When you turn to the web to search for something, chances are you need the information quickly.
When you’re engaged in a content marketing strategy, it’s important to remember that the members of your target audience (and potential customers) are no different. They want useful, engaging content that answers their questions as quickly and effectively as possible.
To that end, it’s important to find content writers who know how to create digital copy that’s easy to read and understand in a relatively short amount of time. The following are some key tips for making that happen:
Keep it short
Skilled content writers know that digital content should be as concise as possible. Just like more traditional journalists, they never use 10 words when eight will do, and they keep their language and word usage relatively simple. Short paragraphs and sentences also enhance readability, as they don’t require readers to digest too much dense information at once.
Stay on topic
Get to the point of your article or blog posts immediately—and try not to deviate much from that topic. If you need to change subjects in a substantial way, you may choose to do it in a new piece of content. For example, you may break up complex subjects into a series of shorter blog posts. Be sure to find content writers who demonstrate proficiency in this area.
Use active language
Use active verbs in your sentence construction whenever possible. For example, consider this sentence: Improve your post’s readability by using short sentences and active verbs.
Sure, it makes sense, but it uses passive language. A more concise way to communicate that same idea would be this: Short sentences and active verbs improve readability.
HINT: If you find yourself using the word “by” in a sentence, it’s likely that you’ve slipped into using passive voice.
Active voice is better for readability—and can even be beneficial when it comes to how search engines rate your content. And as an added bonus, active verbs allow content writers to be more concise.
Ask for a second opinion
Even the most experienced copywriters know they sometimes need a second pair of eyes. If a trusted colleague isn’t available, we like to run the content we create through the Hemingway App. The platform offers suggestions for how your text can be simpler, and it even calculates a grade-level readability score.
According to the app, this post can be read by a 5th grader. Because the average American reads at a 10th-grade level, this is the one time where a low grade translates to success! (Of course, you don’t want to go too low.)
Before you publish your content, it’s worth considering what you can remove or make easier to read and understand. Your readers will thank you, which will help you build an audience and improve your search results.