How to Effectively Format Your WordPress Content: Understanding Web Formatting vs. Microsoft Word

collage of common wordpress and microsoft word icons

Creating content for your website requires a different approach compared to Microsoft Word. When you’re publishing on a digital platform such as WordPress, it’s crucial to consider how your content appears on various devices and how it adapts to different screen sizes. Let’s delve into some fundamental differences between formatting content for the web and formatting in document editors and provide practical advice and tips. Microsoft Word is mentioned here but these concepts also apply to other document editing tools, such as Google Docs.

Embrace Simplicity in Formatting

When drafting content in document editors like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, it’s easy to get carried away with various formatting tools. However, this formatting often does not translate well when transferred to WordPress. Here’s why simplicity matters:

Flexibility: Web content needs to be flexible to adjust smoothly to different screen sizes, from desktop monitors to tablets to smartphones.

Compatibility: Excessive formatting in document editors can lead to compatibility issues on the web where HTML and CSS govern the layout and style options.

Avoid Over-Formatting in Document Editors

To ensure that your content remains responsive and visually appealing across all devices, consider these points:

Minimal Font Varieties: Limit the number of fonts used to ensure consistency across different browsers and devices. Web-safe fonts are recommended.

Simple Layouts: Tabs and columns don’t copy & paste well into WordPress. However, WordPress blocks can be used to create tab formats, multiple columns, and text image boxes.  Embrace using the block editing tools to layout the content vs relying on copy & paste from Word.

Lists and Indentations: Use simple bulleted or numbered lists without excessive indentations, which can break on smaller screens.

Let Go of Absolute Control: In Word, you might spend time ensuring everything aligns perfectly. On the web, this level of control can lead to frustration and poor user experiences. For content that requires exact alignment, consider saving it as a PDF and uploading it as a media file to your WordPress site or reach out to the Web team at LSATechnologyServices@umich.edu to request help or advice in page layout with blocks.

Handling Media and Elements

Transferring media and other elements from document editors to WordPress can be tricky. Here’s how to manage common issues:

Images: Always save and upload images separately through WordPress’s ‘Add Media’ button rather than copying and pasting them directly from document editors.

Tables: Be cautious with tables as their formatting can change unpredictably due to theme styles in WordPress. It’s often better to create and adjust them directly in WordPress.

Special Objects: For objects like drawings or text boxes created in document editors, save them as images and then upload them to ensure they display correctly. Or find relevant icons on sites like Font Awesome and upload them. Be sure to add alt text to images and figures for web accessibility.

Footnotes: Footnotes need the use of a footnote block or anchor links to be recreated in WordPress to maintain their functionality.

Textual Content and Responsiveness

Here’s how to ensure your text content works well across all devices:

Structured Headers: Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) appropriately for organizing content, which helps in maintaining structure and readability on smaller screens. This is also best practice for web accessibility and site indexing.

Paragraph Formatting: Keep paragraphs concise and use clear, straightforward language. Long paragraphs can be daunting on small screens.

Fixing Formatting Issues

If you encounter formatting issues when pasting text from document editors:

1. Troubleshooting Formatting: Use the clear formatting tool within Word to strip out styling and then reapply formatting and styling as needed on WordPress. 

2. Manual Adjustments: Sometimes, manual adjustments in the WordPress editor are necessary to ensure your content looks perfect on the web.

3. Preview and Adjust: Always preview your content on different devices before publishing. This step is crucial for catching and correcting layout issues or text formatting that could affect readability, appearance, or responsiveness. Also, Testing on different devices or using device simulation tools in browsers can help you understand how your content performs in various contexts.

3. Enhance Readability: Consider the use of spacer blocks and separator blocks to delineate and space content.  Adding white space around a text heavy page can improve readability for the web. 

Final Thoughts

While document editors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs are powerful tools for document creation, preparing web content in WordPress requires a different mindset focused on responsiveness and simplicity. By understanding these differences, you can create content that not only looks good but also provides a seamless reading experience across all devices.

If you’re ever in doubt or encounter complex formatting issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to LSA Technology Services for support. We’re here to help you make the most out of your WordPress content, ensuring it’s accessible and engaging for all your visitors.