WRITING FOR THE WEB
SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES

1. Keep it to 50%

BEFORE:

Your enquiry about the use of the entrance area at the library for the purpose of displaying posters and leaflets about Welfare and Supplementary Benefit rights, gives rise to the question of the provenance and authoritativeness of the material to be displayed. Posters and leaflets issued by the Central Office of Information, the Department of Health and Social Security and other authoritative bodies are usually displayed in libraries, but items of a disputatious or polemic kind, whilst not necessarily excluded, are considered individually.

AFTER:

Thank you for your letter asking permission to put up posters in the entrance area of the library. Before we can give you an answer we will need to see a copy of the posters to make sure they won't offend anyone.

[From the Plain English Campaign]

2. Use clear language

Learn and practice the techniques of Plain English:

3. Write links that don't have to be followed.

Put just enough information in your title and annotation so that the user does not have to follow the link if it is not what they are looking for.

4. Know your users

Knowing your users allows you to be personal without being condescending. Test for usability, and incorporate feedback.