1. Keep sentences short and relevant: Write concise sentences to maintain clarity and prevent information overload. Users often scan content rather than read every word.
2. Front-load key information: Follow the "inverted pyramid" method — present the most important information first, then add supporting details. This helps readers find what they need quickly.
3. Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords naturally throughout your content, especially in headings, titles, and meta descriptions, to improve search rankings.
4. Enhance scannability: Break up content with clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easier to scan. Visual cues like consistent heading structures and markers guide readers to key points quickly.
5. Use familiar words: Choose simple, common words that your audience understands and might search for. Introduce abbreviations only when necessary, providing the full term first (e.g., University Community Centre (UCC)).
6. Use descriptive hyperlinks: Avoid generic phrases like “Click here.” Instead, use meaningful link text that describes the destination, such as “Learn more about the Dean’s Honour Roll.”
7. Write for voice search: Optimize content for natural, conversational language to align with how people use voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. Focus on answering common questions directly.
8. Leverage microcontent: Create bite-sized content like summaries, captions, and pull quotes to improve scannability. These elements can also be repurposed for social media or search snippets.
9. Optimize for AI summaries: Structure your content with clear headings, concise paragraphs, and key takeaways to improve visibility in AI-generated summaries and search snippets. Using straightforward language, answering common questions directly, and highlighting important points early on your page can increase your visibility in featured results.
10. Write with accessibility in mind: Use clear language, break up content with headings and lists, and avoid complex terms. Spell out abbreviations on first use, and use descriptive link text (e.g., "Learn more about admissions" instead of "Click here") to ensure accessibility for all readers, including those using screen readers.

Naming Conventions:

1. Keep names short and descriptive: Use clear, concise names that reflect the page’s content and purpose (e.g., admission-requirements instead of admreq).
2. Avoid special characters and spaces: Special characters like %, &, or spaces can cause technical issues and make links harder to share.
3. Separate words with hyphens: Hyphens improve readability and SEO (e.g., student-resources instead of student_resources or studentresources).
4. Be consistent: Apply the same naming conventions across all pages and files to simplify navigation and maintenance.
5. Reflect the site structure: Align names with the site’s hierarchy to help users and search engines understand content in context (e.g., departments/biology/faculty).
6. Use keywords thoughtfully: Include relevant keywords in URLs to improve search visibility while keeping names natural.
7. Use lowercase letters: Stick to lowercase in URLs to avoid case-sensitivity issues and ensure consistency.
8. Adopt future-proof naming: Avoid adding years or temporary markers in core URLs unless necessary. Use redirects to point to updated content without frequently changing URLs.

Tools & Resources:

• Nielsen Norman Group – Writing for the Web
• Yoast – Complete Guide to SEO Copywriting
• Hemingway Editor