I have news for you. No one is reading your blog posts.
Studies have shown that only 16% of readers read word-for-word. Source
A good 80% of readers just scan for words and phrases. So how do you write for these scanning “readers”?
Want To Be A Great Blog Writer? Cut It Out!
Content writing is different from academic writing. When readers arrive at a website, you have a few seconds to capture their attention before they “bounce” to another website.
Here are some tips to make your posts more “scannable.”
Keep the first paragraph short
The last thing a reader wants to see when they click through to read a new blog post is a first paragraph that goes on forever. This first paragraph must be short and compelling.
Capture readers’ attention
You must hook them in the first 3 sentences. Make this first paragraph super compelling by asking a question or appealing to their emotions from the beginning.
Write short paragraphs
Paragraphs should be 2-4 sentences. Two is best. Four should be uncommon. Hitting a “wall of text” usually causes readers to leave.
Write short posts
Posts should be 3-5 paragraphs. I never recommend writing blog posts that are more than 700 words. Readers are busy. Say what you want them to hear and move on.
Use lists and bullets
-
Lists and bullets help to break up text and guide the readers’ eyes.
-
Readers love lists.
-
Use them.
Break up text with subheadings
Like lists, subheadings break up the text. Readers scan for keywords and phrases. Subheadings provide that for your readers.
Keep language simple
-
Say “because” instead of “in light of.”
-
Say “If” instead of “in the event that.”
-
Say “for” instead of “in the amount of.”
-
Say “use” rather than “utilize.”
Ditch superfluous words
Words like “that,” “very,” and most adjectives can be eliminated.
“He knew that this would be the most wonderful day of his life.”
becomes
“He knew this was the greatest day of his life.”
Avoid wimpy or passive language.
Wimpy words like “kind of,” “sort of,” “practically,” and “virtually” turn readers away.
Passive sentences do, too.
Example…
Passive voice: “Cats are entertained by yarn balls.” (object-verb-subject)
Active voice: “Yarn balls entertain cats.” (subject-verb-object)
Edit ruthlessly
Edit, edit, edit.
I can’t speak for everyone, but hitting that ‘publish’ button seems to remove blinders from my eyes. Suddenly, I see all the extra stuff that needs to go or be corrected.
I’ve found if I read my posts out loud to my kids or husband, I catch the mistakes before I publish.
Read them out loud to yourself. It’s a great editing tool.
Do you have additional tips for writing great blog posts? If so, share them in the comments!
