11 Tips on Blogging and Writing Effective Copy

Twitter and other micro-blogging Websites are changing reading behaviors online. Attention is getting harder to get, people expect highly disposable content. Articles and posts are getting shorter, writers have to learn to be more concise. The following tips should help you convince readers to break through the reading barrier:

1. Keep it short. As a general rule, try to keep your blog posts under 300 words (about one screen). Longer posts are intimidating and require a higher level of commitment. Unless you’re writing an in-depth analysis where the value is clear to your niche audience, your article will be more popular if it is concise.
2. Start by the conclusion. The value of reading your text should be clear right from the start. The first paragraph should explain what the text is about. Use the inverted pyramid; start by the conclusion and follow it by supporting facts.
3. Start with the most important words: People scan before they read. Clear links and titles influence reading behaviors. People only scan the first 11 characters of any block of text, make sure they’re as clear as they can be.
4. Focus your paragraphs. Use 1 main idea per pragraph. More ideas will be confusing and make content harder to assimilate.
5. Use active verbs. Your button or link labels should be short and start with an action verb. “To manage your account, follow this link” is harder to scan than “Manage your account”.
6. Create lists. Lists are also easy to scan. They are more succinct and attractive than paragraphs. Numbered lists (e.g. 11 tips, 10 examples, etc) make it easier for users to estimate the amount of time required to read the article.
7. Be concrete. The more your ideas are concrete in your head when you’re writing, the easier they will be to understand. Make your ideas concrete by using examples especially when your content is theoric or hypothetical. People need reference points.
8. Use images. A picture is worth a thousand words. A good image brands and supports your content. Most people are visual, images will make the content seem simpler. Attractive images are also a good way to get people reading.
9. Create links. Cross-reference blog posts. Create associations between your content and other content your readers are interested in. Think about your overall content strategy and look for ways to create links.
10. Keep your expectations low. Don’t expect more than 10% participation on your blog. After all, the number of people who comment on your post is a percentage of the number of people who read your text, have opinions on it and have a willingness to share. You can make it easier for them but have realistic expectations.
11. Write and rewrite. Don’t publish your content directly after writing it. Put time in between. This will allow you to be more objective, see ways to simplify it and generate new ideas.

The next post in this serie will be about improving team communication. Subscribe to our feed to make sure you’re not missing out.

Suggested Reading

• 11 tips on presenting ideas, concepts or designs
• 12 tips on improving work, life and the work-Life balance