Web writing guidelines

Writing 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.

Writing 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.

Users 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.

It 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.

The 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.

Split 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.

There 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.