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How to write text for web sites

Picture of Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D

Writing text for web sites requires a different approach than traditional print. As a general rule, you should assume that visitors to your web site are going to quickly skim over a majority of your content, picking and choosing what to read in detail.

The amount of effort applied by a web site visitor to learn about or search for information on your web site is primarily influenced by the perceived net gain of the search. Web site visitors expect to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. The more your visitor has to "dig" for the information they are looking for, the more likely they are to simply look elsewhere.

Best practices, Writing in an online environment

Closely adhering to the following best practices will improve the success of both your online efforts and increase the enjoyment of viewing your web site.

  1. Use half the word count Studies by Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D., indicate that 79% of Internet users scan text rather than reading it word for word and that reading from a computer screen is 25% slower than from traditional print. Additionally, Internet users generally aren't willing to apply much effort to searching for information. With all this in mind, your text should be as short and concise as possible.
  2. Use the inverted pyramid writing style Each paragraph should start with the conclusion or the most important information first. Subsequent sentences should expand on this initial statement or fact. The reader should have a general idea of what you are saying from the first sentence or two.

    Refer to “Inverted pyramid story format”, a short article by Ken Blake, Ph.D., for more information on the Inverted Pyramid writing style.

  3. Use only one idea per paragraph Each paragraph should concisely convey specific information; more than one idea will likely lead to people skipping the extra added information.
  4. Use highlighted keywords Important facts, figures, tidbits of information and phrases your visitors might look for should be highlighted in bold. This will assist your visitors in finding this information as they are scanning your web pages.
  5. Use bulleted lists Paragraphs should be converted into bulleted lists when they contain numerous bits of information such as:
    • Facts
    • Figures
    • Features
    • Benefits
    • Statements
    • Claims
    “How Users Read on the Web”, a short article by Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D., contains an excellent example showing how a bulleted list increased the readability of a paragraph.
  6. Use subheadings to organize content Organized groups of paragraphs should be separated with subheadings in order to assist your visitors in finding the information they are looking for. Additionally, these subheadings should contain terms your visitors may be looking for and be meaningfully descriptive of the paragraphs that follow. Examples of meaningful subheadings would include:
    • How to order
    • About the author
    • Driving directions
    • Contacting our company
  7. Use an objective writing style Objective, by definition means, "Undistorted by emotion or personal bias". Using embellished or subjective claims will most likely end in the credibility of your web site, and even your organization being compromised. Lost credibility equals lost sales and uninterested visitors, who will seek another source. Examples of what not to say include:
    • Best food in Texas
    • Guaranteed to lose 20 pounds
    • You will love our product
    • We are the best at what we do