emagine - durham region website design and development

Content is often overlooked when working with a web site to increase accessibility. Even if your web site follows all W3C recommendations it will still be inaccessible if your content is difficult to comprehend. Here is a list of tips for writing effective website copy:

• Ensure your headings and link text are as clear as possible, even when read out of context
• “Front load” both the whole page and individual paragraphs so that the most important content and summaries appear first. This will aid skim reading of pages.
• Limit each paragraph to one main concept or idea.
• Avoid slang, jargon, and specialized meanings of familiar words, unless defined within your document.
• Favor words that are commonly used. For example, use “begin” rather than “commence” or use “try” rather than “endeavor.”
• Use active rather than passive verbs.
• Avoid complex sentence structures.

Once you have written your website copy, use this

Readability Index Calculator to calculate and refine the readability of your text.