Website Content

Helping the user

When we plan out our content, the most important question we should ask is: 'Is this the best way to tell our users what they need to know?'

Of course, content should be inspiring, exciting and different. But the first priority must always be to make it clear and useful.

If a page is beautifully written but confusing, it has not succeeded. If a video is dramatic but doesn’t answer the question the user wanted to find out, they will probably be disappointed.

Your main task is to help the user do what they came for.

A webpage is versatile. You can add a whole range of content to share your message, from text to images, videos, infographics, audio and so on.

You need to decide what meets your user’s needs most effectively. Which means you should think about why they are on this page.

For example, if your user is looking to book a seat to study, they want to see a floor plan which shows them the seat locations. If they want help with filling out a form, they may expect step-by-step content which is laid out in a similar way.

Think 'clear and simple'

People come to our websites looking for help with a task or question. They may be busy, stressed, confused or all of the above. They may be on their phone.

We should always make sure our content is simple and concise.

If the user needs to go on to another page after finishing this one, we should make it clear where they need to go and why.

The stages of creating website content

1. The title

Your title should help your user locate the right page for them, whether they’re arriving from a search engine or elsewhere on the site.

This means it needs to:

• explain the purpose of the page (ie Our Research)
• feature keywords that the user is searching for
• be concise (ideally under 60 characters)

Also, consider whether your title is ambiguous to different audiences. For example, 'work with us' could be an invite to businesses to partner with researchers, or a callout to jobseekers to apply for roles.

2. The description

Descriptions appear underneath the title on search engine results, and give users more information about the page.

These should:

• summarise the content of the page and explain more about why it is relevant
• feature primary and related keywords (such as the university name or the subject matter)
• be short (between 150 and 160 characters to avoid being cut off)

3. Subheadings, lists and bold words

Reading huge blocks of text on a webpage can be overwhelming, particularly on smaller screens.

This is why you should always consider making your content more digestible by:

• adding subheadings where you want to introduce a new idea or task
• using bullet points
• separating your text into small paragraphs
• highlighting key sentences and words in bold (but not too often)

Your header tags will also help your search engine navigate your page.

For example:

• H1 is the main header for the page
• H2 is for your 'chapter' headings, showing your main themes
• H3 is for the sub-categories in your chapter…and so on

4. Your content

Studies suggest users read content in a particular way. They scan the headline and introduction of the page, and then scan down the left hand side of the page to find what they’re looking for.

This is described as an F-Pattern.

We can cater to this by:

• including the most important information at the start
• clearly marking sections with a subheading or bold text
• putting key phrases at the start of titles and bullet points

We should also make sentences easy to understand, even when scanning. This means:

• using active rather than passive voice
• keeping sentences short (no more than 15 to 20 words ideally)
• using easy-to-read language (ideally at a grade 9 reading level)

Find out more about this on our readability page. 

5. Adding other content types

You may decide to add other types of content to make your page clearer or more interesting.

For example, a video of the campus can produce a much more dramatic effect than just a description.

Many webpages are also designed with a template which requires certain content in certain places. For example, a page may require a large 'hero image' at the top.

When using other content types:

• make sure that the format is the best way to deliver info to the user
• ensure you have permission to reproduce and share this media (if it - or part of it - is created by others)
• make sure it is uploaded to the correct platform, whether that is the website itself or third-party sites such as YouTube
• follow the sizing guidelines when uploading (especially when it is being used as part of a template

You should also think about accessibility when using audio, video or imagery. If you include important information in this kind of media, make sure you also include it in text on the site, or in alt-text, or even a downloadable transcript.

For more information about using video, visit our video content page.

6. Hyperlinks

You may wish to add links to other pages that provide useful supporting information or added resources.

When using links, remember to be clear about where you are sending the user, and use wording that is easily read by screenreaders. For example, 'learn more about SEO' rather than just 'click here'.

Also, while links can be useful, remember to use them wisely, as they may take the user away from the page for good.

7. Calls to action

Sometimes the user’s journey is not over at the end of the page. In these cases, you should include a call to action (CTA) which invites them to take the next step.

This may be something like:

• enrol on this course
• attend an Open Day
• talk to other students
• download a prospectus

You should always be clear about what the user is doing, and ensure it is a logical next step in their process.

8. Optimise content

After going to all the effort of making amazing content, you want to make sure it is seen. To do this you need to optimise your content to increase its position on search engines. 

Find out how to optimise content on our Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) page.