Text content for mobile

Mobile Content Writing

Spring 2013 Mette Fuglsang

Mobile Content Writing Mette Fuglsang Senior Lecturer

March 2013

Agenda › Usage & expectations › Mobile usage context › Small-space writing › Mobile content writing

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March 2013

Usage & expectations ›  At the end of 2011, there were 6 billion mobile cellular subscriptions globally

›  Equalling 87% of the world’s population having a mobile phone!

›  By 2014, mobile internet usage is predicted to take over desktop internet usage

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March 2013

Usage & expectations ›  Across regions, mobile browsing and application usage are growing at a rate of

7-9% per year… ›  At the end of 2011, almost 30 billion apps had been downloaded worldwide ›  The average smartphone user in the US has 22 mobile apps downloaded

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March 2013

Usage & expectations ›  71% expect quick load times ›  5 sec. is the max time mobile users will wait for a website or application to load ›  74% will leave a mobile website if it does not load within 5 sec. ›  1/3 will go to a competitor’s website

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March 2013

Mobile platform: Usage & expectations ›  Trying a website or an application 2 times is the max. for about 80% of mobile

users ›  Nearly half of mobile web users are unlikely to return to a website that they had

trouble accessing from their phone ›  Mobile users do not have much patience for retrying a website or application that

is not functioning initially

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March 2013

Mobile usage context Mobiles are used ›  on-the-go ›  anywhere else… ›  for getting information ›  for entertainment ›  for browsing ›  for…?? ›  as the only device (netmagazine.com)

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March 2013

Small-space writing ›  Cut the fat! ›  Be interesting, relevant, surprising ›  Be right on! ›  Create short sentences ›  Edit ›  Offer plenty of links ›  Use compelling headlines ›  Structure ›  Avoid too many images ›  Use plenty of white space ›  Create scannable blocks of text ›  Get rid of clutter

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March 2013

Mobile content writing PATIENCE!!

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March 2013

Mobile content writing Question: ‘How do we create mobile content that satisfies users’ needs while being on the go?’

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March 2013

Mobile content writing Question: ‘How do we create mobile content that satisfies the company’s needs and purposes?’

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March 2013

How about… ….combining the two!

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March 2013

Starting point ‘How do we create mobile content that satisfies the 1) customers’ AND 2) company’s needs ?’

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March 2013

1: Good content is appropriate How do we know when content is right for the user?

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March 2013

Good content is appropriate Content is appropriate for the user when it helps them accomplish their goals! Content is perfectly appropriate for user when it: - Offers them precisely what they need - Exactly when they need it -  In just the right form

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March 2013

Assumptions about users… …are never 100% perfect SO -> Always give users the option of seeing more if they wish AND Be generous when supplying links

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2: Good content is right for the business How do we know when content is right for the business?

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Good content is right for the business When your content helps you accomplish your business goals in a sustainable way, it is right for your business!

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Sustainable content Is content you can › Create › Manage › Maintain without spending too many resources › Maintain without lowering quality gradually › Assign to other employees

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Business objectives - examples ü ‘improve technical support service’ ü ‘increase sales’ ü ‘reduce printing costs for educational materials’ ü using sustainable processes

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3: Good content is useful FOR EACH PIECE OF CONTENT: 1.  Define a clear, specific purpose 2.  Evaluate content against this purpose GREATER SPECIFICITY PRODUCES BETTER RESULTS…

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Content purposes - examples ›  ‘Sell products’ ›  ‘Sell this product’ ›  ‘List and demonstrate the benefits of this product’ ›  ‘Show how this product helps nurse practitioners’ THE PURPOSE MUST BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR!

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March 2013

4. Good content is user-centered This implies: ü Meeting users’ genuine needs ü Avoiding creating content that is self-centered ü Omitting content designed for internal organizational use ü Using words/language without jargon ü Using words/language actually used by the users

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March 2013

5. Good content is clear Clarity in communication generally means: ü That we are easily understood ü That our users ‘get’ our message ü That they can react to our message ü The structure is easy to follow

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March 2013

6. Good content is consistent CONSISTENCY/ALIGNMENT/COHERENCE Reduces users’ cognitive load -> eases their understanding -> one of our primary goals as communicators

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7. Good content is concise Assumption: Loads of content = great effort = interesting!! Situation: The Internet (endless ‘container’)

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March 2013

Too much content… Creates: › Difficulties finding just the right information for users › A drop in quality › The notion of ‘let’s publish as much as we possibly can’ › Disturbs ‘the picture’ › Distracts the user

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March 2013

Better… ü Publish what we know our users need …and let that be the guiding light!

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8. Good content is supported …or ‘watered’ on a continuous basis… › Updated › Removed › Released on schedule › Maintained

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Content plan Or a ‘support plan’ ‘Weak function’ - underestimated - Produce - Revise - Publish content

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Benefit of a content plan › Human attention + › Content management systems › Time-consuming › Complex ›  Included in job descriptions › Job function

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March 2013

Sources w.alistapart.com/articles www.warc.com ›  Halvorson, K. & Rach, M. Content Strategy for the web. 2nd ed. New Riders ›  Berman, M. The Copywriter’s Toolkit. 1st ed. 2012 Wiley-Blackwell ›  www.alistapart.com/articles

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Text content for mobile

Documents

mobile content writingspring

piece of content

mobile website

mobile phone

mobile browsing

mobile apps

phone mobile users

mobile internet usage