The Internet offers us the ability to see new things at any moment. Entertainment is endless online, and at times the desire to watch funny YouTube videos instead of being productive is overwhelming. Successful websites are those that reduce these temptations by keeping the reader interested and focused.
Here are a few easy ways to do this:
Titles
Use titles. Use them a lot. Titles are short statements about what you will be telling the reader. Big blocks of text can be daunting and unappealing, often driving readers away.
Even if you have a lot to say, titles can help break up this text and direct the reading experience. Don’t be afraid to make titles interesting or surprising, this will only draw readers in further.
Simplicity
Notice the difference between the sentence you are reading right now, which has far too many words, is too complicated, has many clauses, and seems as if it was written in a sort of long-winded delirium (probably caused by the author muddling through a lot of poorly written internet articles), and this next sentence which is essentially saying the same thing.
Be simple.
Be clear, but simple.
Long and wordy sentences are for comfy couches and Sunday mornings – they are much harder to digest at a desk or on a screen.
Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are one of my favorite elements on websites. People are click-happy on the Internet. No amount of beautiful, perfect, internet-adjusted writing is going to fix that, but as the saying goes, “if you can’t beat em’, join em’!”
Hyperlinks are a writer’s answer to the temptation to click. They allow you to more keenly focus and direct the reading experience. They also give writers the ability to explain jargon or acronyms without going into too much lengthy detail.
Linking to other pages on the same website can also be useful - there’s no need to repeat lengthy data or facts if you can link to them. However, be careful to use hyperlinks sparingly – too many can be distracting.
Be Personal
Dealing with machines is often frustrating and boring. From automated messages to technical issues, we would almost always rather be dealing with a person. We receive the Internet through the impersonal space of a machine, making the voice of an author all the more important.
It is important to let readers know there is a person behind the words. More than anything else, this will hold their interest and keep them reading.
Here are a few easy ways to do this:
Titles
Use titles. Use them a lot. Titles are short statements about what you will be telling the reader. Big blocks of text can be daunting and unappealing, often driving readers away.
Even if you have a lot to say, titles can help break up this text and direct the reading experience. Don’t be afraid to make titles interesting or surprising, this will only draw readers in further.
Simplicity
Notice the difference between the sentence you are reading right now, which has far too many words, is too complicated, has many clauses, and seems as if it was written in a sort of long-winded delirium (probably caused by the author muddling through a lot of poorly written internet articles), and this next sentence which is essentially saying the same thing.
Be simple.
Be clear, but simple.
Long and wordy sentences are for comfy couches and Sunday mornings – they are much harder to digest at a desk or on a screen.
Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are one of my favorite elements on websites. People are click-happy on the Internet. No amount of beautiful, perfect, internet-adjusted writing is going to fix that, but as the saying goes, “if you can’t beat em’, join em’!”
Hyperlinks are a writer’s answer to the temptation to click. They allow you to more keenly focus and direct the reading experience. They also give writers the ability to explain jargon or acronyms without going into too much lengthy detail.
Linking to other pages on the same website can also be useful - there’s no need to repeat lengthy data or facts if you can link to them. However, be careful to use hyperlinks sparingly – too many can be distracting.
Be Personal
Dealing with machines is often frustrating and boring. From automated messages to technical issues, we would almost always rather be dealing with a person. We receive the Internet through the impersonal space of a machine, making the voice of an author all the more important.
It is important to let readers know there is a person behind the words. More than anything else, this will hold their interest and keep them reading.
RSS Feed
