Creating web content is hard sometimes. Creating web content that people will actually read is even harder. When it comes to writing for the web, you have to create content carefully and intentionally. People on the internet have short attention spans and with all of the content out there, you are competing for every second of their attention.Many web content creators don’t really understand the people who read content online. This is the major problem that causes web content to go unread. People don’t read content on the web, they scan. They want to pull out the important things from the articles without spending a lot of time on it.
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to make your content more attractive to those people that scan. Here’s a quick guide to creating web content people will read.
Not every word will be read
It is important for you to acknowledge that not every word that you write will be read by the person who opened your content. The sooner you accept that fact, the better.Because not every word will be read, make sure you make the important parts of your content stand out. Use subheadings, bolded font, and lists to capture the reader’s attention and draw them in. The more confident they are that your content has what they are looking for, the more likely they are to actually read it.
Most important things first
A lot of people only read the first few lines of an article or blog. Because of this, you need to put your most important facts and points first. Do not bury the lede. People want to know what they are reading and if they should keep going right away.When you put the important things first, readers are more likely to continue reading to learn the specifics. The more important information you can get in the first few sentences and paragraphs, the better.
Don’t over-complicate language
As tempting as it is to use diverse and sometimes complicated language, do not do it. Use common words that are familiar to the reader. Web content should not seek to expand the vocabulary of the reader. Web content is there to drive a point home in the simplest manner possible.If you use language that is too complicated, people are not going to read it. Using simple language makes the content easier to get through making it more attractive to people on the internet. Bottom line, keep it simple. You readers will thank you.
Write a little lazily
People on the internet are generally lazy. They want short sentences in short paragraphs that don’t have unnecessary words or jargon. In short, write for lazy people. More often than not, people reading web content don’t want to work hard to read it. The easier it is to read, the better.
Keep articles to one topic
When you are creating an article for your website, keep that article to one topic. People who are looking at your articles are looking for specific answers and insights. For each article talk about one product, one service, or one question that a lot of customers ask you.Articles that have too much information on too many topics are unattractive to readers. When you keep articles focused and succinct, people are more likely to read it in its entirety.
Keep design in mind
Your written content needs to work with visually with your website. Font choices, photo choices, and colours are all important. Articles are an extension of your brand and consistent branding is important for success.When you are writing your article, think about how it fits into your brand look. Consider where you want to places images, what the size of the font will be, and if you will use italics or boldface type. Design is just as important as the words.Improving your written content so people will read it is simple.