Dude! Get to the point! (How To Write Readable Posts)
By: Aalia S.You may have really hard hitting content but if your post isn’t readable
it really reduces the appeal of your blog. Apart from the layout and theme of your blog, every post can be made more readable with just a few minor changes.
Keep the intro short
Don’t belabor on the “how’s” and “why’s” of your post before you even get started. Although you may feel like talking about it, others may not be so interested in it. So get to the point fast.
Use bullets
Bullets and numbering really help break down your content into tiny, digestible chunks.
Use bold/italic lettering for headings and subheadings
Your subscribers may like to scan the content on your post before they read it in detail. H
elp them take a decision faster, use formatting for headings. Formatting catches the eye and gets readers to understand matter faster and better. Don’t use formatting frequently though; it could be more annoying than you think.
Stay on Topic
Keep your post focused on just one single narrow topic. The beauty of blogging (and the internet in general) is that you can write additional posts to expand on a point and then link to them from the point in que
stion. So don’t let yourself get distracted, waylaid, or otherwise diverted from the main point you are trying to make.
Pictures
Sign up for a stock photography website or use your own images. Try putting in images wherever you can, but keep them relevant.
Avoid Caps
Unless grammatically appropriate; don’t use caps. You don’t want to look as if you are shouting. It’s a little thing but it really makes a difference.
Grammar/Spell check
Typos could be a blogs undoing. Your subscribers may conclude that you are a careless blogger just by the frequent occurrence of typos.
Avoid acronyms and short forms
You may have subscribers from any part of the world. Don’t assume that everyone knows the names of your local hangouts and their short forms. Share information which you think some of your readers may need to know to understand your posts better.
Space it out
Leave spaces between points or keep your paragraphs short. The lack of paragraph breaks and makes the paragraphs look dense and intimidating. Even if a reader can read it, they often just skim past it… espe
cially online where attention spans are shorter than a Pamela Anderson marriage.
So before you press the publish button preview your post for readability. Now wasn’t this an easy to read post?
