3.2.) The 5 most important things for writing on the web

Actually by reading through the texts from Nielsen, not only the 1997 text but the others also, I found reflecting on my own reading style and behaviour in respect of web pages and e-mails a lot of congruence.

The first thing is clearly I have a tendency to scan a web page, and I normally read words marked in colour or bold letters and with bullet points attached. So rule no. 1 would be for me:

Highlight important key words of the text.

I have further a tendency to dump web pages, which go across several pages as I find reading such a long text on a computer screen exhausting and inconvenient.

Use short paragraphs which in itself provide all necessary information.

A tendency to use marketing speech by using superlatives or flashy adverts undermines credibility and gives in my personal impression the page a strong commercial appearance.

Avoid exaggerating and marketing speech for an informational text.

Links offer a convenient way to provide background information and certify own views but supportive other sources, but to much links are also just distractive.

Links used in reasonable numbers help to extent informational depth and reliability.

I like texts which come to the point and give me already in the first paragraph a good idea about the topic.

Put a concise summary upfront and get later on into more detail.

Coming from these advises the research undertaken by Nielsen clearly still holds. A problem which today with broadband internet is probably reduced are waiting times as downloads are much faster today.
Also web design is much more professional today, taking into account much more of these “web page ergonomics” then in former.