The average on line reader stays with an article 96 seconds!
Read on for tips and tricks:
Readability and Length
Between 250-500 words long with keywords appearing throughout the text. This article is 295 words. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranks both too short and too long web pages low.
Eye Catchers
People skim over articles quickly, looking for keywords. Aim for 3-6 key words in a 500 words article.
Use bullet points and judiciously use bold to draw attention to essential points. ‘Skimmers’ will read the first and last paragraph and bullet points only.
Some people will read only the first paragraph, which introduces your subject and gives the person a reason to read on.
The last paragraph sums and calls to action. Search engines may focus on key words in the last paragraph alone.
Use section headings. Online readers skim over articles and if they find a heading of interest, will the following paragraph or two that clearly explains the heading.
For Longer Papers
- Some papers simply cannot meet the above ‘quick read’ guidelines. For instance, research papers will naturally be much longer. People will likely print these out to read.
- Begin with an abstract of less than 500 words. Some people will only read this, so follow the above guidelines
- Then attach a PDF with the full research paper for people who want more depth. Because just 500 words feels like ‘fluff.’
- Follow these formatting guidelines:
Column Width
Now format your document as two columns at 12 point type with 1.15 line distance– resulting in 40-50 characters (including spaces) per line
- reduces reading fatigue
- increases absorption and comprehension
- supports the mind’s understanding
- and improves overall retention.
- reduces the number of pages, saving paper
Images
Keep images for the website at 100 kb or lower
Ensure your story reaches its audience! Write with these tips in mind to maximize your reach and readership.
Download the article to print it: