Content audits aren’t one-and-done projects. Content degrades over time. Sites grow. Strategies evolve. User needs change. If you don’t build in a way of keeping on top of it, you’ll find yourself back where you started in a year or two – sitting on a pile of content nobody is quite sure about.

This is such a useful post, whether you're experienced with content audits or attempting one for the first time.

It took a little longer to get here than planned, but I am pleased to tell you that the Clear Language Club blog is now live. Imagine!

It’s no ordinary blog, either. It combines different types of post with a focus on ‘link posts’. If you don’t know what the heck I mean by that, do not panic! It’s all explained in an exciting launch post.

Don’t forget, you can always reply to these emails. I’m just a wally with a keyboard and a dream. So do share your feedback. Tell me your thoughts.

And now on to the good stuff. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Iain

Good content

How to do a website content audit
An essential for your bookmarks – Lauren Pope provides all you need to know when it comes to planning and then doing a content audit. It's a brilliant resource, whether you're an old hand or auditing for the first time.

Top, right and other directional text
While I do think you should 'check out the links below', this is not a good way of pointing you in the right direction. Marian Avery at Content Design Ireland explains why and suggests some alternative ways of telling people where to go on a web page.

Designing for people with anxiety
A fab guide on the Tetra Logical blog that looks at how people with anxiety may experience your content. And of course, how you can make the process easier for them. I already shared this piece on the blog with some thoughts of my own.

Documenting a service as a content designer
This post by Amy Noss at Kainos covers all the reasons it's a good idea to document the content decisions you make. If you work in a large team or with other content bods, it's a must read.

Why delivering simple content isn’t simple
Matt Billingsley on the Content Design London blog looks at the idea of 'simple content' and how really, perhaps you need to get some systems in place first. Clear goals, user needs and shared standards. That kind of thing.

Choosing an accessible font

I have used (and heavily fiddled with) a custom Ghost theme for the Clear Language Club blog. I know it looks like a bit like Bluesky, but it gives me the foundations to do the things I need, like link posts.

Anyway, the theme comes with a few fonts to choose from. At first, I went with good old Inter. It's popular and fairly uncontroversial. Lots of people like it. I quite like it.

But then I thought, "This is a website about clear, accessible language. Surely there is something more appropriate out there?" And so off I went – on a wild font chase – to find a typeface that would make the blog easier to read for more people. Here's what I found.

First, this great explainer on accessible fonts provides some context if you need to persuade someone important that having a readable font is a good idea. And this post by Lizzie Bruce covers what actually makes a good, accessible, easy to read font.

If you want to get really into the weeds, I also recommend this detailed guide to what makes a typeface accessible by Gareth Ford Williams.

After lots of searching and much link following, I narrowed my search down to two fonts. They are both free, open-source and, quite handily, described in Kristian Mikhel's post on inclusive typefaces.

In fact, that post also mentions a font called Dyslexie, which is great for people who are dyslexic, but not right for Clear Language Club.

Inclusive Sans is a really lovely font that ticked plenty of boxes. It's designed for high readability and looks ace, but I couldn't get over how similar some of the letters are. For example, the upper case I and the lower case l are hard to distinguish. And as person called Iain, this is a known issue.

So in the end, I went with Atkinson Hyperlegible Next, a font developed at Braille Institute. It's designed specifically for people with low vision, but has features that make it easy on the eye for everyone. I think it looks fantastic. Kicks and flicks everywhere. It's even available through google Fonts.

I know it can be hard to make a big font change when you work at an organisation with an established brand. This is just a humble blog and I can do what the heck I like. However, do feel free to send some of these links to your designer pals or boss-like colleagues. It might just get a good conversation going.

Things to do now

Have I mentioned the new Clear Language Club blog? Go check that out and read the launch post if you haven't already. I recommend the RSS feed and using a free feed reader app to get new posts as they are published.

If you are new to the newsletter and want to subscribe, there is an official newsletter page. I also recommend the new about page too if you want to know more about the project and what it's all about. Oh – there is even a changelog!

It includes the following statistic and link:

According to a WebAIM survey of 1,539 people in January 2024, 71.6% of screen reader users navigate pages using headings.

Make a note of that, as it might come in handy for future discussions with your senior leadership team or design colleagues.

There are 4 basic elements of plain writing. If you consider these elements, you’ll be well on the way to writing in plain language. They are: structure, word choice, active voice, short sentences.

I really like the last section that explains why plain language benefits everyone. Always worth reminding yourself. And anyone who'll listen.

A lot of the ideas (or considerations) here are rooted in principles of good design and writing in clear language. But it's really useful to see how they translate to anxiety specifically.

These considerations focus on reducing cognitive load, lowering stress, and creating experiences that feel calmer and clearer for everyone. It’s not a complete list, but it highlights the areas that make the biggest difference to a calmer, more supportive user experience.

As someone who mostly works on government services these days, the section on transparency hit home:

It’s important to explain why certain information is being requested. If someone in real life asked for your date of birth or your pronouns without context, both personal details that aren’t automatically assumed, you might feel cautious or hesitant. Forms work the same way. Offering a brief explanation reduces worry, builds trust, and reassures people that their information is being requested for a clear, legitimate purpose.

This is in the context of creating a form, but I think it applies to any content where you are asking the user for something.

It's about being honest and clear, but you are also building trust. If a user thinks your website, service or organisation is being straight with them, that reduces the potential for anxiety.

There is another word I'd throw into the mix: acknowledgment. By explaining why you need a piece of information, you are showing empathy and understanding. You acknowledge that your request might cause anxiety, but providing reassurance that there is a reason for the ask.

You can follow a selection of links to other resources at the end of Feltham's blog post, including these designing for anxiety posters from the UK Home Office.

This is a fantastic paragraph:

Jargon always gives power to those who understand it, and takes power from those who don’t. It’s really important that we recognise this and think about who we’re empowering and disempowering when we use jargon.

Yes, in most cases, jargon should be avoided. But jargon can empower people and communities too. I think this is why it's important that we don't get all... preachy about clear language. There is never one way of approaching a piece of writing. And it's absolutely vital to understand who it's for.

Types of post

There are three types of post on the blog.

I’ll be writing articles on various topics and those posts will look exactly like this one. Some will be short. Some will be a little longer. Can you imagine a blog post? Of course you can. They’ll be just like that.

The blog will also feature link posts, which work a little differently. But if you subscribe to the newsletter, you will recognise the format right away.

In a link post, the post title is an external link that takes you directly to an article or resource on a different website. It will usually feature extra context or commentary from me. I may even riff on a choice quote from the original piece.

Speaking of quotes, when a really good one comes along, I’ll give it a nice background colour and publish it as a standalone post. This is post type 3.

It’s all very Tumblr circa 2008. This is intentional!

Inspiration

Basically, I have made the kind of blog I like to read.

I’ve been subscribed to blogs like Kottke.org, Swiss Miss, Austin Kleon and Daring Fireball for many years. These are websites run by people who enjoy finding and pointing at interesting things.

I like doing this too! In the world of clear language and content design, there are many brilliant ideas, articles and resources. This new blog is set up in a way that makes it easy to share and shout about those things.

But I’d also like it to have a voice. I think it’s possible to highlight other people’s ideas and add to the conversation in a positive way. And, crucially, at least to me, without being one of those clever clogs LinkedIn guys.

To be honest, I’d argue this is what blogs were like before we all decided to do the talking on social media. Working in the open. Sharing with enthusiasm. Thoughtful publishing.

No algorithm in sight. No likes or boosts. And indeed, no AI.

Who it's for

The honest answer is that both the blog and newsletter are for anyone interested in clear language. I mean, of course!

I guess my point is that your job title or the type of organisation you work for does not matter. If you think clear, accessible writing is a good thing, you are in the right place.

That said, based on the email addresses of the 1000+ people who are currently subscribed to the newsletter, here’s a list of people who might like it round these parts.

• Content designers, UX writers and copywriters who already practise writing in clear language.
• Content folk in those professions who have less experience and want to learn new things and develop their skills.
• People who don’t work in content directly, but who do write as part of their job and want to do it more clearly.
• Senior leadership types who have heard clear language is the way to go and want to understand what it’s all about.

I’m sure there are plenty of other folk too. If you know or work with someone who you think might like the site, please do point them this way. Everyone is welcome.

Things to do

Obviously, you can start by reading posts that are already here. I’ve turned some of the things I previously included in the newsletter into link posts. You can get stuck into those right away.

If you have a particular topic in mind, you can search posts by tag. It’s early days, so there aren’t many tags in play yet. But the collection will grow (sensibly) over time and give you a good way to find posts by subject matter or expertise.

Subscribe to the RSS feed. This is how I read all my favourite blogs. I use a free feed reader app called NetNewsWire, which updates every time a new post is published. If you are new to the world of RSS feeds, I highly recommend it.

Subscribe to the newsletter. This is the best way to join Clear Language Club. Each edition, I package up and email out the best links shared on the blog, alongside a few exciting extras for your trouble. Basically, sign up and let the blog come to you, rather than have to remember to check in every so often.

Also, don’t forget the bookmarks directory. This is a growing list of resources for content and clear language bods. Every bookmark is tagged and you can search by keyword if you want to get more specific.

There is a new about page you can read too. It covers a lot of the same stuff in this post, but includes a little more information about me and the newsletter too. I’ll keep the page up to date as things change over time.

Speaking of which, why not check out the changelog? It’s just an ongoing list of updates to the website and project. Not entirely necessary, of course. But it may be of interest to someone, somewhere, and it keeps me honest.

Let’s start posting

It’s taken me far too long to publish this post, so I’m going to leave it there and start publishing in earnest. I’ll also send out a newsletter to let everyone know that things are officially up and running.

Finally, do get in touch to let me know what you think. All feedback is welcome and appreciated. You can email iain@verymeta.com, contact me on Bluesky or send me a message on LinkedIn.

Enter this page in the NHS service manual, which says:

Creating a new PDF document is a last resort and you should avoid it unless there is a specific user need for it. You should always provide an HTML version too.

Not only can you use this page to bolster your no-PDFs argument, it also includes examples of when you might really need to use a PDF and, if so, how to do it in the best possible way.

The Inclusive Design Guide can be applied to digital design as well as to the design of services, the built environment and physical products. It can be applied to processes like workshops, meetings, conferences, and even our daily interactions with one another. It can be used by anyone.

By the way, I found this via an excellent collection of accessible design resources put together by Chris Nasrawi.

It does a few things, but the most important is it remembers more than one thing you copied, including images and any formatting if you want it.

Here is the blurb:

If copy and paste is a part of your workflow, Pastebot is an indispensable tool to improve your productivity. Quickly recall clippings that you have copied before and apply powerful text filters to format before pasting. Queue up multiple clippings to paste in sequence. Pastebot is always running and only a keyboard shortcut away to command copy & paste.

And if you do not use a Mac, Zapier has a list of what it reckons to be the 5 best clipboard managers, which covers various platforms.

Here's a good introduction to alt text on GOV.UK.