Great websites are well-written
A website is only as good as its text. Organising and structuring content is a crucial part of the design process, making sure it’s clear, easy to find, and speaks to your audience in the right way.
Good content starts with understanding your users, using familiar language, and crafting thoughtful microcopy. You want to help people find what they need, and then deliver what they need clearly and concisely.
When planning your content, it helps to think about three distinct types of writing:
- Long-form copy such as blog posts or landing pages
- Short-form copy like a few sentences describing an event
- Microcopy that guides users through an interface
Each type is important and needs to be clear, relevant, and written with the audience in mind.
Poorly written content is one of the most common problems on websites. Too often, not enough time is spent planning and creating it. Many organisations try to tackle all the writing in-house without the necessary skills or time, or they write without thinking about the audience or the unique demands of the web.
If you want to improve your website’s writing, start by reviewing your content page by page. Ask: is this saying what it needs to say? Can it be said more simply? Could images or video help explain it better? Use headings to break up long text, bullet points to make it easier to scan, and simple, clear language to keep readers engaged.
Keep your writing consistent. Create a voice and tone guide so that everyone contributing to the site is on the same page. Define who you’re writing for, the tone you want to use, and the impression you want to leave.
Few things pay off more than investing time and energy into better content.