Important information first
Online, users tend to scan text until they find the information they need. No matter how carefully you craft your content, most people will only read 25 percent of it. This statistic underscores the importance of getting content right. The quicker you get to the point, the greater the chance your target audience will see the information you want them to.
Put the most important information in the first two paragraphs. That’s the section users are most likely to read. In journalism, this technique is called the “inverted pyramid.”
Headline
The main headline should be descriptive. The story should start with the main point. Each heading or subheading should be descriptive. The first sentence of every paragraph should be the most important. Frontload all elements of content with important information. Users need to be enticed to scroll down the page. Put the information that’s most valuable to them within the first 2 paragraphs of the page.
Break up text/ Chunking
Large chunks of text can overwhelm readers. Use subheads and bullet points; they provide clear narrative structure for readers in a hurry. Put information-carrying words at the beginning of the phrase.
Instead of:
Looking into the regulation of campaign finances
Use:
Campaign finance law explained
If you’re wrangling a lot of data, tables can help you visualise that content. Long paragraphs cluttered with numbers or dates are more difficult to scan than, for example:
| Report type | Dates covered | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly (Form 3, 3Z, 3L) | January 1–March 31 | April 15 |
| April 1–June 30 | July 15 | |
| July 1–September 30 | October 15 | |
| October 1–December 31 | January 31 |