The Internet is full of fascinating places to find information, check out your favorite companies and stores, look for deals, read the news, and much more. However, people don’t read information on the web in the same way that they read a printed newspaper, magazine, or a book. As writers, we have to be very aware of how people approach a web page so that we can create interesting and engaging content. This one-day course is for people who write for readers on the web.
You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.
To start the course, participants will learn how web writing is different from other writing. They will also learn how HTML works and the importance of working with their web designer. Finally, they will learn eight influence factors that they can use to engage readers.
In this session, participants will look at how site design and navigation features (including menus, links, and buttons) can help engage readers.
Next, participants will get some tips on writing eye-catching headlines and good content. They will also learn about setting writing goals.
This session will give participants some hands-on practice with a key aspect of web writing: conciseness.
Participants will learn how to measure usability and other tools that can help them decide what to write about.
There’s a great debate out there about whether or not audio and video belong on every site. Participants will consider this topic during this session.
To begin this session, participants will learn some tips for making their content accessible to all readers. Then, participants will learn about search engine optimization, alternative search, and keyword optimization.
At the end of the course, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.