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- Users don’t read, they scan
- Keep copy short. Avoid paragraphs or multiple sentences of text. Bulleted lists and short phrases or sentences are easier to read.
- “Take all the copy on the page. Cut it in half. Then cut it in half again.” -Steve Krug, Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
- Chunk content into sections so it’s easily digestible for users
- Headings go in order (H2, H3, H4) to make content readable and accessible for all users. In other words, new sections start with H2s, a heading underneath an H2 is an H3, and so on.
- Keep like copy consistent in length
- Example: If you have a section with 3 cards, each card should have approximately the same character count
- Consider cutting or reducing introductory text
- Users don’t read it (and the longer it is, the less likely they are to read it)
- If you need it, keep it brief and to the point– introduce the content that follows.
- Avoid fluff and don’t repeat what is elsewhere on the page
- Make copy action-oriented. Start with a verb.
- Incorporate the pages’s Primary Key Word(s) for SEO purposes
- Column I in the information architecture spreadsheet
General Copy
- Writer's should also reference the Writing Web Copy Google doc
Headings/Titles
Standards
On the web, copywriting should follow the regular Wisconsin School of Business copy standards. However there are some exceptions and special cases:
Ampersands (&)
Use of ampersands in headings, navigation, and CTAs is acceptable. Cutting characters has UX benefits: it keeps the element (heading, nav item, CTA) short and scannable and the element can stay longer on one line as screen sizes get smaller. Do not use ampersands in paragraphs or other sentence or longer phrase copy.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
The term Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be used on the website instead of Diversity and Inclusion.
Capitalization
Headings
- H1s: Title case
- 60 characters max
- Define sections with clear and concise headings
- Headings go in order (H2, H3, H4) to make content readable and accessible for all users. In other words, new sections start with H2s, a heading underneath an H2 is an H3, and so on. Capitalization:H1s: Title case,
- H2s: Title case,
unless heading is a full phrase, then sentence-caseunless it contains more than 6 words, then use sentence-case for better readability - H3s-H5s: sentence-case
CTAs: sentence-case
Misc.
- Prepositions of four letters or more are capitalized. This includes “with,” which is a rule change from what we were all taught!
- The word “to” is lowercase in a headline when it is a preposition, but when it is part of an infinitive verb, it is capitalized, e.g., Curriculum To Drive Results
- Precollege vs Pre-College Per AP, the correct spelling is precollege
- Nonbusiness is one word.
- UW–Madison has an en dash (not a hyphen)
- Underrepresented is one word
Copy Purpose and Length
- Writer's should also reference the Writing Web Copy Google doc
Headings/Titles
- 60 characters max
- Define sections with clear and concise headings
Introductory copy
- 175 characters max
- A sentence that appears right below a heading/title
- Use sparingly since users often skim over it; not every section/heading needs intro copy
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- Keep the copy short. Web users are often skimming headings and jumping around the page to find content they care about. If a section looks like a lot of text (also referred to as a "wall of text"), users may skip it because another section is more visually interesting/easy to digest.
Specific Guidelines
For SEO
Meta-title
- 50-60 characters
- Should mirror content in the H1/page title. (can match exactly or just contain the most important key words)
- The meta title “wins the click,” while the H1 “keeps the reader” by confirming the topic once they land on the page.
- Meta titles appear in SERPs and should be concise, keyword‑focused, and compelling.
- These also appear as the browser tab titles for users.
- Our typical pattern for these is "Page title | Program/Dept. | Wisconsin School of Business",
- We can break this pattern for a good reason (i.e. to include a keyword or help differentiate the page in browser tabs)
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- Degree comparison project (very granular since copy choices affected the complexity of the code)
- About page
Resources
- NNG resources on writing for the web
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For Webpages
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- Writing Web Copy Google doc