Writers' Treasure Magnetic Writing Write it the right way: Grab people’s attention to read your content

Write it the right way: Grab people’s attention to read your content

This is a guest article by Patrick Panuncillon. If you are interested in submitting a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

Content lies in the heart of a successful marketing strategy. In the realm of digital marketing, it isn’t just enough to have a high number of followers or subscribers. Without having an arsenal of carefully crafted content, you will render your efforts useless.

Undoubtedly, this problem is one a lot of web writers face. There is a significant difference between print and web writing, and content creators must know how to maneuver their way through the throes of the internet.

Let’s face it: things are easier said than done. There’s a long, tough road to being a good content writer and being able to write quality posts.

The good news is, it’s not entirely impossible. Aside from schooling yourself on grammar and punctuation, you also need to learn about the context of the Internet, and the strategies that you can use to work around the issues that you might face.

Now let’s take a look at the reasons why nobody is reading your content and what you can do to change that fact.

Take it personal

Think of your readers as your friends. Some articles tend to be too stiff and unfriendly, firing big words and complex terms at you, a mile a minute. That might be true for professional writings and case studies, but even they can have a little glimpse of your personality. All writers want (at least) one thing, and that is to have people notice and believe what they have to say. You can do this by being conversational.

How do you start the conversation?

Somewhere in the world, somebody is behind the screen of text on which this article appears, and you’re one of them!

Remember that a human being is going to read your text, not just some robot. One trick is to ask intriguing questions that will make the reader think. Address them as ‘you,’ or to make it more personal, engage them in conversation using ‘we.’ The key lies in engagement and interaction.

Don’t dumb it down

Did you know that 56 percent of the internet agrees on the fact that online content is too watered down these days? According to HubSpot, the respondents found online ads to be insulting to their intelligence.

Chances are, you might be making content that is too complicated or too simple just to have something to offer your readers. Either way, you might miss the bigger picture with surface level content and alienate a part of your audience.

What can you do about this?

As a content marketer, it is part of your job description to be a web writer and your mission lies in reading, understanding, and being able to explain the subject to a variety of audience demographic effectively.

Like what Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” You don’t have to water your write-ups down anymore. Thank God!

The secret lies in the fact that you don’t have to worry about your audience’s intelligence levels and whatnot. What you need to do is break your ideas down in ways that anyone can understand, be it middle schoolers or business professionals.

Don’t write content just for the sake of writing. It is hard work, but anything less for your readers is just a waste of time and effort.

Do you read me?

It’s a known fact that online users have shorter attention spans. In the last decade, the average human attention span went down from twelve seconds to a mere eight!

Let’s be honest. Our readers will not read every word of our articles. They will most like scan and skim through the content until they find something that catches their interest.

Readability matters. If your content is too hard to understand, your readers will leave your page and look for different resources to read, and if your articles are too simple, they might dismiss it as low quality and ineffective.

So, is your content readable?

If you’re not too sure, scientists have found a way to measure your content’s readability using a variety of methods. One such formula is called the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Test. It measures the sentence length and the number of syllables. The shorter the sentence, the higher the score, and vice versa.

As writers, we have to make our content as concise as ever. You might be thinking, “Hey, doesn’t this contradict the previous point?” Good question! Compact doesn’t necessarily mean that you should cut corners and skimp on information. What this means is that you should write shorter paragraphs, use bullet points, etc. You get the gist.

No more meaningless chatter

“Give us catchy headlines!”

“We want interesting subheads!”

“This paragraph is too long, why isn’t he using bullets?!”

We’ve heard it all, we’ve seen it all. Amidst the clamor for headlines, funny reactions gifs, and slapdash content, statistics are showing us that readers do care for meaningful content and that they take the time to read them if they’re insightful enough.

Research backs this fact by stating that long-form content gets better search engine rankings and results. That means higher trust ratings, relevance, and social media exposure. Even shorter blog posts with 700 words or less can make a name for themselves, given that they are well-written, high caliber, and compelling.

How do you connect with your readers?

The answer lies in a simple yet painful truth: Know your audience. What other publications might they be reading? What are they looking for on the internet? Get to know them by having surveys and polls. For the tech-savvy, you can even gather their emotional data and engage with them in-depth.

Takeaway

In other words, you need to know how to write for your audience. Yes, mastering grammar is a given, but some things go beyond technicalities. Think about your audience and their preferences, and consider the context in where your readers are going to find your article.

Start by reading your write-up. If you notice any odd points sticking it, then it might be that polished yet. Read and revise your work. If you think that it’s something you wouldn’t want to know, then your audience probably won’t like it too.

About the author: Patrick Panuncillon established LinkVista Digital Inc., a digital marketing firm that specializes in SEO, web design, and article writing seo. Being a hands-on strategist, he likes to spend his time running his business and reading about digital marketing strategies and tech innovations. Patrick is also an article rewriter and blogger who talks about his writing and commercialization experience. You may connect with Patrick on LinkedIn.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Post

How to Master Clarity in WritingHow to Master Clarity in Writing

Hey everyone, I’m back. At least, for some time. I’m sorry for not writing for so long, but the thing is, these examinations never really leave you in peace. I have to study for the SSC (Secondary School Certificate) Examinations which are going to happen in March 2012; and as you might imagine, there is a lot to study, which is why I couldn’t update this site up till now. In an ideal world, I would update it every week, now even every month isn’t looking too sure.

Still, I will definitely update whenever I get some time. And after all, quality is more important than quantity, right? So therefore you can still await those superb articles filled to the brim with writing tips (all right, all right, enough bragging).

I actually lost the draft of this post before, due to Human Error and a false trust on Windows Live Writer (seriously, Microsoft). And everyone knows it’s quite difficult to write again once you’ve lost your writing, and the flair is not there. Still I will be trying my best. (Windows Live Writer was deprecated with the launch of Windows 8, a year after this article was originally published).

Now, on with the show!

Clarity is a hot topic in writing. As you can imagine, nearly every writer and blogger out there is saying his piece on what is, and what isn’t clarity. How to attain it, how to use it. And why it’s just so important.

(more…)

How to market yourself as a freelance writerHow to market yourself as a freelance writer

This is a guest article by Indiana Lee. If you want to submit a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

As a freelance writer, you’re essentially a one-person business. It might not feel that way, especially if you’re just starting out. However, it’s essential to market yourself the right way so you can stand out against competitors. It’s estimated that there are over one billion freelancers across the globe, and the freelance writing market makes up about 204 million of that. Knowing how to market yourself will not only help you find a niche audience but will also build your portfolio and help you find consistent work.

Chances are, however, that you didn’t want to become a writer because you have great marketing skills. If you do, you’re already one step ahead. If not, it’s never too late to learn how to market yourself and your services.

Let’s look at a few ways you can effectively market yourself so you can grow your client base, further your career, and find success as a writer.

(more…)

How to Retain Customers as a Freelance WriterHow to Retain Customers as a Freelance Writer

This is a guest article by Indiana Lee. If you want to submit a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

As a freelance writer, you are your own business. You have to wear a variety of hats, including marketing yourself to attract new customers. But, that’s only half the battle.

Like any business, one of your biggest goals should be not only to gain new customers but to retain your existing ones. When you’re a freelancer, it can give you a lot of comfort and peace of mind knowing that you’ll have consistent clients each month. It makes your job easier, you’ll be able to rely on a steady income, and you won’t have to constantly go fishing for new people.

The long-term success of your career largely depends on the customers you can keep. So, what can you do to retain clients with your writing services? Yes, it has a little to do with marketing. More importantly, however, it has a lot to do with educating yourself as much as possible.

(more…)