I was going to begin this with: Although everyone can write, not everyone can write well. However, when looking at information about International Literacy Day, which was on Sunday 8th September, I found out that 765 million adults around the world lack basic literacy skills. That’s one in seven people. And two-thirds of them are women.
So, I’m rephrasing my introduction, because words are powerful and they need to be accurate.
Although most people can write, not all of them can write well.
Quality writing is important to have on your website, social media, and anything else published for or about your business because it represents your business.
Here are my top tips for captivating content which will help make sure your writing is consistently good quality, with a focus on blog posts and articles.
1. Make Your Message Clear
Every article needs to have a purpose that is clear to your readers and benefits your business. What is the aim of this article? Is it to be informative? To showcase your expertise in your field? Or to generate leads? The message will determine the style of writing that should be used. Keep this in mind when writing and keep it clear.
2. Subheadings are Essential
With today’s rapid consumption of information online, it’s essential to keep your readers’ attention to reduce your bounce rate. Effective subheadings captivate your target audience, reducing your bounce rate. People have a short attention span and don’t usually want to read a long piece of text. Group paragraphs into sections about one particular aspect of the topic with no more than 300 words per section. Use a short, snappy subheading that gives the reader an idea of what that section is about but doesn’t give too much away.
3. Write To Your Ideal Customer
Think about your target audience – who is going to be reading this and how much do they already know about the topic? Remember, you are not your target audience. By imagining your ideal customer and writing directly to them, it will be easier to adapt your tone of voice and language to suit them. Don’t assume they know nothing, but equally don’t assume they know things that may be obvious to you as the expert in your field. In other words, don’t use jargon and don’t over explain. Your target audience will be much more likely to engage with content that resonates with them personally.
4. Write the Headline Last
Make it catchy and intriguing, but not too much like click-bait. You want to make people want to read more whilst making sure it relates to the topic of the article. For example, I could have called my article about elephant tourism in Southeast Asia simply, “Elephant Tourism in Southeast Asia” – this tells you exactly what the article is about but it isn’t very intriguing. Instead, I gave it the title, “Never Ride an Elephant” as this sounds much more interesting, gives an idea of what the article is about and is a key point.
Bonus tip: include a quote in your article from someone relevant, and you will often get an idea for a headline from it.
5. Punctuation Saves Lives – And Your Business’s Reputation
Punctuation can completely change the meaning of a sentence, so it’s essential that it is correct. It’s the difference between, “Danger; no swimming allowed,” and “Danger? No! Swimming allowed.”
If you need help with writing or editing your copy, or you’d like more top tips for captivating content, book a free consultation at a time to suit you.