Consider Reader Expectations

Given the wide range of individuals with access to the Web, writers must anticipate the needs of a much more diverse group of readers than is the case with documents distributed in print or via e-mail. Therefore, writers tend to provide a significant amount of guidance about the purpose of a Web page and the Web site on which it appears. As they consider their readers’ needs, they are likely to reflect on their own experiences surfing the Web. Writers know that readers of Web pages want to get to the point quickly and locate the information they need without a great deal of effort. They understand that readers interested in judging the credibility or reliability of a site will look for links to information about its authors and publishers. They know that readers want to be able to anticipate where a link on a page will lead them if they follow it. And writers know that readers expect the media elements on the page to contribute in some meaningful way to its purpose. In other words, they know that their readers expect a well-written, well-designed page that is worth the time they invest in finding and reading it.