4. For question #2, what did you do differently from the original post?
Please outline, explain and justify what you changed & why.
Essentially, what did you learn from this new topic and what did you change and why. (8 Marks)
I improved my structure and made multiple changes to improve readability and engage the users while following the criteria for the F-pattern and plain English writing objectives.
First I changed my headings from full sentences to short scannable phrases. This gets to the point of my messaging purpose and interacts with the reader immediately with little to know effort from the reader. Placing the most important information at the top, for example, “Transform Your Space with BellePrintedPaintings”, showcases my business name which helps strengthen brand recognition as well as highlights the purpose of my business. The use of the power word “transform” was used to grab attention and inspire the audience to take action and learn more. People tend to read the first line more carefully and then skim through the rest of the page which I also set up with this in mind.
I removed unnecessary words and simplified my phrases from the original version to fit a clearer and simpler framework of plain English. For example, in my original copy, I had written “Embrace tranquillity and enhance your well-being with nature-inspired art in your home.”. I changed it to “Relax, Refresh, Reconnect with Nature.”. I also condensed “Discover the serene beauty of nature with our print-on-demand paintings”, into a shorter more digestible phrase “Bring the outdoors in”. These changes follow the criteria of plain language by quickly resonating with my audience and making it easier and faster for them to understand my messaging when reading on the web
I changed my complex passive sentences into short bullet-style statements/phrases. I also Bolded these phrases so that the most important messages would stick out when the reader scanned my content. I incorporated words and phrases that would resonate better with a broad audience than my first version.
Example:
Old Version:
- “Customizable to fit any space.”
- “Studies have shown that nature-inspired art can positively impact well-being.”
- “Accessible art for everyone!”
New Version:
- “Bring the Outside In – Art that creates a peaceful atmosphere.”
- “Customize Your Space – Choose prints that match your style.”
- “Feel the Benefits – Studies show nature-inspired art enhances well-being.”
Breaking up the text in this way improves the readability of my content for skimming and allows the reader to absorb my messages more quickly and ignore things that they don’t perceive as a benefit. This structure is also more appealing for mobile users and is easier for the reader. People enjoy it when they can find answers and solutions very quickly and effortlessly. They appreciate this rather than long sentences that include complex words. The purpose of this is to make the reader’s needs easy to find. This way of speaking also uses an active voice which encourages the reader to take action. It triggers emotionally appealing benefits, that guide them through my content down to my CTA.
My original CTA was too long and generic. To change this I decided to add a shorter sentence that acted as a closing sentence for my body that logically led to my new CTA which used a very direct and active tone.
Old Version:
“Start exploring the benefits of nature-inspired art in your home today!”
New Version:
We want to make it easy to fill your home with beauty and tranquillity!
Shop Our Collection Now!
I chose to do this to be personable as that is my brand voice, but then lead into a very direct CTA that is bold and underlined so that the reader isn’t confused about what action I want them to take next. CTA’s are important because if they are vague or not direct enough people will not get a sense of urgency and they will wait for a better time and likely not buy. The way I wrote this is intended to create excitement and urgency, while the sentence above is intended to soften up the reader to my brand so I still come off as authentic and genuine. This emotion aligns with my brand values and brand voice, whereas my actual clickable CTA is straightforward and tells the reader what they should do next. This emotionally leads my reader to click on the call to action and explore a potential purchase.
What I learned from this new topic of plain language is that less is more when it comes to writing content for the web. I learned how important it is to understand who my audience is and figure out what they already know, then direct messages to what they need to know. Writing for a digital audience is different from traditional ways of writing because it is most important to structure your sentences in a way that makes it easy for the reader to find what they are looking for. Utilizing F-pattern and plain language is key for making sure they can identify and understand what we are trying to say. This helps write content in a way that is easiest for people to find the information they are looking for when scanning the page. Using these strategies together ensures we successfully are writing for the reader’s ease. Making it super simple and easy for them to understand, empowering the reader by using words that resonate with the broader majority. I also realized how essential it is to speak in an active tone for marketing a message to the reader and to be very direct when speaking. This is especially important for crafting a strong and effective CTA because we want to make it effortless for the user to act on the information we are sharing. By applying these principles to my writing i believe my revised version is now more effective, engaging, user, and mobile-friendly.