The most significant task in editing projects is to ensure that information on the pages is clear, concise, and targeted to the customer. The sections on this page provide actual before/after examples of editing engagements to show how the editing process can benefit the content. For more information, contact cdc-edit@cisco.com.
Case Study Headlines
Headlines should answer the following questions:
- What is the value to the reader?
- What did the customer do?
- What is the customer's industry?
Headlines do not need to include the product name or, in most cases, even the company name. Users are looking for information that applies to their business needs. Some before and after examples:
Product Announcements on Category Pages
Before and After
Category Page — Before
- Gray box copy was repetitive of green bar, had multiple levels (black type, red type, gray type) for customers to navigate, had relatively non-specific product value statements.
- Featured content descriptions were vague and not written in a way that would entice the customer to read them or help the customer know if the information would be valuable to them.
Category Page — After
- Replaced repetition of product category with business benefit headlines.
- Rewrote overview statements to apply to user needs.
- Rewrote headlines and text to identify industry, benefit, and solution to give customers context to decide whether information meets their needs.
The gray box copy now heads the page with a business benefit. The descriptor text below it provides a concise, user-focused view of product benefits. The featured content descriptions now have more user-focused headlines and descriptors, providing information about the customer’s industry and technology solution, which helps customers know whether the information is applicable to them.
Series Page — Before
Series Page — After
- Added business benefit headline.
- Shortened text and broke up to be more easily scanned.
- Selected marketing articles to call out as “Featured Content” to provide case studies, white papers, and other content that provides context for the product.
