Make Your Web Content Work For You

I read an article on the A List Apart website today that made me think of that ING Direct commercial for their Orange savings account. You know the one - "put your money to work for you."

The author said how important it is for web writers to "[insist] that every chunk of text on the site is doing something concrete." I agree. But I know that on websites, EVERY word counts. 

Why?

Users don't read website text. They scan it. The great web usability expert Jakob Nielsen explains that today's Internet users are increasingly using search engines to find specific information. When these information foragers visit a webpage they quickly scan it for information - then move on to another website. Concise, scannable text puts that information in front of users, Nielsen says. 

Cutting words can be difficult, but if it isn't a keyword it isn't going to work for you. That should make editing a little easier.