Limiting text on websites
A challenge I always have with the clients I work with is convincing them that too much text is deadly on a website. I’ve used pop ups with text. I much prefer clean websites with a small amount of text. Something @gwpriester advocated a long time ago.
Many times I’ve produced more work for myself by suggesting an adjunct newsletter in PDF form, and linked it to the website.
I happen to think is a generational thing. I work with an older museum curator and when I meet I’m writing 3 pages of info.
What do TG’s suggest to your clients. I’m interested in your view points.
Re: Limiting text on websites
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bwood
A challenge I always have with the clients I work with is convincing them that too much text is deadly on a website. I’ve used pop ups with text. I much prefer clean websites with a small amount of text. Something @gwpriester advocated a long time ago.
Many times I’ve produced more work for myself by suggesting an adjunct newsletter in PDF form, and linked it to the website.
I happen to think is a generational thing. I work with an older museum curator and when I meet I’m writing 3 pages of info.
What do TG’s suggest to your clients. I’m interested in your view points.
Bill, I suppose the trick is to establish the salient points of your diatribe and display these on the page. Then break out into separate article pages that expand on each key point. Doing so adds depth to a website and allows for copious cross-referencing. Pop-up layers with lots of text is equally distracting.
You also have to pitch it to your client that people use mobile phones and are used to reading reading postcards over broadsheet newspapers.
The reading experience of a vertically held phone or screen is dramatically different to reading a magazine or book on a table.
Acorn
Re: Limiting text on websites
Totally agree Bill. Less is more. Especially given the short span of attention most people have. People visit a website to get information. The easier you make it for the visitor to get the information she/he is looking for the better.
Re: Limiting text on websites
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gwpriester
Totally agree Bill. Less is more. Especially given the short span of attention most people have. People visit a website to get information. The easier you make it for the visitor to get the information she/he is looking for the better.
Gary 100% agree.
When I do a website for a client I'll be paid, because it's my job. I limit the count of words. If the customer wants more, he has to pay more. That helps keep the text short.
Re: Limiting text on websites
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gwpriester
Totally agree Bill. Less is more. Especially given the short span of attention most people have. People visit a website to get information. The easier you make it for the visitor to get the information she/he is looking for the better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ernie-f
Gary 100% agree. When I do a website for a client I'll be paid, because it's my job. I limit the count of words. If the customer wants more, he has to pay more. That helps keep the text short.
Both laudable but Bill still has a real-world client to deal with.
@ernie-f, I do not believe you are telling your client they cannot have their prose but you are advising that prose cover 10 extra pages and each page delivered has a cost, regardless of content.
I believe Bill has to advise his client that there is additional design work involved that extend the original agreement, be it pop-ups, accordions or pages.
I felt my suggestion addresses the problem and the expectation of the client so that Bill would be in a sound bargaining position.
Acorn
Re: Limiting text on websites
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Acorn
Both laudable but Bill still has a real-world client to deal with.
@ernie-f, I do not believe you are telling your client they cannot have their prose but you are advising that prose cover 10 extra pages and each page delivered has a cost, regardless of content.
I believe Bill has to advise his client that there is additional design work involved that extend the original agreement, be it pop-ups, accordions or pages.
I felt my suggestion addresses the problem and the expectation of the client so that Bill would be in a sound bargaining position.
Acorn
Oh yes he can, but with costs extra.
My calculation is a fix one and every page or other text legnth is an extra and is paid.
Until now nobody in the graphic industry in Germany handle it otherwise.
And again: I do professional work for professionals and not a give away job for someone.
Re: Limiting text on websites
The post card analogy is especially good. I do web for a animal shelter with young staff, and they understand being from the smartphone generation.
I also do web for a museum, and that one is a challenge, but the challenge is met with the odd pop up, and extra pages of text if they wish.
Interesting that the older gen also use tablets to a larger extent than I would have thought.
Thanks all.
-W
