Content editing: how to make important stuff stand out

I'm constantly amazed how some organisations' websites manage to bury their most important information.

For public venues such as museums and sports centres, the most important information is often the opening hours and address. So that people can plan their visit without having to pick up the phone.

Fancy a splash?

Brixton Lido's homepage is a prime offender. Its open-air swimming pool looks enticing in this early September heat.

But the school holidays have finished so has the pool closed? Or is it still open?

The opening hours are relegated to a bland right hand panel called 'Key facts'.

And only the eagle-eyed will notice the opening hours are for the whole sports complex and cafe - not the pool.

Dusty old timetable

If you're feeling like a dip, let's hope you persist and notice the sentence 'Pool opening times vary to those above. Click here for timetable.'

But the timetable is old - it's for July and August.

Just gimme the damn opening times!

If you're really, really keen to dive into that cool blue pool, you need to scoot down to the bottom of the page.

There's a section called 'Downloads' containing '*NEW* pool timetable autumn 2012'.

(Actually, it says 'timeable' not 'timetable' but ...)

And now for an organisation that does get it right - the National Gallery.

Top marks to National Gallery

The National Gallery redesigned its website a couple of years ago and moved its address and opening hours to its front page.

The gallery did this because it listened to the public when they said they couldn't find these things.