Follow these steps to make any piece of content more effective for the web. If you have any questions about optimizing web content, contact us at webcommunications@niu.edu.
1. Add Headings
To someone looking for information online, few things are more discouraging than walls of text. When you chunk your content into logical sections, your audience will find it easier to navigate. Aim for paragraphs of three to five sentences and sections of no more than three paragraphs. Give the sections headings that accurately describe their content.
2. Shorten Long Sentences
Like walls of text, long sentences can be off-putting to users. It’s better to provide bite-size info. As a general rule, you should aim for no more than 20 words per sentence. Varying your sentence length within that range can help your reader stay engaged. You can also use bulleted lists to split up long sentences.
3. Use Second-person Pronouns
Using second-person pronouns (i.e., you, yours, etc.) makes for a smoother reading experience. It lends itself to simpler sentence structures and aligns with the NIU brand voice: personalized, inviting and charged.
