http://www.concisecontent.co.uk Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:56:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I was recently quoted in an article outlining the benefits of websites for SMEs in the transport sector. 'Net benefits' in Commercial Motor magazine also provided guidance for small business owners on how to set a website up. I emphasised the importance of well-written copy to ensure companies could be ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/10/31/increasing-authority/ So, which does come first? In an ideal world, says Olav Bjørkøy in .net magazine, "you should never design anything before you have a clear grasp of the content". 'Design before content' is listed in an article identifying the top 10 design mistakes that web designers make. Bjørkøy goes on to ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/10/31/design-and-content-chicken-or-egg/ Any organisation that produces printed publications understands the importance of an editorial style guide. So it stands to reason that a separate style guide for your websites, intranet sites and e-newsletters is important too. When creating an online style guide, the differences between online and offline communications and how content is ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/09/09/online-style-guides/ If, like me, you create copy for clients' websites, more often than not you will be typing and submitting it in Word (or similar). So, here's a quick tip to help you see how your copy might look on screen. In the standard views Word presents your document in, the text ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/07/25/quick-tip-visualising-layout/ Information architecture (IA) website Boxes and Arrows has an interesting article, written by content strategist Rachel Lovinger. In it, she says that ‘content strategy is to copywriting as information architecture is to design’. So, what is IA? According to the Information Architecture Institute, it’s: …the art and science of organising and labelling ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/05/29/organising-content/ I've stumbled across* an interesting website called Universal Usability. It's the (free) online version of 'Access by Design: A Guide to Universal Usability for Web Designers', a book by Sarah Horton. Sarah describes universal usability as going 'one step further' than accessibility. Not only does it try to make content and ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/05/08/universal-usability-whats-that/ Accessibility 2.0 is a one-day conference looking at practical solutions to accessibility problems in Web 2.0 applications. It is being held in London on Friday 25 April, 2008. The event is being held by AbilityNet, a charity that helps disabled people use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/04/19/accessibility-20-conference/ This is the first question all writers (should) ask themselves before putting finger to keyboard. When you know who you're writing for, you can create an article that's relevant and interesting - quality content for your readers. At the most basic level, online writers usually consider two main audiences - people and ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/04/18/who-are-you-writing-for/ One of my favourite blogs is ilovetypography.com. A recent post talks about choosing the right typeface for the job, be it print or online. The entry's first guideline is to 'honour content', because some typefaces that look good on paper look awful on screen. If it's not readable, your copy is ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/04/10/think-about-the-font/ I was recently asked to take a look at a colleague's new company website. They're using a digital agency to redesign the site for a modest, but not insubstantial, sum. She is new to managing websites and is relying on the agency to provide recommendations regarding site content, including its structure ... http://www.concisecontent.co.uk/2008/02/20/accessibility-but-at-what-cost/