"Less is more". That's the most important thing to remember when writing for the web, because users don't read web sites; they scan and select the information they seek.

Conciseness is key
This is an issue that presents challenges for many organizations and businesses I've worked with. Whether I'm writing new web copy for their site or conducting web writing training, this issue is key. As the web continues to evolve, so do the expectations for what makes effective web copy.

Recently I conducted a web writing training session for a group of communications professionals at a large, local health insurance company. During the session, we discussed "best practices" for writing web copy and also analyzed a portion of their web site to determine if:

• The copy was easy to read and scan
• There was too much industry jargon
• The headlines accurately described the copy
• Web users knew how to use the information
• The subheads were descriptive

This exercise proved to be very interesting and enlightening for the participants in the session.

Consider web writing training
If you'd like to improve the writing on your web site, enhance your web writing skills and/or make sure that "everyone is on the same page", then you should consider web writing training.

I can conduct two, half-day training sessions on "Writing for the Web", which covers the following key points:

• How we really use the web
• Web writing guidelines
• Writing effective web content
• Tenets of persuasive copy
• Importance of concise copy
• Overview of site navigation principles
• Web content organization
• Creating compelling copy
• Recommendations for headings, titles and links

If you're interested in this web writing training for your business or organization, please contact me at 651-486-7007 or bmednick@bkmconsulting.com.

A new report -- "To Read or Not to Read" -- published in November 2007 by the National Endowment for the Arts, concludes that new entrants in the American workforce are sorely lacking in writing and reading skills. An article about the report appeared in the Dec. 19, 2007 issue of Workforce Management online.

Glaring deficiency in skills
The study was based on a variety of data sources, including a 2006 report by the Conference Board titled "Are They Really Ready to Work?", which concluded that today's American workforce is "woefully ill-prepared" for the demands of the workplace.

College grads also affected
Linda Barrington, research director for the Conference Board and an author of its report, says that even among recent college graduates of four-year colleges, new hires were unable to write effective business communication, read analytically or solve problems.

Affects company image
Poor writing in particular can affect a company's reputation and relationship with customers. Many companies invest millions of dollars in their image and it can be undone in a matter of minutes by one sloppy e-mail message.

Good writing important
Research shows that e-mail messages often get shown to more than one person, so good writing is important. Every e-mail that an employee sends reflects upon their credibility and professionalism.

Legal challenges
Not only can e-mail that is poorly constructed and riddled with errors and jargon turn off customers, it can also pose legal challenges. The results of a survey by the American Management Association and The e-Policy Institute revealed that one in five companies had e-mail messages subpoenaed in the course of a lawsuit or a regulatory investigation. Another 13 percent had battled lawsuits triggered by e-mail.

Business writing training
If your company or organization would like to improve the business writing or e-mail writing skills of employees and managers, please contact me about conducting a business or e-mail writing seminar at 651-486-7007 or bmednick@bkmconsulting.com.

"A dog has the soul of a philosopher."

-- Plato