Focus your Web copy How can you cut Web copy in half? Choose the half that's relevant to your audience members. Give readers what they want. Besides making your Web pages shorter — and serving your audience better — relevant copy is more effective. According to Jan H. Spyridakis, author of "Guidelines for Authoring Comprehensible Web Pages," readers: Understand … [Read more...] about Make it relevant
Web writing
Your brain on the Web
We’re clicking instead of concentrating This is your brain on the Web: Constant problem solving (To click or not to click?) and divided attention (You’ve got mail) lead to cognitive overload. And that makes it harder for readers to concentrate when reading your copy online. In fact, a 2005 study by the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London showed … [Read more...] about Your brain on the Web
Pass the 10-second test
The longer Web visitors stay, the longer they’ll stay Should I stay or should I go? That’s a question your Web visitors ask themselves every second they spend on your page. Now new research shows that if you can get your visitors to spend 10 seconds on your Web page, they’ll likely stay longer. And the longer they stay, writes usability expert Jakob Nielsen, the … [Read more...] about Pass the 10-second test
Can Web heads be witty and wise?
5 ways to write for Google and people When The Washington Post ran an article about Conan O'Brien's refusal to accept a later time slot on NBC, the original, print headline said: "Better never than late" The Web version: "Conan O'Brien won't give up 'Tonight Show' time slot to make room for Jay Leno" That's what happens when writers optimize headlines for Google. We move … [Read more...] about Can Web heads be witty and wise?
Inside the inbox
To reduce unsubscribe rates, send more email Last time I visited Laura Wylie — aka the most adorable 5-year-old on the planet — she said, “Aunt Ann, if I don’t see you more often, I might forget to miss you.” Turns out your email subscribers feel the same way. Consider these numbers, from viral marketing scientist Dan Zarrella's recent email marketing study: Send your … [Read more...] about Inside the inbox