If it's Too Long to Read, it's Too Easy to Ignore!
The Neilson Norman Group, a company that studies user-experience, estimates that most users, on an average web page, only read a maximum 28% of the words. According to NNG, “more realistically, users will read about 20% of the text on the average page.” New users tend to read less, while an established audience may read more. Longer content isn’t always consumed by the reader. The TLDR syndrome, otherwise known as “too long; didn’t read,” is real. The solution is finding ways to keep the user engaged, rather than just posting shorter articles.
4 Tips for Developing Content that Isn’t Ignored
Readers have – (a) too much information, (b) a need for specific information, (c) very little time, and therefore, (c) short attention spans. Your content must fit into their time frame. Once you provide meaningful content that is engaging, they’ll come back to learn more. Once you gain their trust through your shorter messaging, you can provide in-depth content that they really want.
- Match your content to where your buyer is at in your pipeline.
New customers want brevity. You need to give them content that is short and to the point. The most important information must be at the top of the page. Customers that graduate to the decision-making stage are more open to long-form content, provided it’s valuable and answers their questions. A school essay is not what they’re looking for; they will engage with content that is meaningful, relevant, and unique. It must also be written following good SEO structure and digital content marketing best practices, to be found, and to become easily scannable and shareable. - Use visual media to break up those long scrolls!
Most people don’t enjoy reading long blocks of text on smartphones or computers. Use pictures to add to your story. Provide videos or audio content that support your product or service. Use pull quotes that highlight your message and direct readers to strategic information on the page. Think beyond words when providing content. - Use formatting that bolsters readability of your content.
Use headers and titles to break up content and provide information about what follows. Users take these cues and decide whether or not to keep reading the details. Headers are a big part of SEO strategy for organic ranking. Use bullet points or numbers to make content easier to digest. Don’t overlook the details of formatting as you strive for good flow and structure. You stand a better chance at engaging readers when they aren’t struggling to make sense of your online content. - Reach out to users through multiple channels
Modern consumers vet you and your business by reading reviews and social media. Make sure your online channels support your brand messaging. Engage your users through social media posts that offer different types of content.
Well-Organized Content Delivers Results
Spend time organizing content for the user. It’s easier to funnel a prospective buyer through your sales pipeline when content is created with purpose. You don’t produce content to hear yourself talk, so to speak. You create content to provide relevant information for your customer. Well-organized content ensures that your SEO strategy is on point, not only for the reader but for search engine bots that index your site.
It takes time and planning to develop quality content that engages the reader. If you’re feeling stretched thin, discuss your content plan with the dedicated team at MintCopy. We have a team of experienced SEO writers and content marketing specialists that know how to develop content that delivers results.
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