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Reaching Your Audience Through Online Video
Internet video is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds. -
Yahoo Reveals SEM of Re-Brand
Near the end of September, Yahoo began a new branding campaign in an... -
Search + Social = Better ROI
Are you utilizing search and social media together? According to Lee...
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40 Comments
"Think in bullets and
"Think in bullets and subtitles." That is my favorite line!
Incongruous ad
Spot on. This is a useful, entertaining article ... Practically everything it says rings true.
I am amused by the fact that (at time of commenting) the article is accompanied by a gigantic, false-grinning stock photoed ad on the right.
One further suggestion for the top 20: use humour. Or humor, if that's your bag.
The comic elements of this article enhanced the reading experience without detracting from its message.
cool design web web
You/re missing the point
What you are describing and what your advice is directed toward is a sort of 'dumbed down' writing. A way of writing for the crowd-signage.
I think it's a result of the Internet played as a numbers game, where clicks measure merit. It has to do with what is available to measure in site stats and eye-scanning studies.
What is missing is what is harder to measure. How well are you engaging and communicating emotionally with your readers?
Here is raw information: 15478. Clear. Concise. Crap.
The plain fact is that good writing, writing that I want to read, is hard. Because it's hard, not many people can do it well. And because not many people do it well, we get these recipe books to tell us- the less talented- how to construct something passable but bland.
Look to what you like to read. Look to that site that you return to again and again because it transports you, grips your mind and invigorates your spirit. Then emulate it. Too often we write right, but we don't say anything worth hearing.
Bill
maths
what are doin today
20 tips + 1
Information should be immediately useable timely, and provocative.
20 tips for Good Web Copy
I have to say this is the first time I have come across an article that is 100% right on. So many sites think that flash and cool graphics are going to be what we all want to see....wrong! How about the idea that the Internet is a place to find information...first and foremost. Everything else is just eye candy and we don't have the time to pay much attention. Look at how people read the newspaper in the morning. They look for eye catching headlines and then they only read about the first paragraph. Even less if it is about sports. They want to know who won and if there was anything worth reading further about. Fonts are a big thing too. So many sites are trying to test out eyes! Simple is better if you want to convey information. Even Utube trys to stay very direct....gaudy but direct. Pretty hard to miss the video screen!
Thanks again for saying it like it should be.
Writing press releases
Here's a tighter set of instructions for writing online press releases (listed, with plenty of whitespace)!
http://tronline.blogspot.com/2005/04/golden-rules-for-writing-press-rele...
web copy
Informative. Good to know, Thanks, Alisa Lyons
good web copy
Have to say I agree! Keep it clean, concise and to the point. Very important to also have a uniform website.
Copywriting
Who can do copywriting for my Web site and eliminate duplicate text and pages?
http://www.ajediam.com
E-mail: janhuts@ajediam.com
Jan
#1. Tight Writing
I am 48 years old and I know darn well that I didn't pay attention in school, but what is tight writing? I have heard of verbs, nouns, proper names and even dangling modifiers but never tight writing.
Kevin
not loose
Sorry, sometimes lingo is just lingo isn't it?
If writing is tight, it means that it's not what writers call "flabby" with a lot of adjectives and adverbs and flowery long, winding sentences that lose the reader before the end. Tight writing is direct, simply (but artfully) worded, and gets to the point.
A lot of people will contrast Hemmingway and Faulkner for an example...or the difference between elegant and ostentacious (sp?)...if that makes sense.
better?
printer icon
it would be nice to see a printer icon at the end of your email articles making an easy, obvious way of printing them without the ads etc that take up a good portion of the email
20 Tips For Good Web Copy
The tips are very important and appropriate especially the tip on correct Grammar, and I think, SPELLING too.
Spelling
18. Spell stuff right. It makes you look smarter.
But this is where things can get confusing, for example there are american webmasters who will attempt to correct another webmaster about spelling mistakes when the other person has been using British English and the spelling has infact been fine for British English.
Of course some webmasters using US English will swear that they are correct, end of story, but thats a bit ignorant to think that way.
So it is not so simple as just saying to use correct spelling, more has to be taken in account regarding this before any writing is actually done.
on spelling
Yeah, you're right. Spelling is tricky, especially in regards to standard American English (a relatively new invention courtesy of Webster, who wanted at the time to spell "women" as "wimmin" -- he wanted English simplified).
But I think that there is forgiveness out there for this variation, and a growing understanding, especially in this globally connected time, that spellings can vary.
And while that's true, there are definite wrong ways to spell things. For example, "definite," if spelled according to some phonetic structures, can come out "defanite" or worse, IMO, "defanit" ... and that's where the problem comes in, making an author look unprofessional, ignorant, or rushed...rushed is usually the correct answer as time is essential and editors are often scarce. I've been known to accidentally misspell because of incidental letter omission, or the bane of my linguistic mastery, because there are so many homophones -- words that sound the same but are spelled differently.
there they're their
compliment complement
et cetera (abbrieviated "etc." not "ect."
letter omissions and homophones are more forgivable because I think everybody has trouble with those at times...but it should be evident that an attempt to be correct is there.
That's if your site or blog is professional in nature. If it's just personal, a profile page, or whatever, who really cares if the spelling and grammar are perfect?
Pros are different though, and my most snap-judgmental side rears its ugly head when I see really sloppy copy. One or two mistakes -- no problem -- 8 to 10 mistakes -- problem
That's not to say I always get it right, but I do try.
Clean is better
What a great article - I hope more people read this and do something about their web copy. Although I feel my website is a little "simple", I do feel it is clean and easy to navigate without all the fluff. Before designing and publishing my website I spent a lot of time looking at other websites to decide what I liked, and how easy it is on the eye, and tried to put myself in a visitor's position.
If you have any other advice, it would be much appreciated.
More articles like this, please.
Regards
Nicky Jones
www.faithfulfriendsportraits.co.uk
GOOD WEB COPY
I'm the owner of http://www.ajediam.com
Can somebody help me to write the right copy and eliminate similar content on different pages?
Thanks a lot!
Jan
And The Cherry On Top...
These copy tips are spot on!
As a web copywriter, I have to follow these simple 'rules', but one other essential thing is hypnotic copy. Choosing powerful, compelling words is the key to convertible copy. Another vital rule is strong calls to action - you need to make your readers WANT to click that 'Click Here Now!' link at the bottom of your article.
Thanks,
Rox
Good Web
Yes, concise Information who looks clear and clean is easy to read. And friendly guys, yes, why not.
But I like Design and Sites where I want come back always again, because it's a living Presentation. Many Sites look as the Webmaster has forgotten them.
Old Phone-numbers and more...
Readability, comprehension and the use of fonts...
There is an apparent contradiction between ‘STARCH’ research (to gauge the effectiveness of advertising) regarding the use of serif type in print (and thereby attracting higher readership and comprehension), compared to the online use of sans serif type with low-resolution monitors.
Research by Colin Wheildon found that serif body copy was clearly superior to sans serif for reader concentration and comprehension. For an interesting read, find yourself a copy of “Communicating, or just making pretty shapes?” which was published by N.A.B.A. in 1985.
And consider the import of this finding, “Comprehension levels were good for 67% of the test sample for serif but only 12% obtained a good rating for sans serif.”
Intuitively, that would be one reason why those whom advise on writing for the web say you must use concise copy when presenting information in sans-serif type.
To use concise copy is a good thing. However, remember well your audience(s). And realise that some might actually want detailed copy online.
Sans-serif type is so very hard to read for long. The reasons are involved. But put simply, the comprehension levels of copy presented in sans serif type are perhaps only 18% effective compared to serif type at 100%. Now that’s food for thought!
So the use of sans-serif type online is a compromise. It is a low quality solution for low-resolution displays.
But technology is catching-up. Let me explain.
Serif type is actually the better solution. Especially when applied to copy intended to be displayed and viewed on the newer high-resolution displays and printed.
Because, whenever a high-resolution medium presents itself (in print or on the web), serif type consistently wins over sans-serif type.
‘Tullis et al. (1995) found from their experiments that there were distinct differences in the speed and accuracy with which users could read the various fonts; however, they found even stronger differences in people’s subjective preferences for a particular type of font. This was also replicated in this experiment as all the participants favored the use of the serif font for their personal use and the majority would also prefer to see the serif font used on a web site.’
http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/52/UK_font.htm
That is why the conventional wisdom of utilising sans serif type for websites is only valid when your targeted audience predominately uses low-resolution monitors or displays.
This scenario is now changing. And as more people acquire higher resolution displays, designers will increasingly have the real option of using serif type for their online audiences. You’d be doing your client a disservice otherwise.
In other words, the high-resolution display of serif type consistently outperforms the high-resolution display of sans serif type (for either print or web) in visual communications.
That fact has been demonstrated by objective research, and reinforced by subjective opinion.
Eye tracking study
All the instant news and more.. the problem with 'news' these days is you have to hype everything up, to get anyone to read it, or pay attention. This story is a prime example.
Guys are looking at the 'strike zone', because they actually pay attention to what's going on in a baseball game. I have a hard time believing anyone is looking at his cup... just happens that the ball travels through the same area. Women are looking at the batter's head, because they don't realize they're supposed to watch the strike zone...
More media hype. Ridiculous hype.
Re;
I think your wrong, what's wrong with originality who cares about pictures unless its attractive to the eye that's only natural. If we all use the same type of format like is suggested here everything will become boring or the same ole hat. Stick with originality and make things look the way you feel they should look, and if you can't spell, like me use spell checker. Clean is not better its only formatted to ones ideas. Be original its your signature.
20 tips
Yes,this just seems like basic English,good grammar,spelling,layout of a topic. Im over 50 and my daughter is learning 8th grade English, how to write a story,article and such. Spelling is very important,not a lot of abreviations,accronyms or poorly structured sentences. This type of stuff we learned in elementary school, if you go to college it is expected that you know it.
Even if your readers are not well educated it is just easier to read. If it is too technical or intellectual who wants to wade through that? Thanks for the basics.
Sandra Evans,an aspiring online website owner and builder for 2cleannatural.com
20 tips and new word learned (pettifiggery)
I was not sure I would find this newsletter to be informational, but I was mildly amused by it. I actually laughed out loud a few times. I truly appreciate learning the new word. Will try to use it in Scrabble. Personnally I think any new bit of information on the web is helpful and some of your critics need to chill out and get real. After all we are all just human.
Death by Rule of Thumb
I have mixed feelings about this study. As a graphic designer, I don't disagree with most of the findings, but I worry about the effect it will have on web design in the coming years. The study seems to be aimed specifically at article-based writing, and while many of its findings can be useful elsewhere, I can imagine this article being misunderstood as design dogma instead of good rules of thumb.
For instance, is the fact that viewers spend less time looking over an image than the time they spend on text a bad thing, a "waste of space"? I'd argue no. The effect of an image is extremely difficult to quantify in such a study.
I'm not surprised that viewers generally spent less time on images. Images are more easily digested, usually requiring little more than a simple glance. A 600 page graphic novel may take exponentially less time to read than a similarly sized book of text.
Images affects a person, not only on a informative, factual level, but also in a subconscious, persuasive fashion. Companies pay Madison Avenue the big bucks to make you think that Coke is fun, or that you'll be sexier in Abercrombie jeans. This can all be communicated without saying a single word. Sometimes, the less attention paid to such an image, the better, so it can bore deep into your subconscious without you even noticing.
These principles are applicable to more than just advertising. Good design can create a sense of trust in content, just as a fashionable suit can get you farther along in your career. An innovative, creative design can draw attention to a product or make a site stand out from the competition, like the reworked Volkswagen Beetle a few years back, or more recently, the iPod. Both products performed their functions admirably (usability), but their exciting new forms (design) made consumers pay attention in the first place.
Creative visual design and strong usability are difficult qualities to balance. A good amount of creative tension between these two creates a stronger product, but domination by either value can make the resultseither overindulgent or dull as hell.
Steve Galgas
Portland, OR
Where did you find this guy?
He's either a rank amateur, an idiot or both.
Good Web Copy
This is the most helpful article I have seen in your journal. I'm not a commercial web-master; I do a non-profit expose-site and it's only in straight html (quick loading and fewer bandwidth charges).
I hang everything off a picture-link on the front page -- 2.5 gigs worth of data; no frames at all. And everything gets re-arranged once in a while, just on a whim on my part. After all, this is a $10 a month web-site, right?
My 7K per day attendance is sufficient to show me that people are interested in the information I present. But now that I have the rules for copy, I think I can do even better.
Emily Cragg
www.abidemiracles.com
News article design
HI
It is my favorite Theme
I like Design
I like very much Colors
The Content might be excelent but i want
it looks like Atractive
Both goes together:Content and Design/colors
I don't agree whit You
Thank you
Slavica Todorovic
http;//rima66.0catch.com/HarvEkerTeleseminar.mht.htm
http;//rima66.0catch.com/ResourceReport.html.mht
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