Print and Old Web Trends
We live in the age of web smarties. Yes smarties because people have been using a web browser, a smart phone and even tablets for a while now. I have this delightful client who loves to tell me she is computer stupid. Yet she floors me with how savvy she is with social media, she rocks it! People simply don’t realize how sophisticated they are at using the web.
Most of us use Microsoft Word or Pages quite a bit. We are used to that style of writing but there are a couple of little things you need to let go. Why, because your readers are used to using the web and will appear as if you are treating them like a toddler. Web folks are grown ups now.
- Click here. "To find out more click here" is dated. Your readers know what a link is and that it will take them to information they need. Use actionable words like "View Demo," "Read More" etc. Instead of focusing on the mechanics of clicking a mouse button (or tapping the phone) tell them where they are going or what they get instead. Also try putting the linked phrase at the end of a sentence if it is a call to action. (Want more? UX Movement provides examples.)
- Spelling out the URL and linking it. This is a hard habit to break, in a print document this is helpful information since they can’t click on it. On the web this is wasted space. Describe the location it is going to or information a URL is going to provide the reader and link to it. They don’t want or need the URL spelled out – they are just going to click.
- Spelling out your email address. Did you know automated bots troll the web looking for your email address? "But I’m using obfuscation to hide it" (name [at] domain [dot] com). Nope, they break those techniques too. Preferably use a good contact form (Gravity forms rocks, affiliate link). If you must post your email address, then use on your WordPress site Email Address Encoder plugin.
Did you see tips on formatting? Read some of the web design insider tips for formatting your page or post.
Awesome reminders, Nancy.
This tip doesn’t relate to your own website as much as it does when you post on other websites. To benefit your search engine optimization use “anchor text”. This is where you embed a hyperlink in a text phrase that is relevant to the underlying link.
Example: If Nancy wanted to link to this blog post, she would use a phrase to describe it such as “website best practices” and make it a link to this post.
Thanks Janet for sharing your SEO tip!