Written by Robyn T. Braley
Tips for improving audience engagement when writing emails, social media content and website posts!
We’ve all received them—emails with random subject lines and content that rambles on forever. We’ve all seen Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blog, or website posts that are one big blob of words that are daunting to read!
Writing online content requires a different approach than writing for essays, reports, magazines or newspapers. What I share will also make information in printed proposals or reports easier to read.
Why is this Important?
Strong online communication skills are important in doing the work of Rotary. We want to be better understood by others and to better understand them as we tell Rotary stories.
Rotary is about doing; we save lives, restore lives, protect lives, influence lives, and enrich lives. In the process, we build better friendships and relationships.
How Long is Too Long?
Content that effectively tells your story and engages readers requires thought and careful crafting.
Short is always good, but not at the expense of meaning.
Some social media platforms have character limits. But, because you can reach a limit doesn’t mean you should. What are you trying to say?
It wasn't long ago that social media experts were adamant that blog posts or website page content should never be more than 500 words long. They didn't believe people would read longer articles.
That has changed. The general rule of thumb today is to write as much content as you need to tell your story.
If that means 500, 1,000, or 1,500, that’s fine. Edit carefully and delete any ‘rabbit hole’ content.
A judge in my city writes posts of up to 7,000 words. He is followed by a large audience in the legal community that reads every word. It takes that much content to fully explain whatever legal position he is putting forward.
My posts are usually 900 to 1,500 words long. Once my word count reaches 1,000, I decide whether a single post can be broken into two.
In the judge's case, he knows members of the legal community are vociferous readers who want all the details pertaining to a particular opinion.
Ask yourself these questions.
- Who is my audience?
- What are their expectations?
- How much content do I need to tell my story?
- Can I break up the content into several posts?
In the general sense, a series of shorter blogs will usually generate more internet traffic than one very long one. However, each post must stand on its own. You can link them to each other for those who want to read more.
Strong Headlines Scream for Attention
When you write a great post, you want people to read it. Strong, clear headlines show up better with search engines. They are also easy to cut and paste with a link into social media feeds or email messages for promotion.
Taking time to write and rewrite your email or social media headline until you get it right pays off. For example, are there stronger, shorter words? Will flipping the last part for the first strengthen the impact of the title?
Brilliant titles draw readers into brilliant content.
One approach is to write your headline in the form of a question. "Why?" Of course, the smart answer is, "Why not!"
Seriously, a well-crafted question begs to be answered by reading your post. Questions appeal to the cognitive process of the reader resulting in further engagement.
A second approach is to make a strong, assertive offer like "Conquer Your Fear By ... or "Tips for Building … or “Five Facts You Need to Know ..." will help establish your authority.
If possible, start your headline with an action word. If it is also a power word, so much the better.
- Engage
- Improve
- Increase
- Grow
- Find
- Learn
- Go
- Stop
- Give
Never use all-caps in a post headline or email subject line. All-caps is the equivalent of shouting online.
Keep it Positive
Use a positive tone. That rule also applies when writing about serious topics like the economy, price increases, staffing or other topics.
This does not mean understating the problem or shrinking from the truth about the seriousness of the issue. However, a positive tone can be in the form of offering hope or proposing solutions to difficult problems.
In my branding practice, I am periodically hired to conduct qualitative surveys. There are often difficult comments from their clients and other feedback that we include in our report. We never present the information without suggesting ways to respond. We offer a way forward.
What a Thesaurus is For
Using a $1,000 word when a $100 or even a $10 word will do is to be generally avoided. Unless, that is, you are writing for a $1,000 a word audience.
The general rule is to write at tenth grade reading level. That does not mean dumbing down your content. It has to do with the way people consume online information.
I use Grammarly which assesses the grade level of my writing and suggests changes. It also analyses the strength of titles and has AI tools which can aide in content creation.
People Read Posts Differently
People read websites and blog posts differently then the way they read magazines or newspapers.
Online columns are wider than they are in magazines or newspapers. They are formatted as a single column per page rather than being broken into two or three.
Some read a post in full while others quickly scan it and only read the part they are most interested in. That is why text must be broken into sections.
- Sentences should not include more than 15 - 20 words
- Paragraphs should be short using 2 - 4 sentences as a guide
- Start each paragraph with a strong statement about the topic that follows
- Resist starting sentences with a clause
Read the following sentences out loud and feel the difference when the information is flipped front to back.
‘Due to the critical need in the region, my Rotary Club raised funds for a clean water project!'
will become,
'My Rotary Club raised funds for a clean water project due to the critical need in the region.'
Break it Up, Baby
Start a new section when you introduce a new idea. Write a catchy sub headline as a lead-in.
Most newspapers or magazines don't do this. Articles may fill an entire page without breaks due to the cost of printing where the use of every bit of space is paramount.
It costs money to add an extra page. In fact, you can only add two or four pages. In blogging or writing a web page people will scroll down as they read.
Make it Stand Out
Section headlines guide the eye and make it easier to absorb content. It divides it into consumable bites.
Use bullet points, arrows or numbers to break up information. Readers respond to lists.
White space serves a useful purpose by highlighting key information. It draws the eye to key points by relaxing the content and making it feel looser.
Creating a graphic to profile key info will make it pop out. Simple tools like using different text colors, typing single words or phrases in capitals, bolding or italicizing key words, or using different fonts than is used for the main body copy draws attention.
The liberal use of relevant photos also increases engagement and retention factors. Simply put, they add color and meaning.
The End
What do you think? Do you have tips? I want to hear from you. Please comment below.
CONTACT INFO
Robyn T. Braley is a Rotarian in District 5360. He has served on numerous Club and District committees, including as the P.R. Chair in his District He has also produced major events in the community and in Rotary like Rotary Remembers, a multi-club event honoring those who served or were lost in Canada's conflicts. He is a brand specialist, writer, and speaker. You may contact him at robyn@robyntbraley.com
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