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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Melfort, Saskatchewan Canada
    Posts
    994

    Default 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.
    Bill Wood
    Charity Web Design
    XARA Pro+. WD17, Designer 17. Premium packages.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    SW England
    Posts
    17,746

    Default Re: Limiting text on websites

    Quote Originally Posted by bwood View Post
    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
    Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
    When we provide assistance, your responses are valuable as they benefit the community. TG Nuggets you might like. Report faults: Xara Cloud+/Pro+/Magix Legacy; Xara KB & Chat

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    Placitas, New Mexico, USA
    Posts
    41,487

    Default 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.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Lam, Bavaria-Germany
    Posts
    799

    Default Re: Limiting text on websites

    Quote Originally Posted by gwpriester View Post
    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    SW England
    Posts
    17,746

    Default Re: Limiting text on websites

    Quote Originally Posted by gwpriester View Post
    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 View Post
    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
    Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
    When we provide assistance, your responses are valuable as they benefit the community. TG Nuggets you might like. Report faults: Xara Cloud+/Pro+/Magix Legacy; Xara KB & Chat

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Lam, Bavaria-Germany
    Posts
    799

    Default Re: Limiting text on websites

    Quote Originally Posted by Acorn View Post
    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.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Melfort, Saskatchewan Canada
    Posts
    994

    Default 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
    Bill Wood
    Charity Web Design
    XARA Pro+. WD17, Designer 17. Premium packages.

 

 

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