Web writing overviewWriting for the web is different from writing for print publications. Research has shown that people typically come to websites with a specific task in mind and scan for information rather than read the full text. Style guideWriting on the web is more conversational than the administrative style used in typical European Commission writing. Use language that your audience uses, rather than what your colleagues in the Commission probably use.Structuring page contentUsers may find your page through a search engine or by clicking a link on a different website. Each page needs to make sense as a free-standing unit, without relying on the context provided by navigating through the site’s architecture.FormattingIt is important to use headings to have a clear page structure. Users often skim a page by its headings, which are also used by search engines to index the page content. Upper or lower caseThe basic rule is that proper nouns have an initial capital but common nouns do not. Initial capitals are often employed to excess in commercial and administrative circles, but they can be visually distracting and are often unnecessary, so should be used sparingly. When in doubt, use lower case.PunctuationSplit your sentences to a maximum of about 25 words with one idea per sentence. If you need to break up your text with commas, dashes or brackets, it is often a sign that your sentences are too long and complicated. Dates, numbers and symbolsThere is a defined way to write dates, numbers and symbols on the web in English. Refer to these rules to ensure we communicate numbers correctly and consistently.LinkingWebsites interconnect via the web through (hyper)links. Link labels should tell the user where they will end up when they click on them. Use keywords or the title of the page you’re linking to, as long as it describes the content clearly. Follow these guidelines to create links. Jargon and clear writing alternativesSometimes it is difficult to realise what counts as jargon, when this jargon is used in our everyday duties. Find here plain language alternatives to common EU jargon and false friends. If there is no plain language alternative, then explain the jargon. Other style guidesThis section links to other style guides that have been produced by the European Commission and other EU institutions. It also shares some of the best style guides available on the internet.
Web writing overviewWriting for the web is different from writing for print publications. Research has shown that people typically come to websites with a specific task in mind and scan for information rather than read the full text.
Style guideWriting on the web is more conversational than the administrative style used in typical European Commission writing. Use language that your audience uses, rather than what your colleagues in the Commission probably use.
Structuring page contentUsers may find your page through a search engine or by clicking a link on a different website. Each page needs to make sense as a free-standing unit, without relying on the context provided by navigating through the site’s architecture.
FormattingIt is important to use headings to have a clear page structure. Users often skim a page by its headings, which are also used by search engines to index the page content.
Upper or lower caseThe basic rule is that proper nouns have an initial capital but common nouns do not. Initial capitals are often employed to excess in commercial and administrative circles, but they can be visually distracting and are often unnecessary, so should be used sparingly. When in doubt, use lower case.
PunctuationSplit your sentences to a maximum of about 25 words with one idea per sentence. If you need to break up your text with commas, dashes or brackets, it is often a sign that your sentences are too long and complicated.
Dates, numbers and symbolsThere is a defined way to write dates, numbers and symbols on the web in English. Refer to these rules to ensure we communicate numbers correctly and consistently.
LinkingWebsites interconnect via the web through (hyper)links. Link labels should tell the user where they will end up when they click on them. Use keywords or the title of the page you’re linking to, as long as it describes the content clearly. Follow these guidelines to create links.
Jargon and clear writing alternativesSometimes it is difficult to realise what counts as jargon, when this jargon is used in our everyday duties. Find here plain language alternatives to common EU jargon and false friends. If there is no plain language alternative, then explain the jargon.
Other style guidesThis section links to other style guides that have been produced by the European Commission and other EU institutions. It also shares some of the best style guides available on the internet.
