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Writing for the web: tips

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Posted on Fri, Jun 26, 2009, by Akira Morita

Refresh Seattle is a series of web design/development tip-sharing sessions, run by a local web developer Blue Flavor. Yesterday’s presentation: copy writing, specifically for the web. Tiffani Jones of Second & Park had tons to share, but here are just the top-lines:

• Copy writing is a user-experience problem:
  - How can you make the text usable & useful for the users, and effective for the business (=sales)?
• What’s in it for me?:
  - Why should your audience read what you write? Give ‘em a reason.
• Brevity, simplicity, clarity, and humanity:
  - Make it short, easy-to-understand, and engaging. That means you need to focus your message first.
• Make every bit count:
  - Everything from the headings to that “order” button needs to be thought-out.
• Remember it’s interactive:
  - It’s a conversation. With an instant feed-back. Make it easy to: find->understand->act.
• Work from the top:
  - On the web, people scan. State your main point as close to the title as you can, then put the supporting points in smaller doses.
• Cut the Crap:
  - Edit. Delete. Keep only what works.
• Tell a story:
  - Know what you are made of. Then tell it through your contents. Over time, with a clear content strategy.