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Websites that save the world?

Part 3: Language guidelines for comprehensible websites 

Everyone wants to contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, right? Although the goals are formulated on the basis of an emergency situation, they also affect businesses in small, safe Sweden.

This blog deals with the organisation ABC and how their work with the website contributes to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Part 3 explains how ABC works with the linguistic expression on the website. Part 1 was about how ABC took control of the content of the Website and Part 2 was about how ABC used the shape of the Websites to make the Website searchable and accessible to all.

Del tre av Språkkonsulternas bloggserie "Webbplatser som räddar världen?"

Part 3: Language guidelines for comprehensible websites

Many employees write texts to ABC’s website. The project group can see that many texts are good, while others have shortcomings. Above all, they also see that the texts are very different. More guidelines are needed here, and now it’s time for guidelines to write consistently, comprehensibly and for the right conversion.

Role allocation also needs to be clearer. Who decides what the language at ABC should look like? How should ABC “sound” on the web?

The project group discusses and concludes that it is the web editors who know the most about language and text. They are also the ones who put the finishing touches to the content that is published. Therefore, they should develop guidelines for the language. Initially, web editors should also review all web pages before they are published.

The web editors decide to formulate three rules that everyone who writes texts for the website must follow:

  1. Address visitors with “you”.
  2. Write in active voice.
  3. Use understandable words.

They are careful to state that the guidelines are for writing at work. How employees write at work isn't everyone’s thing, but ABCs. The guidelines are intended to help employees write in a uniform way and so that they help ABC to communicate their messages and have success with their business.

Language guidelines for a consistent and inclusive language

In the guidelines, the authors provide examples and role model texts to facilitate this. They know that far from everyone has encountered expressions such as “direct address” and “active language” before. Almost all employees are good at completely different things than languages, even though many of them are skilled writers.

Address visitors with “you”

The ABC project team understands that you-speak is often useful on a website that is aimed at “everyone”. They have also found that you-speak can help anyone writing on ABC to find easy, direct and effective phrases. They rephrase with you and direct prompts where they think it suits, using some of the wording as examples in the guidelines.

InstructionsDon't write like this
You get many advantages as a member of ABC. For example, you can apply for scholarships for skills development.An ABC membership brings many benefits. Grants can, for example, be applied for skills development.
Do something simple but valuable. Becomea member!Membership brings many benefits. Applying is easy.


Write in the active voice

In many of the texts on ABC’s website, it was difficult to see who would do what. The project group reformulated with verbs in active form so that the division of responsibilities is clear.

How to writeDon't write like this
Sign up here and we’ll send you our monthly newsletter.Our newsletter is distributed after registration.
Management recently revised ABC’s development policy. At the same time,we in the Development Unit revisedour plans for next year.When the policay was revised, plans were added for development in the coming year.


Now it’s easier for website visitors to understand who is doing what, and if they are going to do something themselves. There is a greater chance that they will stay on the page if they don't have to work so hard to understand what's happening.

Use easily understood words

Even though ABC’s business is not extremely abstract or difficult to understand, there are some technical terms that employees like to use. The website has also incorporated some legal phrases from the regulations they are subject to. The project team understands that this is a problem for many visitors. They created a short glossary to help employees express themselves more easily.

How to writeDon't write like this
We will determine how much compensation you will receive once we have received your details of the installation: what kind of system it is, how old it is and how worn it is.The compensation is based on the nature, age and condition of the installation.
Always include receipts showing the costs you have incurred.You must be able to prove the costs by showing receipts.

Finished guidelines?

There are now guidelines for content, structure and language on ABC. Is the work on the website complete? No, it is now time to plan and establish a management, i.e. an organisation that works to keep the guidelines up-to-date and relevant. The management organisation is also responsible for informing and training. For example, they ensure that all new employees are informed that the guidelines are in place, and everyone who is to contribute to the website is trained.

ABC benefits from the committed project team and the competent web editorial team who have been involved in drawing up the guidelines. They will now be part of the long-term management organisation, which will be part of ABC’s regular quality work.

By incorporating the website’s administration organisation into the regular quality work, they ensure that the changes they have made are permanent – with the help of the guidelines they have drawn up.

With language guidelines, you can contribute to these goals

All pages of the ABC website now have understandable language. But which of the UN’s global goals has the project group contributed to when they wrote about the texts?

  • Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
    With understandable language, ABC increases conversion. They test different versions of their texts with AB tests. This helps them choose formulations and features that have the impact on users they want.
  • Goal 16: Peaceful and inclusive communities
    The website is now possible for everyone to understand, regardless of functional capacity, as the language is understandable and unnecessary reading barriers have been removed.

This was the third part of the blog series about Aktiebolaget ABC. Please refer to Part 2, which dealt with the design of the web pages on the website. And don't miss Part 1 on how ABC took control of the content on the website.

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