Write Great Web Content: Plain Language in Action Session 4: June 26, 2012

Write Great Web Content: Plain Language in Action

Session 4: June 26, 2012

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Agenda for Session 4

• Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 3

• Part 2: Write scannable web content • Part 3: Write meaningful hypertext links• Part 4: In course assignment: Revise “click here”

links • Part 5: Write web content search engines can

find and rank highly • Part 6: Session 4 wrap-up• Part 7: Session 4 homework: writing assignment

and reading assignment

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Course objectives for Session 4

In this session, you will learn:

• How to write web content search engines can find and rank highly

• How to write scannable web content

• How to write meaningful hypertext links

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Part 1: Review topics and homework from Session 3Session 3 topics:• How to repurpose print content for the web: Gateway

pages or full “Humpty Dumpty”• How to edit for conciseness: relevance and brevity

Session 3 reading homework:• Chapter 5, “Writing Information, Not Documents” • Chapter 8, “Tuning up Your Sentences”

Session 3 writing homework:• Topic A: Plan to repurpose print content at your site • Topic B: Edit content for conciseness (relevance and

brevity)

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Share Session 3 homework

• Share participants’ homework on each of the following topics:

• Topic A: Plan to repurpose print content at your site

• Topic B: Edit content for conciseness (relevance and brevity)

Brooke Leggin’s repurpose of Second Opinion fact sheet

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Brooke’s repurpose plan

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Connie Fullenlove’s conciseness edit of the NY Fed content

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Pamela Germain’s conciseness edit of the Blue Jay content

OUR GOAL -- Optimize your performance.

We offer proven techniques, respected consultants, and quantifiable results.

OUR APPROACH --

We will:

1.Thoroughly assess. What's not working, what's not making sense? Where are the problems, where are the opportunities?

2.Review daily operations for insight into performance.

3.Partner with your personnel in problem-solving.

4.Recommend improvements.

5.Remain in place until you implement new processes and system improvements. We help you manage change.

6.Maintain ongoing contact to ensure you sustain your success.

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Part 2: Write headings to make web content scannable

“Your content is so good that I didn’t have to read the whole thing”

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How do these headings help the reader scan?

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemotherapy-and-you/page5

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Two types of headings

• Message heading: a clause or a question

• Topic headings: a phrase or a word

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Message headings

• “Organize Family Health Records Carefully”

• “Use Supported Character Sets”

• “Can You Afford That Home Improvement Project?”

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Topic headings

• “Project Overview”

• “Asthma Symptoms”

• “Business Resources for Independent Contractors”

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In-course practice: add headings to this VA content

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For discussion: Five clear signs your content needs headings

1. A change in subject2. “Wall o’ words” – length, number of

paragraphs. Three paragraphs or more …

3. Multiple audiences4. Content or paragraphs are of different

info types5. Use headings to indicate when

paragraphs go together

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Only well-written headings are helpful

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Revise the AIR headingsBroker Professionals Dedicated to IntegrityAt a time when commercial real estate was burgeoning in Southern California, a group of visionary brokers, in 1960, founded the American Industrial Real Estate Association. In the ensuing years, the “AIR” came to signify respect and integrity. This is no accident. It was the goal of these highly respected brokerage community leaders to bring stability to a fast-growing profession and, perhaps more important, to raise professional standards, ethics, cooperation, and continuing education among its practitioners.

Rules, Standard Forms VitalThis stability was achieved in no small measure by the Association’s prompt establishment of Rules of Professional Conduct for commercial brokers aimed at ensuring fair play in transactions. Complementing this were Standard Sale and Lease Contracts, and particularly vital to brokers, the Standard Owner/Agency Agreement, which was tailored to solidify the broker’s status in transactions. AIR was also founded as an organization by brokers, for brokers. As such, at its core is the practice of advancing the success of its membership, while providing their clients with optimum service and credibility.

Ongoing Industry OutreachGrounded in these values, AIR has come to represent the highest degree of integrity and outreach in a dynamically changing industry. Significantly, in an effort to expand its outreach to the broadest range of the brokerage community, the Association is now doing business as AIR Commercial Real Estate Association in order to incorporate the office and retail sectors of the industry. Today, with more than 1600 real estate professionals in over 350 firms, ranging from global companies to local boutique firms blanketing the eight-county Southern California region, AIR represents approximately 95 percent of the region’s brokerage community. This makes it the nation’s largest organization of its kind.

A Working OrganizationAIR members are licensed real estate professionals who actively specialize in the sale and leasing of industrial/commercial properties. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from its membership. The Board of Directors meets monthly to conduct the business of AIR. AIR is a "working", non-profit corporation whose many programs and services are designed to advance the success of the AIR’s members.

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Part 3: Write meaningful hypertext links

Q. How do you decide what and how much to link?

A. Each embedded hypertext link should support the message of the page

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Five guidelines for writing hypertext links

1. Use links to provide access to more detailed content and knit sections of your site together.

2. Use links to shorten content.3. Make sure “What you click is what you

get.”4. Choose meaningful words for links;

choose verbs whenever possible.5. Avoid click here.

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How could we use links to shorten this content?

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Make sure “what you click is what you get”

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“Price your savings bonds” “Tools”

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Study all the ways these web writers have chosen meaningful words for links

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Revise these “click here” links• The Clinton Library has now scanned previously released material from the files

of Elena Kagan that were created or received during her service as Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council (1997-99) Click here to access records

• In 1995, NIOSH developed a new set of regulations in 42 CFR 84 [PDF] (also referred to as "Part 84") for testing and certifying non-powered, air-purifying, particulate-filter respirators. The new Part 84 respirators have passed a more demanding certification test than the old respirators (e.g., dust; dust and mist; dust, mist, and fume; spray paint; pesticide) certified under 30 CFR 11 (also referred to as "Part 11"). Recommendations for non-powered, air-purifying particulate respirators have been updated from previous editions of the Pocket Guide to incorporate Part 84 respirators; Part 11 terminology has been removed. For more information concerning the selection of N-, R-, or P-series (Part 84) particulate respirators click here.

• The National Bone Health Campaign is geared for 9-12 year-old girls. However, the information also applies to older and younger girls, because healthy habits are essential for all girls to build strong bones. Click here to see how much calcium people of all ages need.

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Part 5: Write web content search engines can find and rank highly

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Guidelines for writing for search engines1. Know the keywords and phrases your

customers use. 2. Choose two or three keywords that are highly

specific to each page. 3. Include keywords throughout your text. 4. Emphasize your keywords in headings and

subheads. 5. Include keywords in and around your

hyperlinks. 6. Include at least 250 words per page. 7. Include keywords in your browser window title.

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How well will search engines find and rank these country trash pages?

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Will Google like Henrico’s trash page better than Baltimore’s?

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Part 5: Session 4 wrap-up

• Questions?• Web pages to look at again?• Review techniques for writing headings to make

web content scannable?• Review techniques for writing meaningful

hypertext links?• Review ways to write content search engines will

find and rank highly?• Plain language and web writing resources• Course evaluation

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Part 7: Writing and reading homework for Session 4

By Friday, June 29:• Write for search engines

– AND – Content Action Plan

Read • Chapter 10, “Breaking Up

Your Text with Headings” • Chapter 12, “Writing

Meaningful Links”

Send homework to Leslie O.

[email protected]

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Resource

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Resource

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Evaluation Class of 2012 - thanks for your hard work and great writing! I’ll miss our Tuesday webinars. Keep in touch: @LeslieO

Class of 2012 - thanks for your hard work and great writing! I’ll miss our Tuesday webinars. Keep in touch: @LeslieO