Writing for the Web

Marketing & Communications is committed to helping SIU departments, centers, institutes and offices create great website user experiences. We think that great sites require great content tools, and have guidelines to help you develop and maintain compelling content.

Why effective web writing matters

Web users read differently on the web. They rarely read entire pages, word for word. Instead, users:

  • Scan pages

  • Pick out key words and phrases

  • Read in quick, short bursts

  • Are action-oriented

  • Click and forage for bits of information that lead them toward a goal

Users will read longer pages if the content provides details related to the user’s goal.

Quick Tips

Write using an inverted pyramid style.
Put the essential and most interesting information at the beginning. Include additional information in order of diminishing importance.

Make it personal.
Connect with your audience; use “you” and “your” to talk directly with your reader. 

Keep it simple.
Write for your target audience. Keep in mind, writing at a high reading level doesn’t inherently make your content better or more interesting. Sometimes, it just makes your content more difficult to understand.

Follow the 1-2-3-4-5 rule: Use short paragraphs and sentences.

  • 1 main thought, expressed in
  • 2 to 3 short sentences, taking up no more than
  • 4 to 5 lines on the page.

At 6 lines, your paragraph becomes more than an inch long – too long for most readers and much too long for mobile users.

Don’t force excitement.
Use an exclamation point sparingly. If you wouldn’t yell the message, it doesn’t deserve the mark.

Include a clear call to action.
Don’t leave your readers guessing; tell them what to do.

Write in active voice.
Yes: Erin read the book.
No: The book was read by Erin.

Make your text skim-friendly.
Use bulleted lists in place of long series or text lists.

Add meaningful headers.
Headers should clearly describe the content in each paragraph. They should also:

  • Be able to stand on their own and understood out of context

  • Be short and direct

  • Avoid jargon, abbreviations and technical terms

Keep it short.
Use half the word count of traditional writing. Aim for:

  • Headings 8-10 words

  • Sentences 15-20 words

  • Paragraphs 40-70 words

  • Pages 500 words or less

To learn how to optmize your web content, check out our resources:

  • Writing Style Guide for specific information about how to structure paragraphs, cut unnecessary words and link to content

  • Writing to be Found for search engine optimization (SEO) tips

  • Formatting Guide for useful information about writing faculty biosketches, headings, headlines, lists and suggested word counts

  • Writing Faculty Profiles for what to include (and what not to include) in a faculty profile