Writing for the Web
Writing for the web is all about writing functionally. When you write for the web, you write with an objective, for people with a short attention span
The objective (or objectives) include hitting SEO keyword targets, introducing a function or area of the page, trying to convert a user to click through to a department, campaign, news article, or service in an engaging way.
Regardless of which department or business unit you’re in at NHS Wales, you’re probably going to want to catch up with someone ultimately responsible for the content before writing your piece. This may be a department head, consultant, or administrative manager. You may well be the content or product owner yourself.
Above all things, ensure clarity. If you’re unsure why you’re writing, what for, how long it should be, or not sure about the objectives of the piece.
Before you write for the web:
- Think about your objectives
- Get your source materials together
- Know what an average page looks like in the section you are writing for
- Think about the user experience, your personas and content context
- Remember that what you are writing is important, and is likely to be viewed thousands and thousands of times over the coming months