in WordPress and Minotaure environment.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Deal with copy-paste
- Structure your content
- 1. Develop your own storytelling using Minotaure widgets
- 2. Use structural content elements
- Forms management
Deal with copy-paste
It is quite common to copy and paste existing content into your new website managed by WordPress and Minotaure. It is also frequent that this simple copy/paste brings a whole series of layout dysfunctions.
The main reason is that generally we do not copy only plain text but text AND its typographical enrichment.
The most obvious case is a copy made from a content editor software such as Microsoft Word. The simple copy (Crtl+C) of the text will also copy information about the typography used, the font size, even the spacing, the colors. In the vast majority of cases these elements are not necessary in the environment in which you want to paste (Crtl+V) the content. Indeed, typography, interlining, element styles, structural styles (titles, subtitles...), color are managed by the stylesheet (CSS) of your website which is the guarantee of your visual identity and a coherent visual environment.
It is therefore always important to avoid importing more than plain text content.
Tip for editing
Write your content directly into the appropriate widgets. It's always best to create or adapt its content according to the specific environment.
How to avoid problems with paste ?
Use an third party tool that is not able to paste the layout. This can be, for example, a plain text editor (NotePad in Windows, TextEdit in Mac) or an HTML code editor (Atome, SublimeText,...).
Some software allows you to make a "special" paste that will automatically delete the tags, this is the case with TextEdit on Mac: Paste and adapt the style.
Structure your content
The principle of Minotaure is to take maximum advantage of the great flexibility given to editors to create content that is attractive, clear and pleasant to read. A major challenge is also to allow users to quickly "scan" the pages to understand their structure and essential elements in a minimum of time.
Please consider these 2 ways to achieve this :
1. Develop your own storytelling using Minotaure widgets
If you had the opportunity to participate in the Spade (opens new window)workshops, you are probably already familiar with the use of our Minotaure wooden cards.
Minotaure wooden cards used during workshops
There is no doubt that these participating workshops can be organized again internally according to the content needs to be created. Develop its storytelling can be done taking into account some rules which allow to remain coherent:
- Create viewing habits within the pages you create: always start with a Hero for example to help your users understand how to navigate your site. Often end with a contact form or consider content that allows you to "bounce" to other content. The repetition of certain content elements allows to repeat the essential elements, to highlight the expected actions, to respond more quickly to the different expectations identified among your target audiences.
- Find the tone of voice of your site. Are you more familiar, pedagogical or rather official ? Identify yourself with a us or the name of your company ? Once you have your tone of voice, stay focused throughout the writing of your content. Another option is to develop a tone of voice based on your typology of target audiences (think of your personas if Spade helped you to create them).
- Do the same for your illustrations. It is also about the tone of voice. If you use drawings, use the same illustrator throughout your site. For photos, use framing, subjects, filters (black and white, sepia...) in a unified way.
- Find the right widget for the right content! This may sound easy said like this 😃 It is known that, in practice, the contents are often longer and more complex than in mock-ups validated before that. But considering the plurality of widgets you have, think first to adapt your content to the widgets and not the other way around (and if it really doesn't work, it's not the right widget for sure!)
- Think Mobile First ! Don't forget that a big big amount of your users will read your content with a smartphone.
2. Use structural content elements
- But first: be brief! We are online, not in a university library, users are used to do it as quickly as possible, so make it easier for them (show empathy, try to put yourself in their shoes, it will help you in case of a lack of inspiration). Structure your content with headings. You generally have 3 to 6 levels of headings within your website. Use them, users will scan your content more easily and quickly.
- Use short labels. A button must contain only one action at a time and it will be easier to understand if it is unambiguous and in a common language. Especially when you use a mobile, buttons that are too long may leave the viewport.
- Typographic enrichments make reading easier. A word in bold, in italic, a bulleted or numbered list,... are all enhancements that will help the user to find his marks on page.
- One style at a time! No need to put bold in a heading, italics in a quote,... Let's even go further: no need to center or align your titles or paragraphs on the right: this is managed by the stylesheet of your website, it guarantees coherence and aesthetics.
Forms management
Minotaure is delivered with a plugin called Gravity Form (opens new window)which will allow you to manage most of the forms you will host on your website.
The editor of this great tool has its own User Guide that we recommend to read to learn how to best manage your online forms.