There’s nothing worse than spending hours on a blog post, only to have no one read it!
Surprisingly, the trick to getting people to actually read your blog post isn’t all about the content you provide, it’s how that content is formatted.
More than likely, when a visitor comes across your post, they’ll scan through content. There are a few who will read through it word for word, sure—but they are exceptions to the rule.
Still, there are some things you can do to slow down the would-be “scanner” and get them more involved with the content you’ve spent so much time writing.
What’s Our # 1 Formatting Tip?
Subheadlines. Subheadlines help grab attention. They offer promises and can even grab the readers curiosity (like we just did).
When In Doubt, List It Out
- Bullets and lists are easy ways to keep things scannable.
Your readers will appreciate how you’re keeping things organized, but the trick is… don’t be too skimpy on the details. If you just list things out, but don’t offer at least a sentence or two or detail about each item in your list, it’s pretty easy for your reader to just skip on by.
I think a good mix of short, clear, and concise paragraphs combined with thoughtful and purposeful use of bulleted lists will help avoid this.
Here are some other tips when using lists…
- Using bullet points or numbers (like we are here). They give the readers eye something to grab on to and can help direct attention.
- Use bold, introductory phrases. These help not only grab attention, they help pull your reader into the actual details (if you’re reading these words now then you know it works!).
- Keep it short. These are lists after all! No need to go into intricate detail. If you need more than a few sentences, it’s best to create a new section under a different subheadline.
Copy Beats Design (PRO TIP!)
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in what images to use and where to use them. Remember, great copy will always, ALWAYS beat great design.
Have some tips of your own? Feel free to leave a comment below (and if you found this post helpful in any way, please share it on your favorite social network)!
– Mercer
