Writing content based on online reading trends
When you are publishing online content—whether that means social media posts, blog posts or website content—you need to consider your audience. It’s very important to write for that specific audience and in a way that connects with them. Many people who feel like they are not getting as much engagement as they want out of their social media posts, for example, are simply failing to take their target audience into account. The content doesn’t connect with them, so it doesn’t get as many shares, comments and interactions.
One key aspect to consider is simply how your audience reads. If you were publishing printed content, odds are that they would read every word. But if they’re reading it on the Internet—whether on a cellphone or a computer—they’re probably not going to read the same way. Studies consistently find that people tend to scan and rarely read every single word on the screen.
What does this mean for your content?
For one thing, this means that you generally want to keep your content short. People get bogged down by long paragraphs and will skip over them.
It’s also important to use subheaders in your content. Your audience may be looking for very specific information, so they’re just going to skim the page until they find it.
For example, you may write a product page with hundreds of words describing the product and its benefits. But someone may be reading it looking for one specific detail. They need to be able to skim through the different sections until they find the information they’re after.
Why do people read this way?
People simply approach the Internet differently than they would other types of printed content. Often, your reader is essentially just doing research. They’re trying to learn more about your products or services.
To that end, skimming the content makes the most sense to them. It’s a way for them to quickly find the small pieces of information they need without spending much of their time reading everything in full.
This is especially true on mobile devices. An increasing percentage of the population accesses the Internet this way. But it also means that they are reading on the go—while they walk to work, ride the bus or sit at the dinner table. They’re not going to settle in and read long-form content the same way they would when picking up a novel.
The content you need
Here at Content Customs, we can help you understand your target audience and the type of content you need to get results. Please get in touch with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you.
