digital rhetoric

While classic rhetoric usually focuses on what is said and how it is said, digital rhetoric focus on visual aesthetic and ease of use.

In terms of web design, a page is less likely to have any foot traffic if it is poorly designed, difficult to navigate, or simply unpleasant to look at.

Internet users want their information to be clear and concise. They expect to be able to access it with minimal effort and they expect it to be easy to digest.

For example, a PDF file containing pages from a scanned text can often be troubling to its readers. More often than not, the pages are scanned at odd angles and can be slightly out of focus. Also, if a reader is trying to read it on their computer, they may find themselves scrolling up and down on the same page to read the text. This example of poorly put together text speaks to the quality of its digital rhetoric. The amount of effort a reader would have to put in is frustrating.

As I said earlier, classic rhetoric tries to persuade an audience with eloquent speaking. Digital rhetoric has to rely on visuals to persuade an audience; be it to sell a product or simply to gain readership.