In a digital present and future In a world where most people and organisations have their own space on the internet, it is essential to be trained in editorial office in general and in digital newsroom in particular.
Although both are fed by common rules, digital and web writing have certain characteristics that make them special and that should be taken into account when writing our texts.
How the user reads
In 2006, the pattern F as the main way of reading a web page, whereby the user would start by making a horizontal line from left to right at the top, return to the top, follow a similar line further down (but shorter) and finally scan the remaining content from the left vertically.
It is because of this fundamental concept that the specialised web editorial staff has tried all these years to place the most important information in the header and above all on the left-hand side of the website (beginning of the paragraphs).
Google itself and SEO positioning tools dictate that our keywords should preferably be placed on the left:
Example of SEO-optimised snippet from the project done for Reeduca Fisioterapia:
However, it has already been shown that there is no single reading pattern in the digital world, as pointed out by the authors of the study themselves, Nielsen Normal Group, a reference group in user experience research and which we have used as a reference in the article about the 10 basic principles of usability.
What we can make clear is that all the identified patterns (layer cake pattern, skipped pattern, mottled pattern...) are based on the scanning, with which our eyes generally go jumping from one place to another like a mad monkey looking for points of interest, regardless of which route they follow.
This behaviour is natural as the eyes get much more tired reading on a screen than reading a magazine. The eye is not prepared to read large masses of text in digital (if we don't want to end up with a headache).
There is only one exception to these models: the so-called "pattern of engagement", according to which the web visitor reads word by word because he or she is really "engaged" with the content. This is especially true in specialised blogs, in which we read more or less extensive posts containing information relevant to us.
However, this is not the general rule in the digital universe.
First commandment: minimalism
In line with the above, the first rule in digital copywriting is that if we want to effectively convey a certain message to our web visitors, we need to avoid writing paragraphs and paragraphs.
We need to identify what are the main ideas and drafting them in a way that is simple and concise. This is the point where people who are not used to writing digitally get stuck the most.
The ability to synthesise, Although it may seem simple, it is one of the most difficult aspects of this form of writing. You have to turn long, bombastic sentences without commas or full stops into simple sentences, in which we express the essence of what we mean.
No frills, no superfluous words.
A real example of mission of a company:
This sentence spans six lines and tries to convey too many ideas at once. Chances are that after reading it, we will not be able to identify which ideas we have assimilated.
It should be divided into two or three sentences representing 2 or 3 distinct ideas.
A sentence, an idea.
Second commandment: take care of spelling and grammar.
If there is one negative aspect of the digital ecosystem that stands out, it is the neglect with which our digital ecosystem is treated. language. Social networks, the use of mobile phones and instantaneousness have meant that we care little or nothing about writing well. The issue has become so trivialised that we now find all kinds of typos even in the profiles of well-known media outlets.
There are tools which we can use to help us out if we are not sure how to write an expression: RAE, Fundeu, Panhispanic Dictionary of Doubts... Nor is it necessary to fall into purism, some typos can slip through (even in printed media) but there is a certain threshold that we must not cross.
Writing in digital should not be synonymous with free will. Texts with spelling mistakes, mismatches and inconsistencies they detract from professionalism and seriousness to the brand. Always.
Third commandment: give body to the body
The last basic issue that I think is fundamental in digital publishing, closely related to the first, is how we format our texts. It is not enough just to write, you have to give it visual form and structure to the content we have created.
To this end:
- We will use titles and subtitles that help to correctly divide ideas in a hierarchical and coherent way.
- We will write paragraphs of 3 o 4 lines at most.
- We will use bullet points o lists where possible to assist the eye in the scanning mentioned above.
- We will take advantage of web resources such as accordions, switches and featured modules to try to avoid masses of text.
- The bold help a lot. If used wisely by highlighting keywords, they are styles that make reading a lot easier and guide the user to what is important.
Conclusion
On the web not everything has to be counted. Perhaps the greatest commandment that encompasses the other three is the need to accept that we will not be able to say everything we want to say.
Choices must be made and sacrifices must be made.
Choosing the essential and sacrificing the unnecessary.
A website, especially if we are talking about a corporate website, is nothing less than the start of a possible future friendship. Its mission is not to tell our whole history and nature at a glance, just as a shop window does not put all its merchandise in it.
The purpose of a website is to show the visitor the 3 or 4 most important and attractive ideas of the organisation and guide you towards our objectives be it: sale in the case of an online shop, subscription form, contact page to continue our relationship, etc.
With all this, we now have the pillars to review our digital media and improve them, because if there is one good thing the internet world offers us, it is the possibility of rethink and evolve in an agile way, no printing presses involved.
Can you think of any more basic commandments?