Though I don’t generally like rules, I’ve always liked Steve Krug’s directive about writing for the Web: Cut what you write in half then remove half of what remains.
It’s not that I think a writer should follow the rule literally, but the rule highlights one of the ongoing problems with Web copy – there’s too much writing in it. I still see sites where a point is preceded by a lot of meaningless exposition. Just get to it.
Of course, much depends on what kind of a site you’re dealing with (though brevity is important in all sites, and in all writing for that matter). But particularly where business sites are concerned, I still see far too much text. Too often, when people write they "write." Good writing is about removing the superfluous.
(By the way, I think Krug’s book Don’t Make Me Think is one of the best books about Web usability fundamentals around. It helps get you in the right mind set for Web sites.)
(Note: If I followed my own advice this post would probably be half as long.)
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