Jakob Nielson, the Usability Guru whom many of the web community listen to when he speaks has a good post about wasted words this month.

Don’t go wasting valuable word-count or ‘fluff’ when most people want to cut to the chase.

• What? (What will users find on this page — i.e., what’s its function?)
• Why? (Why should they care — i.e., what’s in it for them?)

I used to use a companies website home page content as a good example of this. I blanked out their name so see what they have to say about themselves…

Our Product Range
xxxxx has a vast product range on offer, giving our customers the very best choice. By offering a wide range of products, we are confident we have the right solution for you. Our aim is to focus on our customers requirements, so we can use our knowledge and expertise to provide the best product to improve your lifestyle.

Sounds good doesn’t it? Do you want one? Even if I told you that they sell mobility scooters?