Copy
Any web site you intend to include in your portfolio needs to actually have copy and not lorem Ipsum. It is important that your copy is professional and it is ok if you use a writer. You and/or your writer needs to know how best to write for the web.
Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration.jeffrey zeldman
Just say No to Lorem Ipsumjason fried
Lorem Ipsum is Killing Your Designdesign informer
Tests
Tests have shown that the speed for reading on screen is 20 - 30% slower than it is for print and the reader reads with less concentration and accuracy.
When users are tested via eye tracking it shows that they scan down a page rather than reading from top to bottom.
Keep Your Audience's Attention
Your audience wants to find information quickly and expects it to be easy to read. In order to keep your audience’s attention you need to keep it short and stick to the point, make the copy easy to scan by using frequent sub headings and lists.
Tone and Style
Keep them Reading
It goes without saying that your copy should be geared towards your target audience's level of understanding, interest and technology skills.
Proof Read
Have someone proof read all of your copy. You are too close to your work, you know what it is you are trying to say but have you really said it. Nothing breaks concentration more than having to keep rereading trying to understand the meaning. Also they can check for any grammar and spelling errors you might have missed.Optimize
Headings
Headings define the structure of the web page. It is important that you use them correctly. The tags are from h1 to h6: <h1>Title</h1> - <h6>subtitle</h6>. For the most part users only scan down the page so headings are important to get their attention.
The importance denoted by each number is in descending order with <h1> being the most important. Except for <h1> each heading is a subset of the immediate higher number. By default each heading has a size. <h1> being the largest and <h6> the smallest. You can change the sizes with the CSS but should still keep the visual progression with <h1> being the largest etc, then users can see the importance of information on the page.
Section 508
Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology,the user and Federal employees with disabilities have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities... . from: www.section508.gov