In Ali’s article “Crafting Content for Short Attention Spans,” she talks about how character limits, content oversaturation, and ever-shortening attention spans are forcing content writers to be more concise and get their message across with fewer words. People are spending less than a minute on a typical webpage, meaning if you want to communicate something with them, you better get to the point fast. Here are five tips for effective content writing as you head into 2017.
- Enticing Titles – a.k.a. “Click bait.” You’ve most likely fallen victim to it while surfing your favorite websites lately. As it becomes more and more difficult to break through the clutter and get people to pay attention, content writers are spicing up headlines as much as possible. Simply put, if you want your article, post, or page to be read, your title or headline has to grab their attention and be too interesting to scroll past. Just be careful not to cross the line. If your titles become too misleading, you will lose your reader’s trust.
- Less is More – One of the statistics Ali mentions in her article is that the average consumer’s attention span is now literally shorter than that of a goldfish. This hasn’t made written content less important, but has made focused, strategic writing essential. Drawn out intricate sentences and paragraphs are a thing of the past. Truly skilled writing today is defined by saying as much as you can with the fewest amount of words possible.
- Check your Tone – One of the best ways to keep readers’ attention is using the right voice in your writing. Depending on the purpose of the content you are writing and the audience you are writing for, your voice or tone can help keep things interesting. Younger demographics tend to appreciate sarcasm and a humorous voice, especially if you’re trying to entertain or persuade them. An older demographic may prefer a more formal or nostalgic voice. Know your message, know your audience.
- Scannable and Skimmable – Something else to keep in mind that will help capture your readers’ attention is the organization of your content. People are much more likely to skim through your content rather than read it, so long paragraphs and large blocks of text are a sure way to get skipped over. Simply breaking up content into shorter paragraphs and using bullets, numbers, and subheadlines can make it much more palatable and likely to be read.
- Complementary Content – Perhaps the best way to make sure your written content is actually read is to accompany it with more popular forms of content like images, videos, and infographics. People aren’t going to stop scrolling for text alone, but if you compliment it with a relevant visual, you are much more likely to catch their attention.
Do you need help creating concise, strategic content? Give us a call at 701-478-1111 and ask to speak with a Marketing Advisor or visit absolutemg.com/contact. Our writers would be glad to help.