As your friendly, neighborhood writer and editor at Edit This®, I believe every small-business owner needs to produce content that is not only value-added but is also authentic and helps them stand out. After all, the last thing you want is to sound like everyone else. But how do you accomplish that? And how do you make your content more readable? How do you become so engaging that readers want to read your blog, newsletter, and even your website copy from start to finish?
Here are five easy ways to make your content more readable:
Use words that are easy to understand Business owners get too caught up in their industry jargon and forget all those big words aren't going to resonate with the everyday reader. In some cases, they won’t understand what you’re saying. Make the reading process easy for them.
Use short paragraphs, bullets, subheads, visuals Everyone likes visuals (photos, videos, etc.), and they’d also prefer not to have to read large blocks of text. This is where shorter paragraphs separated by bullet points, and even a few subheads can make longer articles, blogs, etc. readable and easy on the eyes.
Talk directly to your readers The reader needs to feel like you are talking to them directly (like what I’m doing with you). Write in the first person and be conversational, as this will help establish a connection between you and the reader. Don’t write about too much at once I talk to clients all the time about their blogs and how it’s important to stick to one topic per post, avoid rambling, and break the conversation down into bite-size pieces to avoid confusion and disorganization. If you have a lot of ideas floating around, write them down, so you have them for multiple readable posts. Pay attention to what readers like Every time you create content, pay attention to how many likes, shares, and comments the topic gets on social media versus something else you’ve written. Doing so helps you gear your content to match what the majority of your readers are looking for.
Call Edit This for all your writing and editing needs
Business owners want to communicate with clients, spark engagement, and build trusting relationships, and one of the best ways to do that is with unique and authentic content.
The only problem is most entrepreneurs don't have time to write and edit their own blogs, press releases, etc., or they struggle with getting ideas on paper. If you've been in this position – whether you're a small-business owner, novelist, or student – hiring a professional content writer may be the answer.
Edit This specializes in producing written copy that explains your passion, promotes your products and services, and helps you stand out. We bring more than 20 years of content writing and copywriting experience to the table.
Thanks for reading!
*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.
*A similar version of this blog post was published in the May issue of Lantana Living magazine.