Do you have high bounce rates on your articles? Do people just click on the article, read a few lines, and move away?
Creating interesting and unique content is a constant challenge. People have short attention spans and rarely read the entire article before moving on. The only way to keep them engaged is to create really interesting and informative content.
Research suggests that most engaged readers will read only 60% of the content before moving on. That means 40% of it is disregarded.
Fortunately, there are ways to create beautiful content that keeps people engaged. Here are some tips that can help you avoid boring content:
1. Start During the Planning Process
If the content topic isn’t interesting, you’ll struggle to find readers for it. Choosing the right topic is the first step to creating interesting content. Here are some tips on how to do it:
• Search for trending topics related to your company keywords through Google Trends.
• Look at the comments section, social media, and platforms like Quora for questions from your target audience. Make sure these questions are relevant to your industry and answer them through your content.
• Look at what your successful competitors are writing and find inspiration from their topics. Make sure you don’t copy any content.
It is difficult to come up with interesting content in some industries. For example, if you’re a light-switch seller, you can only write a limited number of interesting pieces about light-switches. It is important to be as creative as you can with the topics.
2. Include Your Own Voice
Experienced content creators know how to add a unique voice to their content. This voice gives the text some personality and ensures it doesn’t sound dull.
• Use contractions like ‘don’t’’ ‘isn’t’ instead of ‘do not’ and ‘is not.’
• Use casual sentence structures.
• Keep the language and flow conversational.
• Address the reader directly.
A natural voice is easier to read. Your target audience won’t feel like they’re reading a user manual or a textbook.
3. Humor Always Works
Many content creators avoid humor to maintain a professional tone. This is particularly evident in content coming from technical and industrial fields. But modern readers, especially those on the internet, respond well to humor.
Adding a few funny lines and jokes can help soften the tone of the article and make it more relatable. You might have to use your own judgment to determine where funny comments are appropriate.
Take care to keep the humor light-hearted and inoffensive.
4. Keep the Paragraphs Short
Readers don’t like a wall of solid text. Long and dense paragraphs are difficult to read, which is why articles with them have high bounce rates.
Shorter paragraphs aren’t just easier to read, they’re also easier to skim. Only around 16% of online readers will read articles thoroughly. The rest just scan and pick up relevant points.
Include bullet points, short paragraphs, highlighted keywords, and meaningful subheadings. This will help you gain more audience for your content.
5. Break Text with Illustrations
Graphics and illustrations help readers understand the text better. They also break an article up into easily-readable pieces. It is ideal to include infographics in your content, but you can include other illustrations as well. 41% of marketers in one survey said original graphics like infographics performed the best. (https://louisem.com/145162/visual-content-marketing-stats)
Charts, pies, photographs, or simple drawing work well. Visual content is more appealing than text content so you should include them in your text as much as possible.
6. Headlines Have the Biggest Impact
Did you know that 59% of the readers share articles after just reading the headline?
Headlines are the biggest deciding factors. If the readers find the headline appealing, they are more likely to read and share your content. It is easy to create appealing headlines if you:
• Include numbers
• Create a sense of urgency
• Include specific facts and data
• Keep it simple
• Add adjectives
• Include rationale
There are many articles available online that provide standard headline template formats. That can make creating interesting headlines easier.
7. Unique. Specific, and Useful
People aren’t going to waste their time reading content they have read before. It is important to make sure yours is unique. Add a different spin, express contrary opinions, and make sure you provide value in your content.
It is also a good idea to be specific. Include statistics, numbers, and percentages wherever you can. The more specific and detailed you are, the more interested your audience will be. Detailed articles also attract more backlinks from quality websites.
Also Read, A Smart way to build links and traffic.
8. Create Authentic Content You’re Passionate About
Creating authentic content is different from creating original content. Think about a person’s expression when they’re doing something they love and when they’re doing something they don’t enjoy. You can clearly see the difference.
This applies to written content as well. When you’re truly passionate about the content, the words will be easier and the article will have a much better flow.
9. Retain Reader’s Attention
If you’re not guiding the reader and actively engaging their interest, their attention can shift elsewhere. Start with creating a great headline, but maintain their focus through interesting sub-headings and great imagery.
Make sure there’s nothing in the article that can distract them. If you’re using a technical term, add a link to the explanation or provide the meaning immediately. Maintain proper grammar and sentence structure. Create an article outline so they know what to expect.
10. Tell Stories
Modern audiences value experiences. They will love listening to stories and real like examples over dry text and bland facts. Spin a story around your content to make it more relatable.
You can include anecdotes, candid pictures, quotes, and even song lyrics to personalize the content. Stories will keep readers engaged throughout the article.
If you follow these tips, it will be easier to attract more readers and keep their attention focused. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different topics and different content mediums to keep things fresh.
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