Form as the New Content

"Writing For Digital Media" by Brian Carroll 

 

Chapter 2 - Digital Media Versus Analog Media

 

In this chapter, Brian Carroll describes some of the ways in which digital media differs from traditional media, or analog media.  Because digital media has so many more elements to it, there is much more to consider when writing, but Carroll states that the main roles of the writer have not changed.  He or she must communicate to the reader in an effective manner, decide what information is best to include and organize that information efficiently, and ensure that the chosen medium maximizes the strengths of minimizes the weaknesses of the message.  A good writer is able to accomplish all of these tasks, whether through digital or traditional means.  However, no matter how proficient the writer, these skills are ineffective unless the writer has credibility.

Establishing credibility is probably the single most important job for any writer.  One way for a writer to help earn their readers' trust is transparency.  Being able to connect with your audience and convey a human voice that is honest and believable is key, but it is not enough.  While being transparent as a writer is important, Carroll provides a number of other methods that can help boost a writer's credibility.  I was surprised at how technical Carroll got in describing an effective web page.  Domain names, advertising methods, fonts, organization of information, links, headlines, and keywords are all analyzed by Carroll and described in ways that a writer can use them in his or her favor.   For example, I could have listed those aspects of web pages in a vertical list such as this:

• Domain names: a domain name that contains or is similar to your company's name will appear more official and increase credibility
• Advertising methods: advertisements should be distinguishable from content and excessive ads or pop-up ads will further diminish credibility
• Fonts: size, color, and type of font can be used to increase a sites "scan-ability" and make the site more user-friendly
• Organization: the way a writer layers his or her information is crucial to "scan-ability" and also the efficiency of the web page
• Links: links to navigate easily within a site prevent user frustration and the credibility of any site you link to becomes associated with your site
• Keywords: using key words throughout your writing and in your headings and sub-headings will help increase your site's "search-ability" so that readers can find your site through search engines

 This method is easier for readers to navigate, I can add information about each topic without cluttering the page, and readers can easily find the more important pieces of information and pick up what they want.  A writer who can master these intricacies as well as properly incorporate visual aids will assuredly see that their published content is successful in terms of being seen and believed by their intended audience. 

Dailytekk has a post displaying what somebody considers to be the top 100 blogs and websites for this year.  Multiple things from not only the post, but also the site stand out.  We can look at the site itself and think about some of the things that Brian Carroll talked about.  The first thing I noticed was the ad at the bottom of the screen.  The ad got my attention initially, but was not in the way and did not detract from the content.  I also noticed the social media integration on the far left of the page.  In addition, the content of the post was organized into categories, each containing five sites.  Links were provided all throughout the post as well as a picture of the number one site in each category.  The font color provided enough contrast for easy read-ability and the headings eased me through the post.  Also, the writer explains what they looked at when deciding which sites were the "best, most interesting" sites.  Content, style, and design were the determining factors.  CONTENT WAS ONLY 1/3 OF THE DECISION!  Clicking on just a few of these top blogs and websites I could see that the creators definitely paid attention to the style and design to help complement their content.  Clearly, standing out among digital media requires tedious efforts to ensure that your message is heard by everyone.

Chapter 3 - Screen Writing: Online Style and Techniques

 

This chapter was an extension of the previous chapter in the Carroll further detailed how to style and design your webpage in order to maximize its efficiency.  He continued to detail many goals of web designers that are fairly obvious and that he has already covered.  Content should be easily navigable, aesthetically pleasing, and highly readable....yadda, yadda.   What I found interesting about this chapter was his description of how online reading is different for that reader and how that affects the writer.

Carroll cites a study by Jakob Nielsen that reports that Web users read around 25 percent slower on screen than on paper.  Because they are reading slower, they are reading less.  In turn, writers have to use direct and concise language.  He also explains how elaborate language or the wrong tone can turn readers off.  While I understand that in this digital age with an excess of information available, writers must find ways to stick out, it is slightly disconcerting to me when every aspect of the content is manicured to appeal to the reader.  Fortunately, print is not dead yet and I'm sure that the truest writers, who want their message to be heard and fully understood, would be happier in reaching a smaller audience with their message exactly how they want than in reaching a larger audience with content catered to the average web user.  Although I hope that print never truly dies, I believe that these "true" writers will never concede to the masses and that their content will exist in the far corners of the web.  Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with writers adapting to a changing world of media, it is just unfortunate to hear how the writers should alter their writing style and use of language to appeal to web users.  The writer that can meet all of these recommendations while best maintaining the integrity of their message will have the best of both worlds.

Discussion Question:  When the majority of online publishers become proficient in catering their sites to the readers, how will they continue to stand out among the online community?

Discussion Question:  Do these methods of optimizing web pages take away from the integrity of the author's true message?