Check you’ve engaged your reader with a clear message, so you know you’re ready to hit publish.
A few changes to your writing can make it clearer and easier to read. They’re essential steps to making your copy engaging and useful. Following these steps will help you write with your audience in mind.
Readers want to find the information they need easily. When it’s not easy, there are many other sources they can try.
The amount of information available can also overwhelm. It’s easy to get bogged down by searches that don’t retrieve useful content. Users will thank you for making their search easier. When they find you, show how useful you are by making your content clear and accessible. Make sure you get your content right and make the right impression.
Here’s how to do it like a pro.
Use your headline to gain attention
This crucial piece of copy is often overlooked. Writers often carefully draft their writing and leave little thought for their heading. This headline is what sells your content to the reader. It’s also important for search engine optimisation (SEO). This means the Google bots can find and categorise your content.
Writing an engaging and SEO-friendly headline is tricky. Many writers choose to do it at the end of their writing process. Always write a draft of your headline before you start and always edit it again when you’ve finished. This gives you time to reflect on its effectiveness.
Do your heading and body copy match? Make sure you have written about the topic you say you will in the headline. If you haven’t, change the text to make sure you do or alter the headline. Writing that doesn’t deliver what’s promised in the heading looks spammy. Even if that’s not your intention.
Keywords should be in a heading, but don’t stuff them in. If you’re actually writing about the keyword, it’ll be easy to include in the heading. If it isn’t, you need to think again.
Create a hook. This can be an emotive word that speaks to the reader. Think of an emotion your reader might be feeling when they’re looking for an article like yours. Are they feeling confident? Tell them the benefit they will gain by reading on. Surprise them. Give a surprising fact. Or rouse curiosity with a statement you think will make them smile. These writing strategies stir emotion and make readers want to find out more.
Use your introduction to promise a great read
Research shows that users decide within seconds whether they are going to read a webpage. That’s not long. So, start by telling them how staying on your page will help them.
Make your writing relevant and useful. Even if it isn’t what a reader needed, well-written and interesting content can keep them reading. We’ve all got distracted reading stuff online that wasn’t quite what we were looking for, right? This is your opportunity to make a good impression. Now they’ve found you, they can check out what you offer.
A reader will form an impression of you from the content they land on. The first page they read isn’t always your home page. It could be your blog post. It’s important that your blog posts are high-quality content. And that they’re well-written and engage the reader straight away.
Focus on your reader
Talk to the reader. Tell them how it will help them. That’s what they’re looking for – something that will help them. Sure, they want you to know your stuff, but they don’t want a list of your achievements. Let your insightful and useful content show them you’re the professional they’re looking for. Tell them how your knowledge will improve their business, their lives, everything.
Will you save them time? Time is something lots of people feel they lack. Can you give them time? Money is something lots of people want more of. Can you make them money?
Good vibes. Lots of people like to feel they’re doing something good when they make a purchase. Not every time. We don’t think about it every time we buy something. But it can be a sweetener. It can also show your personality and why you’re great to work with.
Think about who your reader is and make sure you’re writing for them. Have you said how you can help them? Does the reader understand the benefit of reading your content? Will they become more knowledgeable? Will your content help upskill them – giving them more time and money and less stress? Does your writing entertain or promote a sense of well-being? Will you become a favourite resource?
Choose language that flows
Unexplained acronyms disrupt flow. It’s fine in an email to a colleague or business partner who you know understands the acronym. But if you’re not 100% sure they know it, explain it. The reader will be grateful you took time to make your writing clear.
When writing for a wider audience always explain an acronym. The traditional style is to give the full term (or name) the first time it’s used. Then give the acronym in brackets straight after it. Then use the acronym for the rest of the text. Some writing styles recommend repeating the term, or name, in full again for new chapters.
The growth of digital media means many traditional ‘rules’ are open to interpretation. In this case, it’s still good advice to follow. Think of the new sections as new articles or pages. You don’t know which pages or articles the reader has already read (if any). Keep the reader engaged by quickly explaining an acronym. This saves them clicking off your page to google it.
Industry jargon turns readers off. Use English. We have a language already without making up new phrases that mean little for the reader. Industry jargon can make writing appear to lack substance. Sound like human, not a bot.
Writing that’s difficult to understand is not effective. If there’s a Plain English way to describe the activity (or thing) you’re using jargon for, use Plain English. This isn’t dumbing down. It means you can write well by articulating your ideas. Also, jargon tends to be wordy. Conciseness is key. Which leads me to tip five.
Write concisely
Get to the point. No one has time to read everything you have to say on a subject. In fact, most people skim-read. So, make your writing easy to skim.
Subheadings aid skim-reading by signposting what’s coming next. This can act as an incentive to keep reading. They can also help to organise your writing. Use them to plan and structure your copy before you start. It helps you decide what best explains the statement (or question) in your heading.
Making your writing browsable makes it more enjoyable to read. It’s more user-focused and accessible. Even if they do read every word, users are more likely to read to the end if the journey has signposts. Make your words count. Reward your reader by cutting waffle and delivering the promised benefit.
Struggling to make your writing concise and relatable?
Get in touch and we’ll ensure you publish writing readers love.
