School has taught us many things, among them was academic writing and while most of us can write a report, writing blog posts is a whole different ball game. Why? Because blogs are marketing tools that need to engage and not lecture the reader.
Writing content is just like copywriting, you need to pick the right words that get people to read and act.
Nevertheless, making your blog posts more readable is easier than you think. And these tips will set you on the path to writing more effectively.
How To Make Your Blog Posts More Readable
Keep your paragraphs short
Have you read an article and spotted paragraphs that were half a page long? Not very inviting is it.
Having huge chunks of text crammed together just puts readers off and makes it harder to reader.
As a rule of thumb, use one paragraph to explain one idea and don’t go over four sentences – one-sentence paragraphs are also fine.
Short sentences
Long sentences have a tendency of turning a simple idea into something overly complicated. Short sentences are clear, easier to read and understand.
To keep your readers interested and engaged, go for 10 – 16 words per sentence. Any longer and you risk losing the meaning of what you’re trying to say. Keep things simple and your sentences short.
Use simple words and phrases
Depending on your audience, avoid using big words they can have trouble understanding. For example instead of writing “conceptualize” write, “think” and instead of “cost-effective” use “money saving” or “profitable”.
The same goes for phrases, if you can say what you need to say in fewer words, then by all means do so!
Write as you talk
Contrary to what we were taught at school, i.e. using big words that we would never, under any circumstances use in real life – write as if you are talking to a friend.
The great thing about blogging is that everyone has his or her own voice. There is no standard way of writing a blog, like there is in writing a mid-term paper.
Writing as you talk also has the added benefit of making your content more friendly and engaging to the reader.
Remember the reader and deliver value
Following up from the previous points, remember whom you are writing for, and why. You know your audience better than we do, so keep in mind why they would want to read your content.
What’s the benefit they’ll get by reading your content?
Writing about your product and business is fine, as long as your content delivers something useful to your audience.
You can always include your new product feature announcements into a how-to post. For example, writing about the process that resulted in those new features, and explaining the steps you took from brainstorming to implementation.
Headlines that make people click
People scan headlines before deciding whether to read on or skip to another page. In fact it’s the most important part of your blog post, because it’s the first thing people see.
For example “How To Get Started With Inbound Marketing In 20 Minutes” is much more effective than “Getting Started With Inbound Marketing”
Writing a headline that makes people click is not an easy task. But the more you write, the better you’ll get. Just remember to keep an eye on your analytics and check what’s working for you.
Got more tips on making blog posts more readable? Feel free to add them by commenting below, and make sure to subscribe to our RSS Feed for more advice on inbound marketing.
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