Writing for the Web

Be Inclusive, Write for the World

Write for an international audience

Because the Web is a worldwide medium, your site visitors probably come from more than one country and more than one culture. Collectively, they probably speak several languages. It’s a good practice to make the text on your site clear to as many people as possible. Read more

Standardize, internationalize, or localize?

If your site attracts a national or international readership (or you suspect that it might), think about the experience you’re giving that diverse group. Consider revamping your site; or, if you’re just starting out, build it with that group in mind. Read more

Banish bias

A basic principle of medical practice, "First, do no harm," might well be rephrased for content writers as "First, do not assume"--that is, do not assume that you know who's reading your website. Read more

Write gender-neutral copy

Often a person's gender is not relevant to the story you're telling. And calling attention to gender can seem sexist: There's no need to describe the flier of a downed plane as a female pilot, and there's no reason to describe Queen Victoria as a mother of nine in a discussion of the Boer Wars. Read more