What are some best practices for the web?

Most users visit a web page for 10-15 seconds. In that brief time, 80% will skim the page for content they already have in mind. Therefore, before content is created, it’s important to understand the target audience and anticipate what content and keywords they’re trying to find. 

Here are a few best practices for the web:

• Write clear, simple, and effective content
• Content should be written in an easy-to-read, conversational style
• Always keep your target audience, content strategy, and goals in mind
• Put the most important content in the first paragraph
• Readers quickly scan through webpage content. Prioritize your content by putting the most important information in the first paragraph so they don’ t miss it.
• Cluster your content
• Cover only one topic per paragraph
• Be concise
• Write short paragraphs and minimize unnecessary words
• Sentence structure should be simple and varied so it doesn’t sound abruptly cut short
• Choose lists over long paragraphs
• Use lists to make your content easier to scan (i.e. bullet points)
• Include an intro sentence or two to provide context for the list