Break free of this bad online writing habit
Did you know that you only have 8.25 seconds to capture someone's interest when they read your content online?
If they encounter a wall of text when they visit your site or open your email, they're going to bounce or click off.
Why dense text and long paragraphs kill engagement online
Writing for screens is fundamentally different than writing for hard copy materials like books, magazines, and physical brochures.
Reading from screens is 25% slower than reading from paper.
People also read in a Z pattern online, as they are scanning for information.
This means they're only reading 25% of your words.
Dense paragraphs and long sentences create a heavier cognitive lift online, so your readers will comprehend less.
Remember, they're reading from a phone, tablet, laptop, or monitor, just as you are now, and it's a totally different experience from reading a physical book or magazine.
So what should you do?
Use these three tactics to increase engagement with your content:
1️⃣ Use bolding in a strategic way
Be sure to use bolding, but keep it to no more than 30% of your text.
Use it to highlight main ideas or organize sections of your content.
2️⃣ Use line breaks to introduce white space
In today's digital, content-rich world, the eye needs white space to help process information efficiently.
Utilize line breaks and white space to introduce visual oxygen into your text.
3️⃣ Use short phrases and cut down your sentences
I know, you're a brainiac.
You're well-educated and school taught you to write in long, thoughtful sentences.
Ten dollar words? You've got a pocketful, and you love to use them.
Online, though, that type of writing will work against you.
Whether you are writing for a website, an email, or social media, shorten your sentences and use simpler language.
If you tend to be verbose, use an AI writing tool to help you reduce the length of your sentences and edit for clarity.
A sentence that winds over three lines will discourage even the most interested reader.
