Writing for the Web – Training Course Outline

The Web presents a number of challenges to writers, not least of all ensuring that visitors can find the information they are looking for and that it’s easy to read.

This course has been designed for people who want to write effective web-based documentation, either from scratch or based on existing material in a paper format.

What you will learn on this course

By the end of the course, you will know how to:

• Design and develop effective content for different types of reader
• Communicate complex information and minimise queries
• Structure information effectively for online access
• Organise content into modular units that will improve the way your organisation captures, shares and manages knowledge
• Build navigation structures that relate to people’s needs for information
• Avoid “flat” information – where every piece of content has equal importance and is therefore difficult to search
• Sequence content – sequencing needs to be relevant but flexible allowing visitors to surf but not get lost
• Create reusable information – content must address the needs of all visitors regardless of how they access it
• Maintain information – writers need easy ways to keep content accurate and up to date. With many contributors, there is a need for standards of design, navigation and presentation

What our customers say

“Great trainer! Great style, very enjoyable & informative.”

PB, Slough Borough Council

“Thought the trainer was excellent. So were the exercises.”

JT, IGD

“Concise, effective & fun.”

MF, IGD, Nov ’06

“I now feel able to write for the web with more confidence. It will also help with other report writing in plain English.”

JP, London Borough of Sutton

“A thoroughly enjoyable course that built confidence in a team of writers previously handling the web with fear and trepidation.”

PB, TBWA Manchester

Course Duration

We provide both a one-day intensive course and a more interactive two-day workshop.

One-day intensive (available as an open or private course)

This is a very full day. The course concentrates on showing you, step-by-step, the process of writing material specifically for the Web. Exercises are used to illustrate various points throughout the day.

Two-day workshop (available only as a private course)

Over the two-day workshop, delegates practise writing skills, learning the techniques through group discussion, exercises and working on real examples of Web material you bring to the workshop.

If you’re unsure which course is best for you, give us a call on 01635 202013 for more details or email

Course Contents

1. Devising a strategy for your website

• Eight lessons for writers
• Questions to ask when setting up websites: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
• Setting an objective – why do we need an objective?, how to determine what it is and how it affects our writing style and tone of voice
• The order in which material should be presented
• Removing paper-centric elements – how to turn paper documents into Web information
• Four factors to consider for converting text
• The importance of getting feedback from your readers
• Making your website accessible to those with disabilities – Who do you need to consider, what standards are there and how do we meet them?

2. Understanding how people read online

• Understanding the techniques people use to ‘read’ websites
• How to make your text scannable
• It takes two to communicate – why you need to understand your reader
• Two versions of the same story – how to say the same thing in different ways to suit different audiences
• Tips for integrating graphics and media with text
• Readability (language, writing styles, etc) – inclusive writing, appropriate writing, conversational writing, polished writing
• Checklist of things to avoid

3. Structuring your information

• Creating a journey for your readers – What is it? Why bother? How to do it
• How to use mind mapping and storyboarding to structure information
• Linking information – chunking, labelling, breadcrumbs
• Design considerations and how to refine your navigation process

4. Writing skills

• How to edit text to make it lean
• Tips on formatting text
• Helping readers to scan text
• Guidelines for headings – everything you need to know to write good headings
• Writing techniques for the Web – ten principles of good writing, what to avoid, how to make it personal
• How to make your content compelling – location, key messages, avoiding redundancies, graphics, creating appeal, getting the tone right
• ‘Webifying’ offline documents – deciding when to use HTML, Word and PDF
• What information should be offline, what format works best
• Twelve point checklist for good web copy

5. Designing your content

• Link paths – vertical, diagonal, lateral
• Different kinds of links and ten guidelines to make them effective
• Accessing Web information – related link paths, related link destinations, guidelines for effective links, creating advance organisers
• Making your site accessible – eleven features you can use
• Tips on search engine optimisation and page ranking
• Dos and Don’ts for screen appearance– fonts, colour, background, separators, tables and charts
• Ten point accessibility checklist
• Eight guidelines for globalisation

6. Editing and proofreading

• A top-down approach to polishing the words and punctuation
• A word on effective transitions
• Eight point checklist to ensure your content has maximum impact
• How to avoid commonly-confused words and common punctuation and spelling errors

Book Now!

For details of timetabled courses, see the schedule. For prices, see the costs table.

To reserve your places you can either book on-line or call us on +44 (0)1635 202013.