“The No. 1 reason users say they return to a site is content, and ease-of-use is No. 2.”
—Harley Manning, Research Director, Forrester Research, Inc.
Online is different
Viewing information online is like looking at a billboard through binoculars. And we now know that people view information online differently than they view it on paper. Some of the proven techniques of writing for paper are fine for online, but others have to be modified or even replaced. I have spoken widely on this subject, and you can read a summary of the concepts here.
Two key points, for example:
- Web content needs to be shorter and better organized than for most other media, and it needs to be presented in a clear structure in which your visitors can find what they came for.
- Links have to be clear – each one should give the visitor a reasonable idea of what it leads to. In-line links must be presented so they don’t spoil the flow of the text.
Opinions
Some of my articles:
- What to do about information overload and email overload
- Orphan websites — you can help and the related Don’t let your Web site embarrass you
- The business case for your Web site
Last Reviewed: 4 years