1 Nice read, and ...

… why did I have to wade through your dissection of the bad copy before getting to what you found? Say I’d come to this page looking for something about academic research myself? Would I have known what you were talking about?

Of course, I agree with your points about meaningless marketing-speak, but then, I reckon almost anyone who comes to ALA deliberately does too.

posted at 04:12 pm on November 4, 2008 by Jeremy Cherfas

2 Well said...

Erin: Great article—thanks. It’s true that far too much Web copy reads as though it were created with one of those BS-generator sites :-) Even when the aim is selling something, a paragraph should have a point, and words should be chosen to express ideas as lucidly and succinctly as possible.

Well done! —Doug

posted at 04:19 pm on November 4, 2008 by Doug Heacock

3 Well delivered

The 4 point summary at the end of your article is concise and should provide a helpful road map when trying to communicate with clients who don’t seem to understand its not the size of their text that counts but the content and context!
Thanks – John

posted at 06:37 pm on November 4, 2008 by John Hunt

4 Fluff Sandwiches

I absolutely despise fluff and nonsensical blabber. I agree with Erin and John; The multitude of confused web-writers should follow those four steps.

When I come across a site that I don’t understand (especially when it’s something I should understand), I back out or hit thumbs down on my StumbleUpon toolbar.

No Patience for Stupidity,
Antonio Ciccarone

posted at 06:58 pm on November 4, 2008 by Antonio Ciccarone

5 So will the future be in active voice?

Great points, Erin. The Zotero example you used in closing leads to some exciting possibilities. The tone smacks of the forthright, concrete, simple language that accompanies many Web 2.0-influenced businesses. I’m thinking 37signals and Twitter and the like. They’re not overly contrived, they motivate clear action, and it’s obvious what you should do to engage—much like the calls to action and value propositions that show up on their landing pages.

The Zotero example uses active voice, uncomplicated sentence structures, and common words to make its case. In design, we see this more and more. It’s the verbal equivalent to large areas of flat color, tactile sans serif, and an uncluttered layout—all hallmarks of Web 2.0-styled design, which (hopefully) denotes a Web 2.0-influenced business. No gradiants, no passive voice, no bull.

If more businesses (and our clients) are moving in that direction, let’s ensure their design and content keeps pace.

posted at 07:30 pm on November 4, 2008 by Margot Bloomstein

6 George Orwell's "Politics and the English Language

Mr Orwell’s paper from 1946 raises many of the same arguments and is well worth the read. You can find it all over the place, but here’s an HTML version.

posted at 10:09 pm on November 4, 2008 by Jamie Hale

7 Content is king...

… But linking is queen !
Great writing is a must because it is good for your users and for your search engine optimization.
Users loves to read simple sentences that are comprehensible at the first reading. Too much complicated words, too long sentences are a no no and you should always prefer clear and concise writing.

posted at 10:20 pm on November 4, 2008 by Christophe BENOIT

8 The importance of copy

Naturally I agree with your deconstruction of this kind of copy – I’m often to be found shouting at web pages/ the TV/ radio/ passers-by for the same reasons. Interestingly, though, you mentioned this kind of copy having a corollary in pretty but useless page designs visual design-wise. What do you say about designs for, say, online stores that abandon copy completely and rely on graphical elements that don’t afford user interactions well (random product/ branding-related imagery, almost to fill up space rather than do anything) – how does one persuade of the need for decent (or indeed any) copy to be a guiding hand in sites like this?

posted at 01:46 am on November 5, 2008 by Douglas Greenshields

9 Cut the content in half...

…And then cut it in half again.

This article reminds me of Steve Krug’s book “Don’t Make me Think!” (great read, highly suggested).

The writer really should keep in mind that most of our users don’t read the content- they skim through it and look for the keywords that they already have stuck in their heads. To help them find those words faster, keep the message as short and concise as possible.

(PS: After I wrote this out, I took out a full paragraph worth of extra words, and didn’t lose my point.)

posted at 01:48 am on November 5, 2008 by Anna Funk

10 Looking forward to that second half

Helpful tips. Looking forward to the tips on how to extend this across a site. I’m so tired of seeing fluffy, empty-calorie words filling every corner of a page.

posted at 09:39 am on November 5, 2008 by John Lascurettes