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Posted: 30 Dec 2009 03:08 AM PST

Or at least it is for me. And one thing that really gets up my nozzle is how many people do not think about their content output before they upload a heap of meaningless rubbish to their webpages. Can you imagine what the internet would be like now if design was as slack, lazy and damned right ugly as it was circa ten years ago? It’s better now because people realised (in the main) what utter shite it all looked like and decided to apply some standards. Similar standards also exist for content, but for some reason they are seldom used.

Therefore I find that content is the crucial element of web builds that is most often over-looked and undervalued. It may seem appealing to cast aside your content budget for something that is instead lavished with heaps of clever functionality and that dances intuitively to the beat of Twitter and co, but you'd be making a huge mistake. It may be time for you to re-evaluate what your users are actually looking for. – Because in my opinion, that’s substance over style every time.

Here's why your content sucks

Because it's pointless. Content for content's sake is misleading, irritating to the user and gets in the way of your key messages. Banging out nonsense copy just to fill a page only serves to hinder people from finding the information that they actually want. Don't expect either that because you have hired a professional web copy writer that they can make something whimsically fantastic out of your tripe content. We can't - nobody can polish a turd. Give your chosen writer as much information as you can and pay them to put in the research time and effort to create brand new copy that is thoughtful about accessibility, engaging and easy for your users to scan-read. However, you can also see my five top tips for good web copy if you really don't have the budget.
If you have never put digit to keyboard in the name of professional online content, for Jakob's sake, get some help! Because good copy involves more than simply mashing away at your keyboard. And no: A lazy, slack-minded copy-and-paste from your offline marketing materials is not going to cut it either. – The printed word isn't right for the web and I am so fed up of telling would-be writers that mantra. If your copy looks naïve, you could look seriously stupid too. Bad copy is the equivalent of late nineties web design; clunky, awkward and horribly ugly. The only difference is that it's not that obvious: There are no spangly animated gifs, or lovely table-based layouts as huge, Technicolor pointers. – So you assume that it's OK to leave the same washed-out, archaic web language; but it's not. handily, I have my two favourite references always at hand for this! Firstly the Search Engine Journal, an online resource that has a continual stream of new and fascinating articles, by some of the industries most well-known characters. Secondly I love the book Letting go of the Words, Writing Web content that Counts by Janice (Ginny) Redish. – It is great for the web copy novice and gives some additional helpful tips for the seasoned writer too. I suggest that you look at and memorize them both!
Because you have no understanding who or what your audience is or wants. It is my opinion that most people who think they know what their audience need usually don't, not completely. For that you really need some kind of usability testing or persona research (preferably both on larger sites). But you can make a start by thinking as your visitor, not as a member of staff or an individual website owner. Not many people I know can step back and re-evaluate their website in this way, but it is an essential practise and you must get into the hang of “thinking in the other person’s shoes”. Your content is in the public domain; it is not meant to be insular.

So your content’s tripe! Here’s what you can do about it

Use plain English where possible. Plain English is a set of writing codes that look to make written English more accessible to the millions of people world-wide that are functionally illiterate. Think of it as a way of making you consider how your content could be better understood by the majority of your visitors, not just those with industry knowledge or who are already “in the know”.
In a related and similar way, Don't overcomplicate your words. Jargon and bureaucratic language may make you sound important and knowledgeable in the board room or when debating over your morning coffee, but like everything, there is a time and a place: For the web that's not usually it. – Although I can appreciate that there will be the odd exception. If you do need to explain something that is stupidly complex use a thesaurus to find words that can be digested better.
Write actively. If you try to write in an active way, your copy will be instantly more engaging.
Keep your sentences short. 15 to 25 words should be the maximum length. Nobody will read your copy if it is the online equivalent to War and Peace. – Your visitors will not appreciate it, even if you think that it is a masterpiece.
Think about links. Never, never, never, never, never put "Click Here". Click Here is my pet hate. There are so many accessibility issues I could happily yak on about for this, but just trust me, it's an awful idea. Instead put your links into context. If you build your links in this way you should also automatically make them better for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Besides all of this it is a really outdated method of building your links. – Your users will understand the concept that blue text with an underline is a hyperlink (the web has been around now for over 16 years!). – Don’t patronise them.

Of course I could put in excessive amounts of more information here on the use of bullet points, “scanability”, titles, headings and how to front-load your content, but these concepts are meaningless without at least having a basic grasp of good web copy writing. I also believe it is all very well covered elsewhere on the web – so I know that there’s no need for me to reinvent the Wiki here. For now a sprinkling of sensible thinking should be all that you need to instantly rejuvenate your poor, tired old content. Go on then!…

Anybody Can Do Usability

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