Writing for Busy Readers
Corinna Santa Ana (Cornejo)
Freelance Content Writer and Strategist for Health & Wellness Brands | Diabetes Patient Leader
In this series of posts I reflect on the six principles of effective writing from ?????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? by?Todd Rogers & Jessica Lasky-Fink. At the same time I explore the push-me pull-you nature of writing SEO-optimized content for readers who skim and scan.
Principle 1: Less is more
?????????? ?????????? ??????????????????, ???????? ???? ????????, ???????????????? ?????? ????????-???? ????????-?????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ??????????????. ??? ?? ??
The authors tell us ?????????????? ?????? ????????????. ???????? ???????? ?????? ????????, and can't be expected to read closely or focus on lengthy pieces. Keep it short. Focus on a single idea. Make only one request.
But conventional ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???? ???? ?????????? ???????? ????????????. 1500-2500 words, maybe even more. Longer posts signal experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (EEAT) to search engines.
???? ???????? (???? ??????????) ?????? ?????????????????? ????'???? ???????????? ???? ??????????????: the reader and the algorithm. ?????????????????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ???? ???? ???? ????????.
??'?? ?????????????????? ?????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? in this series.
???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????????
Principle 2 of Effective Writing: Make Reading Easy
??????? You want your readers to understand, don't you? Assume your readers are harried and hurried. If they run into a snag, most likely they will go away. Few will stay and work their way through it. Think of it as opportunities lost.
???????
1?? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? & ????????????????. It's not so much about reading level as word fluency. Use words that readers recognize and understand immediately.
2?? ?????? ?????????? ??????????????????. Say what you mean. Again, it's all about making it easy for the reader.
3?? ?????????? ?????????????? ??????????????????. Get to your point.
?????? ????????????????????? Very few. Some times you have to bend the rules by using specific or specialized vocabulary. For example, when writing about healthcare topics it's helpful to use both formal vocabulary along with commonly used terms. In the case of heart disease the reader benefits from knowing that coronary artery bypass graft surgery and bypass surgery are the same.
?????? ???? ?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ???????? ??????-?????????????????? ?????????????? ??????????? Very well, thank you.
Principle 3 of Effective Writing: Design for Easy Navigation
?? Think about the skimmers and scanners, realize that ?????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? (???? ????????) ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ?????? ??????. ??
???????????????? ???????? ????????:
On it's own it might seem kind of random. But change the design and the list becomes easier to understand and act on.
???????
1?? ???????? ?????? (????????????????) ?????? ?????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????????. Add a title or heading at the top: T?o?d?a?y?'?s? ?T?o? ?D?o? ?L?i?s?t?
2?? ?????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????????. Add subheadings: ??????????????????; ??????????????; ??????????
3?????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????????? ????????????????. Sort the list and group items together.
4?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????? ?????????? & ?????? ?????????? ?????????????????? ????????. Prioritize the groups and list them from most to least important/urgent.
5?? ?????? ????????????????. Headings signal the reader which ideas are important, how items are grouped, and when you're about to change groups.
6?? ?????????? ?????????????? ?? ??????????, ??????????, ???? ????????????????????????. You know what they say about a picture and 1000 words... Sometimes a chart, graph, or illustration can communicate an idea or process more quickly.
????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ????????:
??T?o?d?a?y?'?s? ?T?o? ?D?o? ?L?i?s?t?
????????????????????
?? ??????????????
??? ??????????
?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ??????-?????????????????? ??????????????? Very well, thank you. These six steps mirror on-page SEO practices.
1?? Each page has a single, overarching topic, made apparent in the <Title> and/or <H1>.
2?? Signal a new idea with a new paragraph.
3?? Organize related ideas into sections.
领英推荐
4?? Use the inverted pyramid approach so that you don't bury the lede.
5?? <H2>, <H3>, etc. signal a new section and it's relative importance.
6?? Add charts, graphs, and illustrations to clarify and reinforce your message. Be sure to include <alt> text. ? This can also improve accessibility.
Principle 4 of Effective Writing: Use Enough Formatting but No More
???????????????????? ???????????????????? ?????????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????????????? ???? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????????.
Consider the difference between reading the original:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, ...
And a version with some formatting:
???? ???????? ?????????? ???????????? ???? ???? ????????-??????????????, that ?????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ??????????, that they are ?????????????? ???? ?????????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????, that among these are ????????, ?????????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ??????????????????.
???????? ???? ???????????? ?????????? ????????????, Governments are instituted among Men, ???????????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ????????????????,
???????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????? ???? ?????????? ????????, ???? ???? ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?????????? ???? ???? ?????????????? ????, ?????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ????????????????????, ...
???????
1?? ?????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??????????????' ????????????. People don't expect to face a wall of text. The space between words and paragraphs make the text more digestible.
2?? ??????????????????, ????????, ???? U?n?d?e?r?s?c?o?r?e? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ??????????. These simple formatting choices make some sections stand out, signaling their importance.
3?? ?????????? ???????? ????????????????????. But there is a tipping point where too much formatting has the opposite effect. ???? ?????????? t?h?e? ???????? ??????????????.
?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ??????-?????????????????? ??????????????? Very well, thank you. Various tags translate into visible formatting for the reader while at the same time sending signals to search bots.
Principle 5 of Effective Writing: Tell Readers Why They Should Care
Without being upfront with WIIFM?the harried and hurried reader isn't likely to stick around.
????????'?? ???? ???? ?????? ????? The question does more than just draw readers' attention. It takes attention into engagement by giving them the feeling that they have skin in the game. The result: readers stick around to find out more.
???????
1?? ?????????????????? ?????? ????????????'?? "???? ?????????" Tap into why what you're writing is important ???? ????????, ?????? ????????????. With this you begin building a deeper connection. Show how the information presented is relevant to their agenda and readers stays curious and pay attention.
2?? ?????????????????? ?????????? ?????????????? ???????????? ????????. ???????????? "?????? ?????" Help readers see themselves being affected by the information and show them how they can respond. Get personal. Engage emotions. Make an emotional connection that further deepens engagement and motivates action.
?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ??????-?????????????????? ??????????????? Often we talk about writing a strong hook to capture readers' attention. But when we stop there the reader leaves feeling manipulated. While we do want to get readers curious and excited, we also need to tap into ?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ???????? we and get at their intention. This is how we go beyond merely drawing attention to we deepening engagement and motivating action.
Principle 6 of Effective Writing: Make Responding Easy
This is where the content takes the reader beyond just learning about and evaluating -- to taking action.
While we might not be able to make that proverbial horse drink the water, we can certainly make it easier for it to decide to on its own.
???????
1?? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????. ???Keep it to one step, if at all possible.
2?? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ????????????????????. ????Clearly state each step. "Do this."
3?? ???????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ????????????. ?? Make the CTA stand out on the page. Special ???????????????????? or a button ?? can do the trick.
?????? ???????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ???? ??????-?????????????????? ??????????????? Vey well, thank you. Both are aimed at creating user-centered content that encourages reader engagement and action.