How to structure and write web content for readability, clear focus, solid UX, and accessible color and typography, with do and do-not examples in HTML, CSS, and copy.
Website Content and Presentation
This section is about what visitors see and read: wording, layout of ideas, visual emphasis, and color choices that support comprehension. It complements Content Modeling (schema and CMS structure) and Semantic HTML (meaningful markup). Strong content modeling and markup still fail if paragraphs are dense, calls to action compete with each other, or contrast is too low to read comfortably.
Throughout this section, Do blocks show patterns worth copying; Don't blocks show common failures (sometimes simplified for clarity).
Goals for web content
Chapters in this section
- Readability and typography - plain language, microcopy basics, line measure, body type sizing.
- Structure and hierarchy - headings, landmarks, lists, page hierarchy, visual focus, calls to action, whitespace.
- Forms and interactions - link text, navigation, form field labels and errors, mobile-first DOM order.
- Microcopy and error states - buttons, validation messages, empty states, loading, success, 404 pages.
- Color and contrast - WCAG targets, design tokens, dark mode, identifying links beyond colour.
- Images and media - meaningful alt text, decorative images, captions, video, audio.
- Information architecture - site navigation, breadcrumbs, taxonomies, search UX, URL design.
Page-level checklist
Use this before shipping or when auditing an existing page.
Related reading
- Content Modeling - types, fields, and CMS-level structure
- Semantic HTML - meaningful elements and accessibility hooks
- Web Performance - speed, images, and Core Web Vitals
- CSS: Colors and Typography - fonts, units, and color in stylesheets