Well written bullet points, or numbered lists are usually simple and elegant solutions to displaying information.
But, for editors creating lots of pages on a website, simple lists can sometimes feel boring. It’s tempting to add more visual content types to try to make them more interesting. This can actually make it more difficult for users to find the information they need, because they could be distracted by more complicated layouts or use of different colours.
Almost all visitors to a web page will skim the infomation and will only read around 20-25% of the words. Presenting the information using simple lists and clear headings is a great way of grabbing their attention.
Don’t be afraid to use multiple lists on a page, using clear headings, if it is the best way of ordering the information
List do’s
- Do use clear headings
- Do include an introduction at the top of the page
- Do keep it simple, and edit lists to keep them concise
- Do use tools like the Hemingway app to check your content
- Do list the most important, or frequently used information at the top of your lists
List don’ts:
- Don’t be tempted to add more visually interesting content
- Don’t write long or complex bullet points
- Don’t use lots of sub-bullets
Find out how to build General content in Site Manager
Find out how to use bullet points and in the writing style guide, or read this article on the Little Known Ways to Write Fascinating Bullet Points.