Five habits for writing on the web

Most visitors scan a page before they decide to read it. These five habits help them find what they came for, faster.

Lead with the point

Open with the one thing the reader should take away. Details and background can follow.

Use headings as signposts

A heading every few paragraphs lets readers jump straight to the part they need. Keep headings short and specific.

Keep paragraphs short

Two to four sentences per paragraph is plenty on a phone screen.

Describe every image

Alt text is read aloud by screen readers and shown when an image fails to load. Describe what the image shows, in the language of the page.

Write each language natively

Translate the meaning, not the words. A Thai reader and a Vietnamese reader should both feel the page was written for them.