Tagged: website

Writing for the Web Module 1 Notes

  • Good quality content
    • clear headings
    • exact statements
    • nice images
    • summaries (could stop here is we wanted/needed to)
    • chunks of information
    • links
    • calls to action
    • visuals representations of products

 

  • Elements of a good website
    • user + business needs
    • information architecture (IA)
    • interactive design
    • visual design
    • brand
    • content
    • users essential
    • navigation/tree structure
      • labels + secondary navigation
    • wireframe
    • aesthetic appeal + personality
    • content is king

 

  • Web v Print Content
    • how do people read online/print?
    • printed = physical document, read front to back, don’t rely on power source, less fatigued eyes
    • online = computer, tablet, mobile, laptop, rely on power, back light results in eye fatigue
    • Jakob Nielsen 1997: how users read the web = they don’t, they scan in F shape pattern
    • snack vs feasting

 

  • Who are your users?
    • demographics
    • personas

 

  • Understanding users
    • talking to users
    • website analytics
    • surveys

 

  • Context of use
    • where are they accessing, when and with what device?
    • eg, at lunch people might have more time to read news content compared to a 10 – 15 minute commute
    • what pieces and pages of content are people looking at at certain time?
    • if we know what devices people are accessing we can change the content that we deliver on those devices
    • all different screen sizes, etc

 

  • Understanding the business objectives
    • stakeholders
      • marketing
      • financial
      • customer service
      • subject matter experts
      • anyone with vested interest in website
    • sometimes a mobile optimized site is going to meet the user’s needs more than an app

 

  • Purpose of content
    • persuade
    • inform
    • educate
    • entertain
    • change behaviour
    • enforce compliance, esp govt websites

 

  • Accessible content
    • disabilities:
      • vision impairment
      • hearing impairment
      • motor impairment
      • dyslexia
      • colour blindness
    • don’t use content as images
    • captions on audio + video
    • transcripts
    • Microsoft Word accessibility checker
    • product descriptions

 

  • SEO
    • page title – in the browser/tab bar
    • page heading
    • keywords
    • links
    • natural language
    • topical content
    • unique content
    • URL
    • the last thing we want is to optimise for search engines but not optimise for our users