Horses for courses

Traditional print journalists are wrong to assume they automatically have the skills to write for the internet.

Most journalists apply the same news-writing structures to both online and print writing, and it is true that many of the basics apply. But as the demands of online journalism become more clearly defined, failure to understand the more complex aspects of writing for the web could be losing readers and holding back the development of the medium.

Training for online journalism

Training for online journalists has accelerated in the past year - there are now more than 40 short courses and at least five postgraduate university programmes.

Cambridgeshire-based PMA Training first offered its one-day 'Writing for the Web' course in 1997. Brendan Martin has been teaching since 1999 and feels that training is essential not just for new journalists, but for established writers who must adapt their technique.

"The role of the internet is still being defined. Many print journalists have an arrogant attitude towards online journalism. They think they have the skills already and that these simply transfer to the web - but this is not the case," he told dotJournalism. "Those that have done the course have been surprised at the differences."

Adapting the course to the needs of the delegates, Brendan teaches a revision of news basics including advice on style and structure. The emphasis is on a combination of these guidelines with an understanding of the how the web operates.

John Jones, assistant editor of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) newsletter (http://www.rnli.org.uk), found the PMA course to be worthwhile. "I enjoyed the course - much of the content confirmed what I had already been doing, but it was useful to get fresh pointers and pool ideas. It has helped keep my style clear and succinct."

What's the difference?

Essentially, considerations for writing online are divided in to three main areas - use of language, technical considerations and graphic layout.

International style

The most common guide for web writing is to keep it brief - although the cheapness of publishing on the web makes it easy to post longer articles which are more likely to be found by search engines. Lists, short paragraphs and sub-headings all help direct the reader to the content they want.

The age-old 'inverted pyramid' format is an ideal structure for internet news as readers are notoriously unwilling to scroll. Most people scan or skim-read web pages - one recent report by usability specialists useit.com (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html) proved that up to 79% of readers scan the page before reading.

"On the web, the inverted pyramid becomes even more important since we know from several studies that users don't scroll, so they will very frequently be left to read only the top part of an article," the report says.

The international platform of the web demands a more careful selection of words, making sure that language bridges both geographic and cultural gaps. Online content is often archived for several years and needs to be time-proofed.

Technical know-how

An understanding of the technical framework of the web can improve both access and usability for online content. Font size, sans serif fonts and screen resolution all play a part in keeping the attention of web-readers. Writers should also understand the influence of different web browsers, some of which will not recognise symbols such as the Euro and the UK pound.

More than 50 per cent of web traffic is directed through search engines, so meta tags (key word and content description in the header of the html code) should be used to ensure content is easier to find.

Links to other sites and pages are a vital element of online content. They put the 'web' in world wide web, providing not only extra information for the reader, but also helping to connect and promote online communities.

Using multimedia

Images can be used to express key elements of the article, and related threads of content can be presented as pictures or links beside and below the feature. This also has the benefit of keeping text short. Graphical divisions and sub-headings that do not work in print can be effective online, drawing the reader to key points and allowing them to skim-read more easily.

The technology that drives the internet also provides the greatest potential for developing the medium in the future.

Among the various training programmes available, London College of Printing provides a week-long short course in online journalism. It recognises that students can become "one of the first generation of multi-skilled journalists in demand by mainstream media".

The course teaches news-writing techniques alongside multimedia skills. Students leave with the skills to exploit the interactive potential of digital journalism - providing stories with video footage, audio, images and animations for the reader on demand.

Psychology of perception

Beyond the practical considerations of language, technology and design, there are other more ethereal elements of writing for the web.

Reading online is undoubtedly harder work - we read around 25 per cent slower on screen than in print. As the psychology of online browsing becomes more understood, design and text will be combined more scientifically to keep the attention of the viewer.

The flexibility of the web can accommodate an informal, more conversational style, which also acknowledges the younger audience and more instant supply of information that readers demand online.

Nick Clayton, managing director of editorial services agency Penpusher.com (http://www.penpusher.com), believes the key is to allow the user to choose the quantity of information they require. "That may be a headline, bullet points or a synopsis. Think of a football match report. I may just want to know the score, or the scorers, or a short description of the game, or a full report. The strength of the web is I should be able to choose."

The internet is an invaluable tool for journalists, providing unprecedented accessibility, affordability and immediacy for writers across the globe.

But the interactive potential of the web seems unfulfilled for now, and this could be because journalists have not fully explored the medium. The web demands a synergy of writing and technical awareness that needs to be fully explored and understood by print journalists.

Although the style and technique of online journalism is still being defined, it is clear that traditional journalism must adapt to survive online.

More information:

PMA Training 'Writing for the Web' course. Next session on 6 May 2003.
http://www.pma-group.co.uk

LCP short course in online journalism
http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/courses/mediacourses/course.php?courseid=1888

MA Online Journalism at University of Central Lancashire
http://www.ukjournalism.org/department/postgraduate/MA pages/keyinfo.htm

More training courses
http://www.journalism.co.uk/searchpower/html/gp5.html

Postgraduate course search
http://www.prospects.ac.uk

Writing for the web - guidelines by usability guru Jakob Nielsen
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9703b.html

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