Avoid Distracting Content
There are many kinds of web content that distract or turn away visitors. These include:- Long, wordy, run-on paragraphs
- "Welcome to…" and other lengthy introductions
- Broken links
- Poorly written content
- Inconsistent navigation
- Inconsistent user interface
Don't use 'insider' UUA language. Keep web pages focused on our key user audiences and concentrate on meeting their needs. Segregate your public and internal content.
Don't over-emphasize. Modify text sparingly. Too much emphasis of various elements, through use of bold and italics, distracts the reader and affects readability. Use a consistent style throughout.
Minimize page size. Avoid content that significantly increases page loading time, e.g., large graphics, many small graphics on one page, or multimedia elements.
Be obvious. Don't "make your visitors think." What and how to do something should be clear and obvious.
Avoid instructions. Delete extraneous instructions like, "To use this site…", "Fill in the form below…", "Click the link", "The links below will give you more information", and so forth. Make the user's task clear and obvious.
Use acronyms carefully. Spell out an acronym the first time you use it on any page. Do not use acronyms in headings. Remember your audience but don't assume knowledge on the part of your user.
Use blank space. Blank space is the reader's friend and helps achieve readability and usability. Chunk long paragraphs into shorter ideas.
Do not use underscores. Underlined text indicates a hyperlink.
Use the "Related Content" option judiciously. Where "Related Content" links and embedded content links are permitted, the links should be directly relevant to the content of the page. These links should not lead the user to unrelated information. Don't overload this section—it diminishes the impact of your material and its presentation.
Last updated on Tuesday, January 9, 2007.
