Tips for Standard Pages

Content Strategy for Standard Pages

Write to answer readers’ questions

When you start writing content for a webpage, it is extremely helpful to write a list of questions you think people will expect to find answers to on that page.

This doesn’t mean you have to write your content in a traditional FAQ format. Instead, use the list of questions when you review your content to make sure the answers to the questions can be found in the text.

Write to make your content easy to find

Using the questions you identified for this page, consider how someone might go about trying to find the answers to those questions. What search terms might they use? Make sure these keywords are integrated into your content and metadata.

Your page heading and page metadata should also clearly indicate the type of content present on a given page. Your page’s main heading should clearly indicate where a user is in the site, matching or nearly matching the navigation links in the site that link to that page. This helps a user orient themselves within a site.

Instead of writing using lots of “marketing speak,” use common words that are easy to understand out of context.

Write to make your content easy to read

When writing for the web, it’s important to help website visitors know what they want to read — and what they don’t.

• Use helpful headings: Break up content with helpful headings that clearly indicate what type of content is beneath them.
• Use lists: Lists are easier to scan than paragraphs.
• Keep it short: Write using short words, sentences and paragraphs. Get to the point as quickly as possible.
• Write helpful page introductions: Give a clear overview of the type of content a reader will find on the page or what the page’s main topic is.
• Write descriptive link text: It should be clear where a reader will go if they click on the linked words without having to read anything else.