Page Contents
Conference Highlights

Site Contents
About NDPC
Awards & Contests
Join NDPC
Events
Leadership
Members’ Area
Contact Us

NFPW 2002 Highlights
Writing for the Web

Though communicators are taught to write from beginning to end, Jessica Lamker of CHS Cooperatives - Land O'Lakes reminded those in attendance that the Web is non-linear, that is, viewers enter the site at the beginning, middle or end so each separate file or page needs to make sense on its own.

Lamker said it is 30 percent more difficult to read online than to read print. The lapsed time a viewer decides to remain at the site is 20 seconds. The national average length a viewer visits a site is 2 minutes.

What are some ways to keep the viewer at your site? Use graphics, pictures and an uncomplicated format to pull the viewer and to encourage a longer browse time. People scan Web sites. Ensure your site is user friendly. Be sure the links are appropriate and workable. Give the formats needed to download information. Tell which fields are needed if collecting data from the viewer.

Finally, Lamker suggests avoiding clever phrases, industry jargon, abbreviations and generic phrases such as "click here." Caps and underlining of key phrases look cluttered. Some white space works. Study other sites for ideas. And most importantly, the site should be customer focused.

- Carolyn Petterson