Long and short are linear terms (they refer to length, right?).  So they work fine to categorize or describe copy found in a sales letters or print advertisements.

But (most) websites aren’t linear because hyperlinks break linearity (aka subvert hierarchy).

People don’t read (most) Websites one full page at a time in a numbered order; they read/scan/move from one link that interests them to the next link that interests them, often entering or starting on something other than page #1 (what bad web…

...continue to read "How to Think About Long vs. Short Copy"

Jakob Nielsen’s new post regarding how to optimize for online visitor’s F-patterned scanning is a must read.  There’s a lot of sound advice there, many of it confirming or aligning with Future Now recommendations.  Stuff like:

Don’t waste hyperlink words on non-descriptive or generic words.  Make links keyword rich and ensure that customers can predict where the link will take them.  Plan and link for maximum “scent” Use plain language.  In other words, talk to the dog in…

...continue to read "Doesn’t Graphic Design/Layout Affect Scanning Patterns?"

We write a lot about linking especially when it comes to persuading readers to take action.

There are a lot of objections to linking, especially linking off the website. The web & the HT in HTML is all about links.

I won’t go there today.

This blog post about New York Times columnist Frank Rich titled “Frank Rich: Why I Link” is worth reading.

Why has Rich embraced linking when his peers have not? “The theory was: Why not be as transparent as possible by…

...continue to read "Linking Matters"

“Information Architecture involves the design of organization and navigation systems to help people find and manage information more successfully.”

Basically, Information Architecture (IA) views websites as libraries in need of the right kind of card catalogue set-up to facilitate information access by visitors.

But most websites aren’t libraries, or merely stores of information. In fact, most commercial websites are more interested in persuading visitors to take certain actions (i.e. converting) than they are in providing access to information.

In this sense, the interactivity enabled…

...continue to read "When Information Architecture Can Fall Short"

...continue to read "The “My Hyperlink Can Beat Your Hyperlink” Contest (Winners just announced… )"

...continue to read "How to Write Persuasive Links"

Matt Cutts’ comments on how to report paid links raised a stink. It seems that paid links are undetectable by Google. The transactions take place by email or completely offline so, if it’s done well, Google wouldn’t know.

It seems Google wants to recruit the public to report on link buying. Good paid links aren’t obviously paid. So, Google will be divining whether or not those links are paid and then penalizing your site. Might some nasty competitor buy a textlink ad…

...continue to read "Google Can Afford A Clue; Instead They Want Informers?"

In case someone in your organization forgot, ask them if they can spare four and a half minutes to watch this engaging video:

YouTube – Web 2.0 … The Machine is Us/ing Us

...continue to read "It’s All About the Links!"

Develop a hyperlinking strategy that lets their buying decision processes work seamlessly with your sales process

I could see you nodding your heads when I discussed the need to marry your sales process to your visitors’ buying decision processes. “Yep,” you murmured. “That sounds about right.” Then I heard a collective pause, some head scratching and this: “Uh, nice theory, Grok. But how do I put it into practice?”

You make this theory a reality in our business through hyperlinks. Hyperlinks that persuade…

...continue to read "Calls-to-Action, Points-of-Resolution and Resolving Doors"