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Put Your Website to the Sixth Grade Test |
Greetings!
Did you see the contest Newt Gingrich ran on YouTube recently?
It challenged people to create a video to explain why tax increases will hurt the American economy, leading to less revenue for the government, not more.
There were only two rules.
1) The video must be 120 seconds or less; and
2) It must be simple enough for a 6th grade classroom or a Congressman to understand.
While the entire premise of the contest is a clever way to involve voters in Newt's message, Rule #2 is something for us all to live by. |
Whether you are a candidate or an organization, your website, your newsletters and any other messaging should be "simple enough for a 6th grade classroom or a congressman to understand." (I'm sure it's those Democratic congressmen he's referencing!)
In this world of media and information overload, it's a big mistake to make your reader work too hard to understand your message.
So, here are four 6th grade rules to keep in mind: |
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6th graders have a good, but limited vocabulary. Keep your language simple - no 50 cent words that may have impressed your thesis advisor, but tune out the other 99% of the population.
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6th graders have a limited attention span. Get to the point. This is a case where less is definitely more. Short paragraphs and bulleted text help readers absorb your message quickly.
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6th graders like to be entertained. Lose the policy wonk-ish explanations that put readers to sleep by the second sentence. (Do 6th graders know what a wonk is? Maybe dweeb or nerd would be a better choice!)
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For 6th graders, "It's all about me". Clearly communicate the benefits of your policy ideas to your audience. Let them know why they should care.
In short, make it easy on visitors to your website or your newsletter subscribers. Assume they will devote no more than 30 seconds or a minute to your message. Can they get something meaningful? Will they be drawn in to read for another minute or two? It's up to you. |
