{"id":4646,"date":"2013-09-16T09:29:07","date_gmt":"2013-09-16T13:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meetcontent.com\/?p=4646"},"modified":"2017-04-20T00:25:03","modified_gmt":"2017-04-20T04:25:03","slug":"respect-your-audience-with-readable-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meetcontent.com\/blog\/respect-your-audience-with-readable-content\/","title":{"rendered":"Respect Your Audience With Readable Content"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Reading
How readable is your web content?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recently, I was reviewing a website and came across a page geared toward international students. Reading the copy, I realized English would not be the first language for the target audience. Immediately, I felt my brain shift into a different gear. <\/p>\n

Beyond assessing the value of the content, I began closely scrutinizing diction and syntax. How many syllables in this word? How many clauses in this sentence? Would the density and complexity of this copy impede someone for whom English is a second language from understanding its meaning?<\/p>\n

These concerns are not unique to content focused on an international student audience. What if your institution has programs catering to immigrant populations or struggling high school students? Or what if someone with a reading disability visits your website? A more familiar scenario might be translating the hard science behind a professor\u2019s accomplishment into layperson\u2019s terms for a news story or externally-facing program page. <\/p>\n

One of the first rules of communication is to put your audience first. What information do they need? In what format do they need it? How are they searching for it? Where are they coming from? Where will they go next? And so on. But it\u2019s stunning how easy it can be to overlook the needs of our audience at the most fundamental level \u2014 the language we use.<\/p>\n

Plain Language Saves the Day<\/h2>\n

It is in our best interest to create content that does not get in its own way with unnecessary complexity. \u201cToo many sites are just too damn hard to understand for someone trying to find information, make an informed decision or complete a transaction (you know, the things that ultimately lead to that elusive ROI?),\u201d information architect Daniel Eizans wrote back in 2010<\/a>. <\/p>\n

This sounds like a job for plain language. Using plain language helps ensure the meaning of your content is understood by your audience<\/strong>. Bryan Garner, author of “Legal Writing in Plain English,” defines plain language<\/a> as “the simplest, most straightforward way of expressing an idea.” The University of Sydney’s Professor Robert Eagleson elaborates<\/a>: <\/p>\n

\n

It is not baby talk, nor is it a simplified version of the English language. Writers of plain English let their audience concentrate on the message instead of being distracted by complicated language. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

The Center for Plain Language frames it thusly<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Plain language is information that is focused on readers. When you write in plain language, you create information that works well for the people who use it, whether online or in print.” <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

By creating content with readability in mind and employing various methods to assess how readable it is, we will be doing a service to both ourselves and our audience.<\/p>\n

The Interface of Language<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhen conducting usability tests, we stereotypically gauge the effectiveness of our websites by assessing information architecture, design and layout, placement of calls to action, and other such considerations. But, while often overlooked in usability tests, content plays a huge role in website usability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Language has its own interface to consider. In her excellent A List Apart article \u201cTesting Content<\/a>,\u201d Angela Colter explains the process of decoding and comprehension that comprise the act of reading. There\u2019s a lot going on when you are reading, and there are a lot of factors that can affect whether the act of reading actually results in comprehension. We can\u2019t assume that words on a page will implicitly be understood.<\/p>\n

Eizans says that the simplest approach to ensure readability is to err on the side of brevity<\/a>. He also notes that adhering to some of the basic principles of web writing, like using bulleted lists and short paragraphs, can also help aid in comprehension. The Center for Plain Language includes these and many more tips in its plain language checklist<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But how can we know for sure that our content is readable? In a presentation, content strategist Leen Jones and Kevin O\u2019Connor of UserInsight detailed an approach to content usability testing<\/a>. \u201cTesting content helps you choose the right content direction,\u201d they note. <\/p>\n

In testing content, they propose asking three key questions: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Can users find and read the content they need?<\/li>\n
  2. Can they understand the content?<\/li>\n
  3. Can they act on the content? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The best-placed call-to-action will still fail if the supporting content is difficult to comprehend. <\/p>\n

    Colter also details a usability testing approach to gauging content readability. Much like we ask users to complete site tasks in a usability test, Colter recommends asking users to complete tasks where successful completion is incumbent upon comprehending a selection of content. <\/p>\n

    For us in higher ed, a relevant scenario might be a student needing to complete a different graduation form depending on whether they have a single major, a double major, or a major and a minor.<\/p>\n

    Testing Readability<\/h2>\n

    There are several formulas that can quickly help you ascertain the readability of your content, often by determining the grade level required to understand the content. These include:<\/p>\n