This is a really excellent reminder of a web basic, which is unfortunately often forgotten as websites add and add and add and in the process become bloated.
“Think of your Web audience as lazy, selfish and ruthless,” said Michael Gold, West Gold Editorial principal quoting usability guru Jakob Nielsen’s apt description of today’s impatient, task-oriented Web audience during his remarks at a recent ONA panel. “Web audiences are on a mission—they’re task-oriented.”
Text matters on the Web from Martin Ricard on Vimeo.
HT: ONA
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Great video. And you are right if I want to read good writing I tend to grab a New Yorker or a good novel. After text editing to make it shorter, punchier and breezier, visual edit to make it screen readable.
I wish I could claim “lazy, selfish, and ruthless” as my own. But it is usability guru Jakob Nielsen’s apt description of today’s impatient, task-oriented Web audience. I was merely quoting him–and crediting him–during my remarks at the recent ONA panel.
It was great to share the podium with experts like Hoa, Chris, and Amy–and to engage with a smart, energetic bunch of participants.
You lost me at ‘no photos or images’ and, with all due respect, you’re completely wrong with that assessment. Slide-shows make up 40% of major news sites traffic. Look at research from Stanfords HCI Labs that show that on Facebook the first and most important function of a users page is the photo. I agree with all the other points but don’t underestimate the power of an image.
Michael – sounded familiar! I’ll make the change to reflect that you acknowledged your source.
YLM – sure, images have their place but much use is because their importance is assumed. I understand their power too, from a marketing perspective of a well-chosen image for example.This piece is restating what’s the primary need though and it does need saying.
YLM wrote: “Slide-shows make up 40% of major news sites traffic”
I would be interested in a source for that claim…
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