How to...
Write for the Web

Focus Your Scope

Begin to scope your project by doing the following:

Talk to various members of your audience. What do they need most? What are their secondary needs? The goals of your site should be built around the needs of your audience.
Consider how your users use the web. How do they think? What vocabulary do they commonly use?
Identify those things about your department or program that are unique or put you at a competitive advantage. Highlight those features up front.
Avoid "fluff." Long, folksy introductions to content distracts the user from the main message. The web is not print, and people do not use it for leisurely reading. In addition, material that is not relevant to the page title (as indicated in the main heading on the page), may detract from search engine rankings. Ideally you should keep your content focused on the subject of the page.
Identify existing content. Before writing an essay on the benefits of living in Rochester or developing an online handbook with all the details of parking at the Medical Center, consider that web pages for these items already exist. A little preliminary research can save you hours of work. Web Services can help identify existing content so you can focus on the "meat" of your site.