Guidelines for Online Content

If it’s Thursday… you know the drill! This week, we’ve got three things about developing online content:

1. Make it scannable. All of the available evidence is conclusive: people don’t read online content, they scan it. Your beautifully constructed sentences and artfully worded deep thoughts are for naught. In fact, if you’re reading this you’re an anomaly. Your online audience scans, they don’t read, so make the important points pithy, standalone, and standout.

2. Tell stories. Ten thousand facts aren’t as powerful as a single anecdote that powerfully illustrates some of them – that’s true online and offline, too. Look at your website and see how deep you have to wade before you find a compelling story that illustrates a key message. Good stories grab attention and deliver a message in an accessible way – make sure you’re putting stories to work in your content.

3. Use multiple mediums. Say it with words, say it with pictures, say it with a video, then say it again with a question – “Do you think all children deserve access to quality preschool education? Yes or No.” Allowing many ways for your audience to see, feel, interact with, and really understand your message is one of the most powerful elements of online communications – make sure you’re putting it to work!

Bonus: a fourth thing! There are dozens of very good resources all across the web to help you develop and use good online content to drive donations and activism. Among our favorites is the collection in Network for Good’s Website 101 Article Index and an article on Convio’s blog, Connection Cafe, titled Content Strategy Tips.

How have you kept your organization’s content web-friendly and action-oriented? Do tell in the comments…

And that’s the Three Things for this week! Do you have Three Things you’d like to get off your chest? Shoot us an email – we’d love to feature your ideas in this space!