Improvements for “Don’t panic, do prepare’: why it’s not too late to plan for Cyclone Alfred” written by Yetta Gurtner for ‘The Conversation’.

A good news article is written for readers to understand and gain insight into the latest happenings. The article I will be looking at for this post could improve on several aspects to optimize readers’ experience.

Brevity & Scannability

The article lacks a certain level of Brevity and Scannability. The article was heavily worded and included only a video and stills. It was written by an expert who has poured their knowledge into it and could have written ‘What should I do right now?’ in different ways rather than paragraphs.

Some examples could include:

• Listing in point form.
• Summarising the paragraphs’ information.
• Adding GIFs

Interactivity

There is also a lack of interactivity within the article. A YouTube video that readers could watch, hyperlinks to pages, including a ‘danger zone’ page, which is not available, were the only forms of interaction readers could have with the article. They could consider adding drop lists or downloadable images of the list that readers can easily refer back to in times of need and urgency. Adding a PowerPoint, interactive stills, and maps to the article would also help further optimize the experience.