WHITE PAPERS AND ARTICLES

RIGHTING THE WRONGS OF INTERACTIVE WRITING
Article appeared in BIG IDEA Magazine in May, 2004
Written by Beth Newhart

Reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. These three words have been pounded into the heads of American schoolchildren since the dawn of the public school system. Children are expected to learn the basics in each subject in order to function in society. Excel in one, and you’ve probably determined your life’s course.

Of those three concepts, the creative arts gravitate toward writing as any product coming from the industry generally starts with the writing. Art directors are paired up with copywriters to craft television and radio spots, print ads and outdoor boards. The creative eye isn’t relied upon to come up with the snappy tagline; the writer isn’t expected to draw a pretty picture.

But the interactive industry has bucked that trend, sometimes leaving writers entirely out of the creative process. That omission hasn’t always been a good thing, and no matter the reason, people are taking notice at the relative lack of well-written copy on websites. A call to action is being heard: It’s time to right the wrongs of interactive writing.

Taken to School
In the 2003 Communication Arts Interactive Annual, one judge’s comments starkly stood out among the other remarks. Nick Law, vice president of visual design at R/GA, an interactive agency in New York, voiced concerns over the writing featured in many of the entries. "It’s been a blind spot," he said about the content of the entries received.

That in and of itself isn’t such a bad thing to hear, but Law wasn’t finished: "As soon as the interactive industry is able, it has to get the best people to do this, instead of some guy who knows a little bit of Flash and writes on the side…There’s still a little bit of ‘I can do it all’ in the interactive culture," he continued. "Give me a Pop-Tart, and I’ll stay up all night and finish it." Not exactly comments you’d want to hear from someone given the task to judge the best work your industry has to offer.

In its defense, the industry is a relatively new medium still evolving. Websites in the early ‘90s were merely home pages with contact information and scant information. "Remember that most people used language like ‘Have you seen our web page?’ or ‘Check out our home page’," says Lance Thornswood, vice president and director of technology at TEQUILA/Minneapolis, a division of MartinÙWilliams. "It was one dimensional because it was little more than an online lobby placard."

"One of the biggest mistakes made early on was to assume that the Web was a ‘sit back’ medium," says Mike Swartz, director of strategy of Atomic Playpen in Minneapolis. Web surfers were thought to sit back, watch the screen and learn. "The reality is that the Web is a ‘lean forward’ medium in which the audience is more fully engaged in the experience."

Toward the end of the decade, a new website model was evolving. "…executives began to question the ROI [Return on Investment] of their own website investments, amidst a deluge of Internet hype perpetuated by the media," says Swartz, and websites evolved into the marketing, sales and operation vehicles we’re now familiar with.

On the Client Side
Clients place their trust in the interactive firms creating their websites, and they know full well that a poorly executed site is not only a waste of time and money but generates a poor view of the company by those visiting. Bad writing, in general, screams lack of professionalism. Typos, poor grammar and long-winded diatribes are cues to a site visitor that a click back to Google might yield a better business with which to deal.

"Writing for the Web demands that the content be clear, concise and to the point," says Audrey Benjamin, Internet marketing manager for UnitedHealthcare in Minneapolis. "More importantly, the page layout and content need to be formatted for how users interact with the site." While redesigning her company’s website, her writers worked to eliminate corporate terms and jargon and make the site more user friendly incorporating links to related information and using descriptive headers, subheads and meta tags to guide the users through the content.

American Express has also designed its site with the ultimate user in mind. "The copy is the heart of the site; it’s how we communicate to our visitors, so we have to take great care in what we say," says Jim Cuene, manager of strategy and analysis for interactive enterprise development at the company and based in Minneapolis.

"Good writing can make a world of difference," he says. "Or I should say, bad writing can make a world of difference.

"The best writing is so straightforward and clear that the user doesn’t even think about it, much less appreciate how transparent the style is, how balanced the tone is, how the appropriate language is being used.

"Bad writing gets in your way, distracts and dissatisfies."

Writing on the Wall
The World Wide Web has always been the playground for those fascinated with technology, animation and cool graphics, but bottom lines are being drawn by corporate executives across the country, and interactive companies are taking note. "I love design. I love strong graphics. I even love gee-whiz multimedia," says Charlie McGrath, creative director at Structure Interactive in Grand Rapids, Michigan." But I like communication more." Writing and design need to work together, and traditional marketers developed that approach years ago, McGrath continues. Web designers, however, are just now catching up.

"Writers have always played a key role in creating our work," says David Rossiter, creative director at Enlighten, an interactive design company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Slightly ahead of the curve, Enlighten hires writers with backgrounds varying from traditional agencies to film-making and even academia. But Enlighten’s brethren are behind. "There is a lot of bad copy on the Web, no doubt," says Rossiter. "A good deal of it is re-purposed and poorly edited in the process. Most of it borders on illiterate."

"Copy shouldn’t be a filler any more than graphics should be eye candy," says Jason Fried of 37 Signals in Chicago. "Everything needs to add value. Every word — and graphic — needs a purpose."

Then he becomes blunt: "Copy is the wrong place to skimp."

Grab a Partner
Many people think this skimping is a large part of the overall problem. "As with print media, clients seem to put a lower value on creative writing services than creative design services," says Molly Stein, a freelance web writer in Minneapolis. "They kick, scream and bleed through the pores when they get the writing estimate. I think that web designers will tell you that sites often go unlaunched because clients can’t do the writing and don’t want to pay someone else to do it."

Scott Muskin is a senior writer at target.direct, the direct merchandising and electronic retailing division of Target Corporation. He sees the outdated model of "web designer do all" fading away, even for small companies. "I can see saving money," he says. But those savings come with a cost. "What you save in money pales in comparison to the insight you gain and the pleasure and positive experience a customer has in coming to your site."

Most web designers and clients are coming to the realization that quality design AND content go hand in hand. Messages are conveyed by both word and image, and a lone designer cannot be relied upon to develop both. One obvious way to change the situation is to approach web design the same way print ads and television spots are created: Form a team consisting of a designer and a writer. Most people agree that this type of pairing will produce a higher quality of website that is appreciated not only by design judges [like Mr. Law] but by visitors to the site as well.

"A website needs to clearly communicate its message through the integration of imagery and content," says Sandy Marsico, principal of Sandstorm Design in Chicago, although she later admits that some clients simply don’t have the budget for both. "The web is a marketing tool," she says, "and the best way to use this tool is through effective communication in design and writing."

"Can writers convey their messages in design?" asks Charlie McGrath facetiously. "Some designers can write. Some can even write well. But most can’t — just like most people in general can’t — and they probably shouldn’t try." McGrath thinks that most competent interactive shops are already pairing up writers and designers, and his company strives for that.

The Right Writer
Once the decision to bring a writer on board is made, the next question begging to be answered is: "What kind of a writer should we get?" Writers come in various shapes and sizes. Copywriters are available, journalists can be found. Just who is the best writer for the projects? The opinions vary greatly.

Muskin of target.direct sees both sides of the story. With capable web writers available, there’s no excuse not to hire one. "But…good copy is good copy. You can just do so much more when you understand the medium."

"People read differently when they’re online," says Minneapolis-based web writer Kristina Halvorson. In her opinion, a greater understanding of information architecture and usability testing are necessary for a writer to craft copy for the Web — two disciplines that go beyond traditional agency copywriting.

Hilary Marsh, president of the Content Company also in Chicago, agrees that web writing is different from writing for print ads. The physical ability to read on a screen versus a printed page, maintaining attention and the constraints of a screen all play a part in how the message should be crafted. "People don’t always scroll, so pages need to be short — not more than two screens at most," she says.

Others see a more global approach to web writing. At the beginning of the 20th century, those we would call copywriters only wrote for print. The introduction of radio and television later in the century required an evolution in writing, and the Web may be no different.

"A smart writer understands the parameters of the medium whether it is print, broadcast, outdoor or interactive, " says William J. Jurewicz, CEO and creative director at space150 in Minneapolis. "If you think you’re only good at one, you’re honestly not good at any of them."

"I think it really takes only a fundamental understanding of some usability issues related to website usage," says Mike Swartz of Atomic Playpen. "With a grasp of these concepts, a skilled writer who understands basic marketing principles and their subject matter can adapt their style to the Web."

Charlie McGrath of Structure Interactive echoes that sentiment. "A good copywriter who’s willing to learn the new rules will do well." But his company does have ways to weed out writers who won’t work well.

Our basic rule in interviews [of potential web writers] is if a writer talks about ‘fun’ or ‘entertainment,’ we run."

Chalk It Up
Lessons are still being learned, but experience tells us that the world of interactive writing will improve. Contentious web companies and in-house interactives will adapt and flourish, even if a few trips to the blackboard might still be in order. With patience, we will soon be surfing a more literate marketing-oriented Web.

Beth Newhart thinks the greatest web writer of all time is E. B. White.

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