How to Write Unbeatable User-Oriented Content

Writing for the web is quite different from reading on paper when it comes to factors like style, sourcing, or reader’s engagement. When they read on screens, users are less engaged and more likely to just flip the page and move on. Chances are many people won’t finish what they are reading online. To avoid this, you should adapt your writing style to the digital medium. The most important point is to be concise and comprehensive. Your content must clearly inform the audience about the subject right from the beginning. Statistics show that the average internet user consumes the information in a superficial way, and briefly analyzes the text unless his attention is grabbed by a catchy element. In short, your text must be readable, interesting, fresh, and informative, in order to drive higher engagement on your content.

Here are some web writing tips that will catch the wind in your sails.

Define your purpose, subject, and target audience

Prior to starting any work, you should define your purpose and subject, and identify your target audience. Here are the 3 W’s: Why? What? For Whom?

Why?

The question is: “What do I hope to accomplish by writing this content?” The answer might be promoting a product/service or building some quality backlinks.

What?

Now you ask yourself: “WHAT am I writing about?” Choosing the right topic is not a piece of cake, but definitely, it’s an essential point in creating a blog.

You shouldn’t waste your energy starting a blog with multiple topics. Pick just one subject, and devote a good amount of time to it. It is advisable to start a post from something you have an interest in, so you can actually put some good flesh on it. Write down a list of your favorite subjects, then make some research in Google Trends to check out some trending topics related to your interest fields. For each topic, you can see the volume of searches it is receiving, so you should be able to make a decision based on this factor.

For whom?

Once the purpose and the subject are defined, you must make sure that your message will reach the right target. Now it’s the moment for you to ask yourself:” WHOM am I writing for?” To include every possible reader is unsustainable. You must decide who will be really interested in your topic, and who will best understand it.

In order to discover your target audience, you should participate in forums and online communities related to your topic. The best way to integrate into a new community is to interact, being active in the discussions, and offer some advice/solutions to other users. Once you know which your audience is, try to identify their main needs and expectations.

Now grab them

Make some researches about what your potential readers already know what they are searching for the most, and give it to them.

You must keep in mind that whenever people are looking for some content online, they run into tons of links and material ready to draw their attention away from your content. Don’t forget that users have a short attention span when it comes to online reading. You need a hook to keep them on your page and (ideally) convert them into followers/customers.

Here follow some suggestions that can help you achieve that.

Present the information logically

Before actual writing, try to structure your text, so that it flows smoothly, and provides a logical coherence to the post. The deployment of main ideas and their supporting details should seem logical to the reader. Here are few important points to keep in mind:

• deliver the essential message in the first few lines, following the inverted pyramid principle.

• Narrow down your main points and turn them into H1 titles.
• Build 2–3 paragraphs around each main point, using short, concise, and informative phrases.
• Use headers and sub-headers to better structure the information.
• Make sure the keywords are well-placed within the HTML indexable content (H tags, anchor texts, alt tags).

Use the principle of proximity

In Gestalt Psychology, the “Law of Proximity states that objects that are near or ‘proximate’ to each other tend to be grouped together.” This principle can be successfully applied to any type of content writing. The closer you are to your readers, speaking about them and about their personal needs and interest, the more they will buy into it. You need to match your writing style to the way your visitors think and talk, so they can process the information you deliver. Gain the users’ trust by writing high-quality content which addresses their problems and needs. Little stories related to the topic, practical examples, and ‘how to do’ lists are always welcome.

Be visually catchy

A frequent scenario: you finally publish your awesome blog, filled up with great ideas and information. But nobody seems to read it. No feedback, no comments, no shares on social media. A good reason for a breakdown. And soon, your writer's self-esteem slides below sea level.

Maybe you need to spend much more time improving your writing skills? Maybe not.

Have you ever thought that you could make your digital content more visually appealing? Did it ever cross your mind that photos and infographics might really help you to tell your story?

Bloggers often overlook the visuals. Yet they are known to improve the reading process and to capture the user’s attention with the speed of light.

It’s scientifically proven that the human brain processes visuals 60,000X faster than text. In plus, visual stimuli produce the fastest emotional response. When the user sees an image in a post, his eyes are instantly drawn to it. He analyzes it within a very short snippet of time and understands the message almost instantly.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to throw few images here and there within your post. Properly used, visuals will give more weight to your content, making it more catchy and comprehensive at the same time.

Reliability can make the difference

Add some testimonials or reviews to your content. For many people, the web is a dangerous place filled with predators and black hats, so any fact that proves your good reputation will work just perfectly.

If you found these content writing tips useful, or if you have more information to add, feel free to write a comment in the section below.

Happy writing!