The Internet changed everything. All business communication happens online — in a fast-moving, noisy and crowded marketplace. In order to write high-performing online content which translates across an increasing number of devices, websites, browsers, blogs and social media you need to follow a few time-tested rules.
Change your mindset: all business documents are digital
If you write your business documents like you’re writing a blog post (ie short and snappy, focused on one strong idea), and use a Plain English style, you’ll find your message will cut through; your readers will thank you and you’ll save 50% of your time when it comes to adapting content for different audiences and platforms – whether that’s your company intranet, for social media or for an email. Think about it: every piece of business communication is something contained in a system. Every document is:
- mobile content
- web content
- a collection of parts
- a 2-way channel
- found by its metadata.
Imagine your reader
Identical content will be viewed differently on a range of mobile phones, tablets and other devices. Millions of people access the internet only through a mobile phone and this habit is on the rise. Many never use a laptop or a desk computer. Google measures mobile-first when indexing. Write short, snappy, single-themed content that people can understand.
Be strategic
Think about what you want to achieve. Or, more importantly, what you want your readers to achieve, and only create content that moves you closer to your business goals. Don’t waste time waffling off-topic. Think about your business objectives and create content that drives customer behaviour aligned to these goals.
Write in Plain English: simpler, more direct
Governments have adopted this style of writing because it works and is accessible (and is therefore the least likely to be subject to litigation). Plain English is an actual style of writing – it doesn’t mean ‘dumbing down’ information. Plain English helps readers to understand content; make decisions; and it builds trust.
9 top tips for writing Plain English:
- avoid jargon – a reader should be able to understand content the first time they read it
- use active voice — not passive
- use the shortest Plain English word, term, sentence or paragraph rather than a longer variant
- lists are good
- minimise punctuation. Use several short sentences instead of a long sentence broken up with punctuation
- aim for an age 9 reading level. WCAG criteria 3.1.5 (Level AAA) recommends writing to lower secondary education level.
- the more readable you can make content the better it is for everyone
- not only is Plain English easier to write, maintain and edit, but it makes it accessible to a wider audience
- write in a direct, calm and understated tone.
Grab attention: Inverted-pyramid structure
Use an inverted-pyramid style of writing to capture your readers’ attention and then expand on these key points to keep them engaged. Long pages of content will put readers off. Better to write shorter blogs that can be serialised and used to nurture your clients along their journey. You can write introductory paragraphs with a call-to-action that asks readers to stay tuned for the next blog/instalment. Include:
- informative headlines using keywords (good for SEO)
- clear headings and subheadings – sub-headings will help to make text more scannable for busy “readers”
- language choice targeted to your audience.
Benefits of writing all your business comms this way
- writing time halved
- documents shortened
- readers’ satisfaction increased
- create useful, usable and accessible content that works well on mobile, tablet and desktop browsers.
Above all, aim to make your content accurate, powerful, transparent, useful and accessible to all, and it will work for you.
Contact us today to learn more about how to write like a champion.