What are the ‘signposts’ in your online content?

You are likely well aware that many readers scan content. When they navigate to your page, they do not just start reading from the beginning and continue through to the end. Even if you have written valuable content that contains a lot of useful information, they are likely going to scan first.

One thing they are doing while scanning is looking for certain “signposts.” The goal here is simply to establish, to the reader, that they are viewing relevant content. They already know what information they are searching for or what questions they have. They are simply double-checking your page to see if it is going to answer those questions and provide the information they seek. These signposts can give them that indication, and they may then begin at the top of the content and start reading more thoroughly.

Headings and subheadings

To start with, people will quickly scan the headings and subheadings to see the general flow of the content. It is true that some people do this because they only want to read one specific section. They are looking for a certain subheading that is going to contain the answer they are after.

But these subheaders also help establish relevance. If all of the subheadings relate closely to the topic they are interested in, it tells them that your content is worth their time. People are always in a hurry, so they may scan multiple pages before deciding which one they actually want to read. Time is valuable.

Hyperlinks

Your outbound links can also be important. They tend to stand out from the other text. Choosing appropriate keywords for your hyperlinks, therefore, can be very helpful. Even if the reader does not specifically click on that link, it is something that their eye is going to notice as they scan down the page.

Images and other media

Additionally, readers will quickly scan images or videos. This does not mean they are going to watch an entire video on your site before reading, even if it is embedded in the content. But they are going to take a look at the thumbnail.

Not only can images and videos help establish relevance, but they can also be useful when demonstrating that you have high-quality, authoritative content. If you have generic, AI-generated images, they are not going to carry as much weight. But images that offer specific information or tie closely to the subject at hand show that you know what you are talking about and, once again, that the page is worth the reader’s time.

Tables and lists

Finally, tables and lists can be useful because they break up your content. They create more white space, and they give the reader a lot of information in just a few words.

If the reader wants to find out about a certain product, for example, key specifications may be put into a list. On one hand, the reader wants to learn the specifications, so you can quickly answer their questions. But a detailed list also shows that the writer knows what they are talking about and that the rest of the content will likely contain similar useful information.

Addressing signposts while crafting your content

This helps to show why every aspect of your content is important. These signposts are not going to make up the bulk of the information on your page, but they are very useful to the reader. They draw people in, they increase the time spent on your site, and they make it more likely that the reader will circle back and read the rest of the information.

Here at Content Customs, we can help with web design, content creation and the like. Do not hesitate to reach out to our experienced content creation team to learn more.