The internet is full of content. How do you make sure that yours stands out and draws readers in?
We’ve all been there. We’ve spent hours crafting the perfect blog post, article or white paper, but no one is reading it. Why? It could be for a million reasons, but often it’s because we’re not doing enough to get people to come to our content. In this article, we’ll learn about the eight techniques that will help you draw in readers and get your content read!
1. Create an eye-catching headline
Content is important, and there’s no doubt about that. But if your content is hidden behind an unappealing headline, it might as well not exist. Your headline is essentially the first (and sometimes only) impression you make on potential readers, so it’s essential to get it right. Here are some tips:
- Keep it short and sweet: Long headlines are off-putting. Try to keep it under 55-60 characters if possible.
- Be clear and concise: A headline should be easy to understand and not contain any ambiguity.
- Ask a question: Asking a question in your headline is a great way to pique readers’ curiosity and get them to click through to your content.
- Use numbers: People love lists and catchy numbers. For instance, “10 Tips for Writing Better Headlines” is more likely to get clicks than “How to Write Better Headlines”.
- Be creative: Avoid using generic terms, like “amazing” or “great”. Instead, try to be specific and creative with your headlines. For example, instead of “3 Ways to Improve Your Writing”, try something like “How Shakespeare Can Help You Write Better”.
- Create a sense of urgency: Use words like “now”, “fast” or “instant”. For example, instead of “5 Tips for Losing Weight”, try “Lose Weight Fast with These 5 Simple Tips”.
So keep these things in mind the next time you sit down to write and remember: a good headline can make all the difference.
2. Make your content easy to read
Content is king, as they say. But what good is all that content if your readers can’t make heads or tails of it? That’s why readability is so important. Making your content easy to read not only helps your readers understand your message, but they are also more likely to read everything you have written. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making your content more readable:
- Use short, simple sentences.
- Break up long paragraphs with subheadings.
- Use bullet points or numbered lists whenever possible.
- Highlight key takeaways with bold or italicized text.
- Use images, graphics and videos in between blocks of text.
3. Write with a specific audience in mind
Knowing your target audience is indispensable before you start writing. That might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many bloggers get this wrong. To get your content read by your target audience, you first need to understand who they are. What are their interests? What are their pain points? Once you have a good understanding of your target audience, you can start to tailor your content to them. This means using the right tone, vocabulary and style for your particular niche and avoiding any industry jargon they might not understand.
If you’re targeting millennials, for example, chances are they’re reading on their phones during their morning commute or a break at work. Hence, your content should be simple to read and comprehend, with clear headings and bullet points. On the other hand, a lengthy essay with in-depth analysis would be more suited if you’re aiming for a more knowledgeable audience.
4. Use keywords strategically
When people search for information online, they usually type in short phrases of a few words long into the search bar. To capture more search traffic and ensure that your content appears on search engine results pages (SERPs), you must include the right keywords in your titles, subheadings and body text.
When choosing keywords, try to focus on terms specific to your topic and research what people are likely to search for. You can use tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, Wordtracker or Moz, to evaluate if specific keywords can help your content rank higher. For instance, if you are using a keyword that has a high search volume, competing with other content creators, especially major media outlets, will be challenging. Instead, adding keywords that have a more moderate search volume might indicate an opportunity for your content to make headway.
However, avoid keyword stuffing, which refers to inserting too many keywords or repeating the exact words too frequently in your posts. Search engines may penalize you if you overuse keywords for better SEO. Instead, focus on writing quality content that naturally incorporates the keywords you want to target.
5. Leverage infographics
An infographic is a visual representation of information to make it digestible and easy to understand. It breaks down complex information into smaller, bite-sized pieces (such as lists or timelines), making them highly shareable and readable. Your readers will likely feel more engaged if you include the right amount of visual content.
Assume you’re writing a blog post about the different types of social media. You can break down the information into a list or table, but that might be a little too boring for your readers. Instead, try using an infographic to visualize the data. You can create a table using icons to represent each social media platform or a flowchart to show how people use different social media platforms throughout the day.
Also, when dealing with data, it’s important to use reputable sources that your audience can trust. Be sure to cite your sources clearly and accurately. After all, the whole point of an infographic is to make complex information more reliable and accessible, not confusing!
6. Use testimonials and case studies
If you have testimonials or case studies from happy customers, be sure to include them in your content! Sharing real-life success stories can make your content more relatable to your readers. In addition, testimonials and case studies can help you build trust with your readers.
To embed testimonials strategically, you can consider using videos on top of reviews collected in texts. Also, avoid using stock photos but real customers’ pictures (if possible) to make the reviews appear more genuine. You also want to include comments from a variety of customers of different backgrounds and experiences to be more credible.
7. Add social sharing buttons
If you want more people to read your content, you need to make it easily shareable. Including social sharing buttons on each piece of content will make it easy for readers to share your content with their networks. Additionally, don’t forget to optimize the title and descriptions for social media posts. It means using catchy headlines, keywords, hashtags and eye-catching visuals to stop scrollers in their tracks and reach the broadest possible audience.
8. Promote your content
Content distribution is the queen of content creation. You can have the best content in the world, but it’s not doing its job if no one sees it. That’s why promoting your content is essential. Consider using social media, email newsletters and even podcasts to get your content to as many people as possible.
With these tips and tricks in your pocket, now it’s time for you to get creative and start putting them into practice! The more interesting and informative your content, the more likely people will stick around until the end. So go ahead and try out a few of these techniques—we are sure you won’t be disappointed with the results.
Start writing and watch those readers roll in!
Also read:
- How to Use Blogs To Generate Leads?
- What Are the Common SEO Mistakes Startups Should Avoid?
- How AI Is Moderating Online Content
- 8 Ways to Earn Money From Travel Blogging
- Font Matters: An Introduction to Company Website’s Typography
Header image courtesy of Freepik
