Many labs' budgets and staff time to prepare documents and presentations are quite limited. One way to make the most of this time may be to revise and update existing print documents for posting on company websites. By taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the web, you can do much more increasing to increase the usefulness of your posted documents. However, you can't produce excellent web articles by merely reducing manuscript length to allow for the reduced attention spans of most web readers.
Content
Readers should be able to find key words and concepts quickly by scanning your onscreen text. Section headings can help them do this. Rely on easily understood section headings to help readers navigate your article. This is especially important when your article is several screens in length.
If they can't easily scan your document before reading it, they may not read it at all.
Think short. When reading web articles, people often have shorter attention spans than when reading printed publications. Write shorter sentences and paragraphs. Use heads and subheads instead of introductory paragraphs. Shorter document lengths often mean that you need to narrow the focus of your manuscript.
Rather than putting diagrams and photographs at the end of the document, place them at the appropriate places in your text. This will break up solid blocks of text that make web documents less readable.
Revise information to make your new online documents current. In particular be sure to update your sources and statistical information. It can be useful to scan old diagrams that were expensive to prepare. Also scan any photographs to reuse them. One can even use special devices that will scan 35 millimeter slides and convert them to digital format.
Use commonly employed keywords so your document will appear when prospective buyers use Internet search engines to find information on your product. This is called search engine optimization.
Keep format in mind
You will need to revise print manuscripts for the special formatting requirements of the web. This is critical for ease in reading your online document.
Put your main message on the first screen the reader sees. Many readers lose patience when scrolling down one screen after another looking for your main message. So focus on shortening lengthy introductions.Conventional print articles are linear. Readers start at the beginning and continue reading to the end. By using the capabilities of the web, you can make your posted manuscript multi-dimensional by enabling readers to hyperlink to related information. You can link to other documents presenting background information, statistics and in-depth information for highly interested readers. Hyperlinking can enable you to keep your introduction short. These links also can include websites of organizations mentioned in your document and contact information for individuals you mention.
Multimedia offers additional options. Rather than just using static text and links, you can link to video and audio recordings and animations. You also could convert PowerPoint or similar slide presentations into web presentations with narration and post them on your organization's websites.
Web readers hate walls of words that make screens difficult to read. Use white space, colored fonts and images to keep your screens looking light and bright. Digital cameras and graphic design software can help you do this.
Your manuscript may bear little resemblance to your previously published print article by the time you narrow your focus, otherwise shorten your manuscript, update text and add hyperlinks and images.
