NNGroup Content Strategy and Web Writing (4 Phases of Content Strategy · Content Inventory and Audit · Content Standards/Design Systems · 3 Content Management Models · 5 Scanning Patterns for How People Read Online · Inverted Pyramid · 7 Methods for Concise Writing · 5 Layout Approaches for Long-form Content · 3I/3C for Microcopy · 4 Dimensions of Tone of Voice · Content Testing · Eyetracking)
20 curated essential pieces from the Nielsen Norman Group knowledge base on content strategy and web writing, organized around three core axes: ① Content governance and process — Content Strategy is the high-level plan that precedes tactics (four phases: Plan, Create, Maintain, Unpublish); Content Strategy vs UX Writing (the former governs processes while the latter writes copy, with a 9-dimension division of responsibilities), Content Design, Content Inventory (listing all assets) vs Content Audit (assessing quality; inventory first, then audit, with audits conducted at least every 3 months), integrating Content Standards into design systems (global + specific, reviewed annually), 3 intranet content management models (centralized/decentralized/hybrid), 5 types of content user stories in Agile (including content research Spikes), and Information Architecture (IA) vs Sitemap. ② How to write content people will actually read — People primarily read online via Scanning (13 years, 500+ participants, 750 hours of eyetracking data); 5 classic scanning patterns (F-pattern/Spotted/Layer-Cake/Commitment/Lawn Mower) plus new patterns (Pinball: 158 jumps in 14 seconds; Love-at-First-Sight SERP: 20% of users view only one result); the Inverted Pyramid with conclusions placed first; 7 methods for concise writing (including Kill Your Darlings); 5 layout approaches for long-form content (summaries/bold highlighting ≤30%/key points/callouts/visuals); microcopy (<3 sentences) with the 3I framework (Inform/Influence/Interact) + 3C framework (Clarity/Concision/Character); 4 dimensions of Tone of Voice (funny-serious/formal-informal/respectful-disrespectful/enthusiastic-matter-of-fact). ③ How to validate — Content testing uses open-ended information-finding tasks + open-ended follow-up questions; Eyetracking setup (fixation maps: 8–12 participants; heatmaps: 39 participants; Tobii Spectrum). Target readers = product managers; jargon is explained in-line; decision-oriented (when to use/how to choose/counterexamples).