Writing for the Web - Strategic Communications and Marketing

Writing Clear, Accessible, and SEO-Friendly Web Content

Effective web content at Kennesaw State balances clarity, accessibility, and discoverability by search engines. Here, we introduce you to the current best practices for writing in alignment with KSU’s brand, focusing on user experience, search engine optimization (SEO), and long-term content maintenance. Campus website editors can use these standards as a quick reference when creating or updating web page content.

Please keep in mind that website standards will change frequently. This page will be updated accordingly and should be checked to ensure content is kept fresh and accessible.

Writing for the Brand and Tone of KSU

Every piece of web content should reflect the brand identity of Kennesaw State University. Writing should align with our university’s brand and editorial guidelines, reinforcing a unified voice that is clear, professional, and approachable. Having a consistent tone across our colleges and departments strengthens our digital presence and ensures users experience a unified voice.

We must create web content that is:

Consistent: Follow KSU’s editorial styleguide for grammar, punctuation, and terminology.
Student-focused: Prioritize clarity and benefits to the reader.
Authentic: Use active voice and direct language that reflects our Strategic Plan.

Writing for the User Experience (UX)

UX writing focuses on making content useful, readable, and functional with actions that are relevant to our audiences. Most users scroll and skim webpages rather than read word-for-word. Because of this, content needs to be developed and maintained with structure and clarity in mind.

Effective UX writing respects the following:

Clarity First: Use plain language and shorter sentences with more direct messaging.
Scannability: Break text into short paragraphs with clear subheadings, lists, and bolding where appropriate.
Inverted Pyramid: Lead with the most important content at the top of the page.
Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Use specific, active phrases like Apply Now or Request Information with lead in text that clearly defines what users will be accessing when completing an action.

Remember that UX writing respects the user’s time while guiding them to the next step in their goal.

Writing for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

seo writer editing code on the computer screen

SEO ensures web content can be found by the right audience at the right time, suggested by search engine results (ex: Google and Bing). A well-optimized page not only improves search result rankings, but also drives quality traffic—students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members actively seeking information with a goal in mind.

Without SEO, even the most useful content may remain invisible to users searching on Google. With it, pages can gain higher visibility, attract more visitors, and provide measurable returns on the time and resources spent creating content. Strong SEO reinforces your credibility, since users tend to trust sites that appear at the top of their search results.

Effective SEO balances your keyword strategy with natural, human-centered writing.

Steps to Optimize Your Content for Search

Keyword Use: Place primary keywords in your titles, headings, and early in your body content. Use variations and related terms for context after you’ve conducted your keyword research. Avoid keyword “stuffing” so that your content isn’t oversaturated with your keywords. Use user-centered, high-quality content written in a natural, engaging way rather than for search engines. Incorporate your keywords organically, using synonyms and related terms to diversify your content.
Diversify Your Content: Besides written content, use rich media like relevant images that are ADA compliant, quality videos with added captions and proper placement. Remember to optimize your on-page elements such as having title tags and meta descriptions to give users an experience that aligns with search engine best practices and compliance.
Headings and Content Structure: Ensure your pages have a single H1 (20-60 characters long) and clear H2/H3/H4 subheadings that help categorize your content in order from top to bottom.
Metadata: Your Metadata helps to categorize and summarize a page’s content, presenting it to users in search results. It’s one of the first things users will see when searching for your page. This is your chance to persuade users to click on your page in the search results. Having clear, actionable, and descriptive meta data enhances both the accessibility and SEO performance of your content.
- Meta titles: 50-60 characters in length
- Meta Descriptions: 140-155 characters in length
Page URLs: Keep your URLs short, readable, and optimized for search. Here are a few optimized URLs at KSU:
Updated and Relevant: Keep content up to date — make it evergreen or refresh dates to show it’s current.

Quick Reference Guide: Web Writing Best Practices

Content Length & Structure

Sentences: ≤ 30 words
Paragraphs: ≤ 3–4 sentences
Headings: ≤ 60 characters
Bulleted / numbered lists: Use only for clarity and scannability

Formatting for Readability

Important content should appear in the top 30% of the web page
Bold only the most critical points
Use white space to avoid overwhelming readers

Accessibility Standards

Alt text required for all images
Use meaningful link labels; do NOT use “Click Here”
Write in plain language to avoid jargon

SEO Alignment

Primary keyword in title, first paragraph, and headings with variations
Related keywords for context
Engaging, action-oriented meta descriptions

More Best Practices

Maintaining and Updating Web Content

Content quality declines quickly if left unchecked for updates. Content can become outdated and irrelevant to a user’s search. This will cause users to “bounce” from a page, causing their trust in our website to weaken. Routine content checks ensure KSU websites remain accurate, trustworthy, and effective over time.

Web Content Maintenance Checklist:

Review Your Web Content Every Semester: Update your content for accuracy and relevance to your users.
Check Links and Files: Repair all broken links and replace outdated documents.
Refresh Evergreen Pages: Update dates and details to maintain trust and authority with our users.
Evaluate Page Performance: Notify the Stratcomm Web Team to use analytics to identify high-traffic or high-exit pages to adjust content as needed.
Archive Content Responsibly: Remove or redirect obsolete pages to avoid confusing users and damaging your SEO. Remember, it’s better to have one source of truth for a user’s search than 10 different pages they need to search through to complete their action.

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