Web content creation guide

General web content creation tips

This section provides web-writing tips. Web audiences differ from print readers. Rather than “read,” they scan for the information to help them accomplish tasks and move on. We have only 5 to 20 seconds to grab readers’ attention.

Short, simple, and logical

Keep content simple and the structure logical.

Keep it short:

• headers: 4-8 words
• subheads: 1-5 words
• sentences: 1-20 words
• paragraphs: 1-7 sentences
• documents: 300-500 words

Craft with purpose: state the clear purpose for each page and section.

Think like a reader: anticipate and address our audience’s needs.

Engage the reader

Anticipate the next step: think about the reader’s journey and provide clear “calls to action” (CTAs) to help them progress—for example, request information, apply for admission, engage on social media, etc.

Write active: use active voice and verbs as much as possible.

Use we and you: engage with the reader.

Omit needless words: the leaner, the better.

Avoid jargon and obscure acronyms: write so that anyone can understand the message. We are writing for a general audience, not specialists.

Headers

Write effective headers: create concise, informative page titles with purposeful headings and subheads. When you better understand search engine optimization, you can write more effective headers.

Use “sentence case” in headers: write the header like a sentence. Capitalize only the first word and proper nouns, and don’t include a period.

Content organization

Front-load content: place key information at the beginning to keep readers engaged and prompt them to action.

Use short chunks of information, such as block quotes or significant numbers, to keep users on the page longer and better support our marketing objectives.

Proofread

Review your work: proofread and double-check to ensure all facts are correct and links are working.