Writing for the Web Cheat Sheet

Writing for the web is fundamentally different from writing for print. While the web offers tremendous flexibility and opportunities, it also comes with a unique set of challenges. Perhaps most notably, web writing is most effective when it is succinct and frontloads the information users are looking for.

On the average webpage, users read only 20-30% of the words during an average visit, so longer is not necessarily better. Here are some guidelines when developing copy for publication on any of ASCO’s family of websites:

Use & instead of “and” in page titles (this helps with high-quality URL generation).
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 their task, they’ll leave.
“Chunk” your content. Breaking up your content into manageable sections makes your content more scannable, which is crucial since scanning is the method most commonly used by people when accessing online content. Regardless of the usefulness of the content you present, nothing will make someone navigate away from a page more quickly than being confronted with a monolithic wall of text with no visual breaks.
Start with what’s most important. Frontloading your content ensures users will get what they’re looking for quickly without having to scroll halfway down the page. Forget flowery intro paragraphs: when writing for the web, it’s best to get down to brass tacks right away.
Use active voice. It’s more engaging and implies agency and proactivity.
Use short sentences and paragraphs. Limit sentences to 20 words, and paragraphs to 5 sentences.
Make use of bulleted and numbered lists, even if there are only 2-3 items in the list. Lists are much easier to read than full sentences.
Use clear and descriptive headlines and subheads.
Use white space. Visually separating information with white space make it easier to read and digest.

I would also recommend enabling Microsoft Word’s Readability Statistic feature when composing web copy. This program can help you gauge how readable your content is for our users.

Any questions? Contact Hilary Adams (ext. 1534).