Long lines of text tend to make it difficult for eyes to track back to the beginning of the next line. To make it easier for people to read or scan the page, keep content blocks narrow by limiting the characters to approximately 65 per line.

Narrow block example: Capilano University is a teaching-focused university offering a wide range of programs and services that enable students to succeed in their current studies, in their ongoing education, in their chosen careers, in their lifelong pursuit of knowledge and in their contribution as responsible citizens in a rapidly changing and diverse global community.

Headings help people scan pages for information. On the web, up to 6 different headers can be used: h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6. Heading 1 (h1) tags are the largest and are most often used as the page title. The rest are used as subtitles to help divide content into different sections. Check out the 2 examples below. Which one would you prefer reading or scanning? Capilano University’s ePortfolios use WordPress, which are already equipped with an editor that can work with heading tags, so go ahead and try them out!

Use white space to help improve visual hierarchy of your website. Grouping content together can help draw attention to the important areas of the site and help people find what they’re looking for.

Break long paragraphs into short 1-2 sentence paragraphs to keep ideas simple and easier to read. Emails are usually written this way for clarity and so can your website content. Scanners often read the top line of each paragraph to gauge whether or not the topic is useful to them before reading the rest. Example: Capilano University has earned an international reputation for quality teaching, programs and services. We strive to instill the knowledge, skills, motivation and attitudes that will enable our students to become independent thinkers and learners, and to contribute effectively in a rapidly changing world. Capilano University is well known for providing a solid academic foundation and is committed to developing new and innovative programs in response to market demand. We offer a complete range of preparatory courses, arts and sciences courses, business and management studies, creative and applied arts programs, health and human services programs, plus a range of services in support of student learning and success. Credentials awarded include bachelor degrees, associate degrees, post-baccalaureate diplomas, advanced diplomas, certificates and statements of completion.

Even when it might seem obvious, define your acronyms at least once to help prevent miscommunication. Example:

• Continuing Studies and Executive Education (CSEE)
• What-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG)