It's the words that matter. Research into how people use the Web repeatedly shows that the words used on a website are crucial to its success. It seems obvious when you think about it. Yet we are so preoccupied with the colour, the design, the links and the layout that the question 'What is the site going to say?' is often the last thing we consider. Successful sites are those with a clear purpose, clearly expressed. They contain the right amount of information, and are well structured and presented. Many websites fail because they have not been properly thought out or carefully written. They do not communicate well with the user or give the relevant information. The Web is a demanding medium for writers. You have a few seconds in which to get the user's interest and you can lose it very quickly; you have to organise your material quite differently from the way you would for a printed publication; and your product is never finished. This Simple Guide will help you understand the medium you are writing for and meet those demands. It will take you through the process of writing for the Web step by step, giving you techniques for tackling individual tasks, useful examples of what works and what doesn't, and a reminder of the basic rules of written English. Whether you are starting from scratch or maintaining an existing site, you can keep the Simple Guide by your side and consult it as you go along.