Writing for the Web
- 1. Presented by: Cindy Leonard Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University 2012 DonorPro Users Conference
- 3. Total words on page Total words actually read
- 5. Examples included in this session have been procured from real websites whenever possible. Agency names have been changed for nonprofits located in southwestern Pennsylvania. If you are a poor writer, this session will not make you a better one. This session is designed to teach good writers how to adapt their work for the web. (Sorry!)
- 7. Structure text in an inverted pyramid style
- 8. Adoption is only one in a mix of non-traditional families. Others include divorced, step, foster, multi-racial, single, gay and families headed by grandparents. All of which can complicate children's lives in the classroom and on the playground. Negative perceptions and depictions of such families can adversely affect children. This is why teaching tolerance and understanding is critically important. Even though adoption is often misunderstood, it is also gaining a wider acceptance, making it a valuable prism through which to view not only non- traditional families, but all families. Indeed, by understanding adoption, we lay the groundwork for the understanding of all families. We may be long past the time when adoption was shrouded in secrecy, but we have yet to rid ourselves of its baggage. While adoptive families today are proud of their families and reject a legacy of stigma and shame, the lingering impacts of past misconceptions and stereotypes remain in questions and comments, in comic strips, on television and as the butt of jokes on sitcoms. The fact remains adoption is a curiosity and, for that reason, among others, it makes good copy. However, there are serious consequences to misunderstanding and misrepresenting adoption in society and in the media.
- 9. We may be long past the time when adoption was shrouded in secrecy, but we have yet to rid ourselves of its baggage. While adoptive families today are proud of their families and reject a legacy of stigma and shame, the lingering impacts of past misconceptions and stereotypes remain in questions and comments, in comic strips, on television and as the butt of jokes on sitcoms. The fact remains that adoption is a curiosity and, for that reason, among others, it makes good copy. There are, however, serious consequences to misunderstanding and misrepresenting adoption in society and in the media. Adoption is only one in a mix of non-traditional families. (Others include divorced, step, foster, multi- racial, single, gay and families headed by grandparents.) All of which can complicate children's lives in the classroom and on the playground. Negative perceptions and depictions of such families can adversely affect children. This is why teaching tolerance and understanding is critically important. Even though adoption is often misunderstood, it is also gaining a wider acceptance, making it a valuable prism through which to view not only non-traditional families, but all families. Indeed, by understanding adoption, we lay the groundwork for the understanding of all families.
- 10. Employ a conversation but factual tone
- 11. Poor: ◦ Have you ever wondered how you can help the environment? Have you been looking for ways to be more green at home? Recycling might be for you. You can learn about recycling by visiting our “Recycling at Home page. Better: ◦ Visit our “Recycling at Home” page for information and tips on home recycling.
- 12. Write using an active voice
- 13. Poor: ◦ The children were allowed to thoroughly visit the museum’s exhibits by their teachers. Better: ◦ The teachers permitted the children to thoroughly explore the museum’s exhibits.
- 14. Utilize action verbs
- 15. Poor: ◦ Lions Tigers & Bears is a federally and state licensed non- profit 501(c)(3) rescue facility dedicated to providing a safe haven for unwanted and abused exotic cats. We are a NO KILL facility that allows cats in our care the opportunity to live out their lives with dignity in a caring and safe environment. Our goal is to provide a safe haven to rescued cats and to educate the public about the growing population of abandoned unwanted exotic animals. Better: ◦ Lions Tigers & Bears, a federally and state-licensed nonprofit rescue facility, provides a safe haven for unwanted and abused exotic cats and educates the public about the growing issue of abandoned, unwanted exotic cats. Our no kill facility allows cats in our care to live out their lives with dignity in a caring, safe environment.
- 16. Use fewer words
- 17. It is the intention of The Domestic Crisis Center to provide quality training for meaningful volunteer tasks, as well as opportunities for increased responsibility. In order to reach this goal, we will provide each volunteer with the opportunity to develop to his/her potential by teaching new skills and expanding on existing assets. It is our belief that with proper training, both men and women with varied life experiences and backgrounds can provide quality services to the agency and its clients. The volunteers of The Domestic Crisis Center are expected to reflect our philosophy of self-determination in all activities and respect the fact that each individual has the right and responsibility to make choices that are appropriate for their own lives. The Domestic Crisis Center is looking for caring and compassionate men and women of all ages to volunteer for our Agency. Volunteer opportunities are available in various areas such as our emergency crisis shelter, hotline, medical/legal advocacy, children’s programming, community education and much more.
- 18. The Domestic Crisis Center needs caring volunteers of all ages for our emergency crisis shelter, hotline, medical/legal advocacy, children’s programming, community education and much more. We provide each volunteer with quality training, personal growth opportunities, and new skills development. Our volunteers are expected to reflect our philosophy of self-determination in all activities and respect the fact that each individual has the right and responsibility to make choices that are appropriate for their own lives.
- 19. Include one idea per paragraph
- 20. Poor: Particle pollution is tiny drops of liquid or small particles of dust, metals, and other material that float in the air. Some particles are dark or large enough to be seen as soot or smoke. Others are so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope. It comes from a variety of sources such as cars, diesel engines, power plants, industry, construction, forest fires, open burning, and wood combustion. Although a year round problem, particle pollution levels spike during high ground-level ozone days in the summer and during the winter and fall when woodstoves and fireplaces are in use. Better: Particle pollution is tiny drops of liquid or small particles of dust, metals, and other material that float in the air. Some particles are dark or large enough to be seen as soot or smoke. Others are so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope. It comes from a variety of sources such as cars, diesel engines, power plants, industry, construction, forest fires, open burning, and wood combustion. Although a year round problem, particle pollution levels spike during high ground- level ozone days in the summer and during the winter and fall when woodstoves and fireplaces are in use.
- 21. Provide specific, useful information
- 23. Use clear, descriptive headlines and plenty of sub- headings
- 24. Counseling: Services provided by Families Together are both supportive and educative in nature. They are available on an individual basis either through our hotline or in person. The goal of all counseling services offered by Families Together is to empower survivors toward the recognition of their own abilities; to return to them a sense of control over their lives, and to reaffirm their personal dignity. In person, individual counseling most often occurs at one of the agency's four offices, but can be arranged at any location that is mutually agreeable to both the survivor and the agency. Care has been taken to establish in-office counseling areas that assure both accessibility and confidentiality. All of the counseling services described are fluid in nature. Although some survivors choose to utilize only one aspect, (hotline or in-person), many more choose to use these services in conjunction with one another Survivor Accompaniment: All survivors served by the agency are made aware of our accompaniment services. Trained staff and/or volunteers are available to accompany survivors to hearings, appointments, or to any agency which enables the survivor to achieve the goals of their service plan. Advocacy: Families Together has an extremely active victim advocacy component. The agency advocates for survivors with such agencies and institutions as hospitals, welfare services, housing, criminal justice/court agencies, mental health services, and legal services. Information and Referral: This is an on-going service of the agency and acts as a cornerstone for all other services. By providing survivors with information on domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crime issues, options available, and existing services, we increase their sense of power while decreasing their sense of isolation and helplessness.
- 25. Counseling Services Counseling services provided by Families Together are both supportive and educative in nature. They are available on an individual basis either through our hotline or in person. The goal of all counseling services offered by Families Together is to empower survivors toward the recognition of their own abilities; to return to them a sense of control over their lives, and to reaffirm their personal dignity. In person, individual counseling most often occurs at one of the agency's four offices, but can be arranged at any location that is mutually agreeable to both the survivor and the agency. Care has been taken to establish in-office counseling areas that assure both accessibility and confidentiality. All of the counseling services described are fluid in nature. Although some survivors choose to utilize only one aspect, (hotline or in-person), many more choose to use these services in conjunction with one another. Survivor Accompaniment All survivors served by the agency are made aware of our accompaniment services. Trained staff and/or volunteers are available to accompany survivors to hearings, appointments, or to any agency which enables the survivor to achieve the goals of their service plan. Advocacy Families Together has an extremely active victim advocacy component. The agency advocates for survivors with such agencies and institutions as hospitals, welfare services, housing, criminal justice/court agencies, mental health services, and legal services. Information and Referral This is an on-going service of the agency and acts as a cornerstone for all other services. By providing survivors with information on domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violent crime issues, options available, and existing services, we increase their sense of power while decreasing their sense of isolation and helplessness.
- 26. Format text appropriately
- 27. Poor: ◦ When writing a paragraph of text for a website, keep in mind that bold text in the middle of a paragraph draws the eye. Be careful about using it. Better: ◦ When writing a paragraph of text for a website, keep in mind that bold text in the middle of a paragraph draws the eye. Be careful about using it.
- 28. I said I liked it. I said I liked it. I said I liked it. I said I liked it. I said I liked it.
- 29. Poor: Our agency has offices in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties. Better: Our agency has offices in these counties: • Allegheny • Butler • Greene • Indiana • Washington • Westmoreland
- 30. Poor: ◦ WILL YOU STOP SCREAMING AT ME? IT’S SO RUDE! Better: ◦ Will you stop screaming at me? It’s so rude!
- 31. Spellcheck and proofread to maintain a consistent style and to use correct grammar and punctuation
- 32. E-mail us e-mail us e-Mail us Email us Email us eMail us Animals Are People Too (AAPT) specializes in pet rescue, adoption and foster placement, and education. AAPT maintains its Smalltown facility through the help of volunteers and a small staff.
- 33. Know your audience Be authentic and original Be conversational, not “sales-y” It’s okay to have an opinion
- 34. “Social media is like a cocktail party…work the room, be interesting, honest, engaging, and don’t schmooze.”
Editor's Notes
- #4: On an average web page during an average visit, users read at most 28% of the words; 20% is more likely. (Jakob Nielsen, 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/percent-text-read.html) Users don’t read – they scan The average page contains approximately 593 words Therefore, lucky if they read 120 of the words on the page
- #5: You can use your website to build and communicate trust. Organizations that do this are showing respect for clients, donors, visitors. Design quality: professional appearance, clear navigation, comprehensive, correct and current content Trust is a long-term proposition, hard to build and easy to lose; builds slowly as people use a site, get good results, and don’t feel let down, cheated, or misled.
- #7: Some of the principles we will cover for web writing also apply to social media writing. You’ll see this cat in the corner of the web writing principles that also pertain to social media.
- #8: Principle #1: Structure text in an inverted pyramid style Classic writing style is like a pyramid, foundation is laid first, followed by supporting info, followed by summaries and conclusion Inappropriate for web because of users’ reading style online Inverted pyramid, the style used in journalism, is best for web Most important content “above the fold” Summary in the first paragraph Essential info first, detail later Readers should get the point and purpose of the page instantly and be able to make a quick decision about staying Most essential info should be accessible without having to scroll
- #11: Principle #2: Employ a conversational but factual tone Tone of voice should be appropriate to the audience Don’t be cryptic, don’t start with a question Get to the point quickly before they leave Social media in particular: Use first person – “you and I,” not “we and us”
- #13: Principle #3: Write using an active voice Active voice is when something does something actively Passive voice is when something is done to something Keeps verb/object order Is more concise Requires less mental processing
- #15: Principle #4: Utilize action verbs Verbs should follow nouns Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find verbs – there are lots of great verbs out there, use them!
- #17: Principle #5: Use fewer words Because users actually read less words, every word counts Remove any paragraphs, sentences, words that don’t directly help make your point. Trim, edit, combine, be concise Don’t “barf” on your readers – eliminate fluff (unnecessary text) (it’s okay if you start by barfing, but clean up your text before publishing it
- #20: Principle #6: Include one idea per paragraph Long, narrative paragraphs are difficult to read online Chunk info into bit-sized pieces to aid in skimming
- #22: Principle #7: Provide specific, useful information People use the web for information (unless the site is for entertainment purposes) Make sure the info is such that your readers find useful (for them, not you!) The more specific the information is, the more useful it is If you want people to act, give them all the information they need to do so, then and there For social media, the goal is to become a resource – a place where readers get content they can’t get elsewhere (or which is difficult to find otherwise) – try doing some research and find good, but overlooked web resources on your topic and provide links to them
- #24: Principle #8: Use clear, descriptive headlines and plenty of sub-headings Headlines should be compelling to attract the eye They should also be descriptive of the content, not cryptic Sub-headings should be used liberally, should read like a bullet point summary of the page’s contents
- #27: Principle #9: Format text appropriately Use bold text sparingly because of its eye-catching nature, good for headings and the start of a paragraph Use italics for emphasis, helps the written content sound more conversational and allows readers to “hear” the emphasis you intended People read bulleted lists, use them to condense important points or to pull out repetitive or list-like information Repeat your most important points using pull-quotes, which are quotes set larger and frequently in a different typeface All caps in electronic communications is the equivalent of screaming
- #32: Principle #10: Spellcheck and proofread to maintain a consistent style and to use correct grammar and punctuation Run spellcheck keeping in mind that it only catches so much, proofread to catch the rest Pick a style and stick to it (e-mail vs. E-mail vs. e-Mail vs. Email vs. email) Be careful about using acronyms – spell it out the first time with the acronym citation, then use the acronym if necessary For grammar and punctuation, get a Gregg manual and/or Strunk and White’s Elements of Style if you need grammar reference (you can also look stuff up online with relative ease), dictionary.com, thesaurus.com, grammar.com
- #34: In addition to the aforementioned principles, here are some other guidelines that apply when writing particular for social media: Know your audience: figure out where your audience is and pay attention to what they like (what content becomes popular?), try to avoid writing about exhausted topics Be authentic and original: be yourself. Being yourself does not mean you can be offensive, vulgar, etc. You can be professional while being yourself. Be conversational, not “sales-y”: most people can spot a sales pitch a mile away- nothing will drive off readers faster and keep them from wanting to come back. It’s okay to have an opinion: there are plenty of sites and writers out there who simply parrot everyone else. Original ideas are far and few in between. Don’t be afraid to take a stand and write using an opinion. It may not be popular, but you’ll be respected for it. You have a better chance of a piece going popular if it has an original idea or opinion in it.
- #35: A final thought on social media writing