Page Titles, Headings and Summaries Student Web Presence Guidelines - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Page Titles, Headings and Summaries

Student Web Presence Guidelines

Headlines (Page Titles)

“Page names are the street signs of the web” Krug p74

• Use site visitor key words (helps SEO)
• Make the page title unique
• Don’t centre headlines
• Don’t use all capitals
• Takes up 30% more space on page
• Slows reading by 15%
• Reader tend to skip because they look boring
• Make them usable for navigation menus bookmarks and history
• Make them scannable

Headings

• Include keywords your site visitors are using in their search
• Poorly written headings may confuse site visitors
• Put your headings in order
• Have a good heading style:
• Questions
• Statements
• Verb phrases – action phrases
• Use nouns sparingly
• Remember people like patterns

“A heading shouldn’t read like a sentence: a sentence should flow, but a heading should stop you and grab your attention” McGovern p120

Summaries

“If the heading is the hook, the summary is the line that pulls you in. The summary gives the readers all the information they need to decide whether to read or not” McGovern p123

• Write the summary last
• 30 words or fewer
• Sell: encourage the reader to read more
• Quickly cover who, what, when, where, how
• Focus on facts and what is compelling
• Include keywords
• Last sentence needs punch

Sentences and Paragraphs

• Sentence: 20 words or fewer
• One point per sentence
• Paragraphs: 70 words (roughly 4 sentences)
• Start sentences with keywords
• Start paragraph by setting the context
• Start paragraphs with strongest sentence
• Omit needless words

“Start each paragraph with a topic sentence – a sentence that sets the context, tells the reader what the paragraph is all about” Reddish p219

References

• Reddish J (2012) “Letting Go of the Words”, second

edition, Morgan Kaufman

• Neilsen J (2000) “Designing Web Usability”, New

Riders

• Neilsen J and Loranger H (2006) “Prioritising web

Usability”, New Riders

• McGovern G (2006) “Killer Content”, A&C Black
• Krug S (2014) “Don’t Make Me Think” 3rd edition, new

Riders