Kitchen Sink

How to Write User-Friendly Web Content

• Use active voice. “The board proposed the regulation” not “The regulation was proposed by the board.”
• Use the words your users use.  By using keywords that your users use, you will help them understand the copy and will help optimize it for search engines.
• Chunk your content.  Chunking makes your content more scannable by breaking it into manageable sections.
• Front-load the important information. Use the journalism model of the “inverted pyramid.” Start with the content that is most important to your audience, and then provide additional details.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs. The ideal standard is no more than 20 words per sentence, five sentences per paragraph. Use dashes instead of semi-colons or, better yet, break the sentence into two. It is ok to start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “or,” if it makes things clear and brief.
• Use bullets and numbered lists. Don’t limit yourself to using this for long lists—one sentence and two bullets is easier to read than three sentences.
• Use clear headlines and subheads. Questions, especially those with pronouns, are particularly effective.

This is an H2 Header

Please use H2 as the main heading style for your content. You can use as many H2s on a page as you want. Use the other styles (H3, H4, H5) as subheadings as needed.

This is an H3 Header

This is an H4 Header

This is an H5 Header

THIS IS AN H6 HEADER

Text Styles

Use the Quote button in the editor to create a blockquote. Use this style for quotes and other information that you want offset from the regular paragraph text.

This is italics. Use italics sparingly, as it is difficult to read long passages online that are italicized.

This is a table. Tables are normally used to show things like schedules or fees. 

This is a bulleted list (sometimes called an "unordered list" in programming lingo). Use when the order of the items doesn't matter:

• Rollstock
• Pouches
• Lidding

This is a numbered list (sometimes called an "ordered list"). Use when putting things into a specific order or hierarchy.

1. Reach out to us 
2. Discuss solutions
3. Customize your product

This is a horizontal line. Use sparingly to separate elements of the page.

Links

Using descriptive link text improves accessibility for disabled users.

No: Visit the Cyberwoven website here.

No: Click here to visit the Cyberwoven website.

Yes: Visit the Cyberwoven website.

Buttons

What is the difference between a button and a link?

As a rule of thumb, buttons indicate that you want the user to do something, while links usually just mean they are being directed to another page. For example, you might want to use a button for "Contact Us."

To add a button link, highlight the text and create the link using the editor, as you normally would. Then select from the "Styles" dropdown menu to choose the button style.

Button

This is an accordion:

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