IMPLEMENTING

As you implement keep the following in mind

• use a scannable style
• give overviews
• choose words that make it easy to imagine your intended relationship

Use a scannable style

People tend to scan screens on the Web, not read closely. As a consequence you need to write in short "chunks." A chunk is a unit of information. On screen the unit is usually much shorter than on a page.

In order to accommodate this reading strategy, do the following:

Write more short sentences.
Write short sentences.
Use vertical lists.

Lists are excellent for a short burst of related facts.

Play area.
Entrees under $5.
Kids menus.
Jungle theme.
Easy parking.

But they make more evaluative comments seem silly or arrogant (Service—Talented. Courteous. Local college students. Grilled Swordfish—Salty. Tough. Small portions. Wine list. French only.)

Give overviews

Overviews help readers "locate" themselves in the website. After a person clicks on enough links they often forget where they are in the hierarchy of the site. Overviews help overcome that problem. The easiest way to create an overview is to place at the top of each screen a list of links to the home page and to all major sections. If you prefer, you could also create a frame for your site so that the relevant links are always at the left. Not all browsers support frames so sometimes that is a problem. Finally you can place brief summaries after each link (if the links are in a list) explaining what will appear if that link is clicked.
More Detail on Overviews and Scannable Style

Choose words that make it easy to imagine your intended relationship

This aspect of writing is called tone. Use words and sentences that make you sound like the role you have and that sound like the words readers in their imagined role would want to hear.

For instance the empty nesters probably would not want

The cutest little lace doilies you ever saw perch serenely atop oak tables with the littlest claw feet west of the Mississippi.

But they might appreciate

lace doilies on each table create a serene tone, reminiscent of your great-grandmother's Victorian home.

As you can see the two sentences treat the audience differently. Choose your tone to implement your relationship and consistently keep to that tone.

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