Does your content leave your readers all at sea? Is it full of holes?
By this I mean, does the content you’ve written make any sense, or does it jump from one idea to the next, saying a lot but not doing much for the reader?
It’s easily done.
Keeping with the sea analogy (but I won’t labour it any further, I promise), picture your content as a brief but worthwhile journey.
And whether your content is a blog post or other form of content marketing, the core approach is the same.
Keep your readers with you
Here are 3 tried and tested ways to keep your readers reading, and ensure your message makes an impact in the best possible way:
1) Don’t hide
Have a main point in mind – and state what it is early on. If the aim of your content is to show people how to use one of your products, or how to buy your products, state that clearly. Don’t disguise your content as one thing and deliver something else.
2) Be lean
With most pieces of content and especially shorter online pieces, the key is to get to the point – and make your point well – then move on. Don’t waffle. Extra padding and unnecessary words are simply ‘page noise’. Remove them and your content will be clean and lean.
3) Make it flow
Keep your sentences on topic and if a sentence doesn’t add to the topic in a logical way without jarring, remove it. Each sentence should build on the one before, and each paragraph should have a central idea that binds it together. Add sub headings to help demarcate one mini topic from another.
Now rinse and repeat
Once you’ve done the above, go off and do something else, then come back later or the next day and read what you’ve written. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you’ll pick up on anything that needs to be knocked into shape.
Do this for each piece you write, and see how your content improves with each piece you write.
Posted by DEBBIE THOMAS 18 June 2014