps to get reading!

  18. Empathy Reading blog post or newsletter Consider your users potential emotional state.

  19. New Books Available Empathy Reading blog post or newsletter Consider your users potential emotional state. Check Out Over 100 New Mysteries!

  20. Empathy Success message Error message Consider your users potential emotional state.

  21. Success. Empathy Success message Error message Yay! We got your request and will let you know when it’s ready. Consider your users potential emotional state. Error. Your request could not be processed. Oops! Something went wrong. Use the Ask Us link for help.

  22. How do we read on the web?

  23. Short Answer Poll #2 Enter words that describe how you read on the web.

  24. Instead, we scan...

  25. ...and read in an F pattern

  26. Plus, there’s the peril of decision making

  27. How can you approach learning about your audience?

  28. Identify primary audiences

  29. Demographics

  30. Library Statistics

  31. Surveys somebody else did

  32. Make it a habit

  33. Consider creating personas

  34. Short Answer Poll #3 Enter your initial thoughts on who you think your library’s primary audiences are.

  35. Status check & short question break

  36. Why are voice and tone important?

  37. Voice

  38. Tone

  39. What’s your library’s personality?

  40. Short Answer Poll #4 • If your library was a person, how would you describe them? • How do you want people to feel when they visit your website?

  41. Short Answer Poll #5 Enter two this-not-that statements about your library’s personality. Examples: Welcoming, but not jargony Helpful, but not overbearing Knowledgeable, but not preachy

  42. Short Answer Poll #6 Enter two specific examples of when you will want to employ a shift in tone. Keep in mind: • Type of copy • Audience • User’s emotional state

  43. How can I write effectively for the web?

  44. Writing for the web essentials Inverted pyramid

  45. Writing for the web essentials Structure

  46. Writing for the web essentials Scannability

More Related