Distinctive Tips To Make Your Content More Engaging

Every time you go online you are confronted with a real mixture of different styles of content; from truly engaging content through to the dull & tedious.

The chances are you have come across many articles on the internet that were excellent, so engaging in fact that you just couldn’t bear to take your eyes off the screen. It’s a great feeling and we’ve all been there. Unfortunately there is also the other end of the spectrum, content so poortly written that they just shouldn’t be there. Ouch, right? But it’s true.

With our tips below we hope to encourage the good in writing, making even the most mundate topic read like a gripping tale. 

Use Visuals 

The use of visual content instantly breaks up text and offers the reader something other than words to look at. Making use of imagery can be the difference between someone clicking onto your work and staying on the page and someone who cannot wait to leave. 

Instead of just having text, insert eye-catching images, create an infographic regarding your post or even turn your content into an engaging presentation with SlideShare. By including visual stimulation, it will aid in breaking up the long paragraphs of text, allowing the content of your post to ‘breathe’ and making the whole thing more readable.

Make It Easy to Read

Try and make your content as easy to read as possible; to do this you should edit your text to ensure it is not too bulky. Long paragraphs can often be very challenging to read as they require (or at least gives the perception of requiring) greater focus and effort.

A great way to ensure your content is made simpler is to use shorter sentences. Just remember, you don’t have to be Shakespeare in order to provide an enticing read. Try and lose the words, don’t be too eloquent or ramble on. 

Other ways to ensure you maintain a simpler format when writing content is:

• Use spaces between paragraphs. It is extremely beneficial to insert lines between paragraphs; this makes it much easier for the reader to quickly scan through. 
• Important keywords in bold. If you’re trying to draw attention to a certain point or area then bold it. That way it will immediately stand out from the rest of the text.
• Use bullet points. If you need to convey a lot of information, use bullet points as this makes it much easier to digest and for the reader to appreciate what you’re saying.
• Include sub-headings. This is a brilliant way to break up your content and section it into areas, making it much easier to follow.

Use a Story Telling Approach

Storytelling is an extremely engaging style of writing. You will tell stories to almost everyone you talk to, so why not use them with your audience when writing?

Stories are also more likely to provoke an emotional response from the reader; you provide the reader the opportunity to experience exactly what you’re feeling and for them to immerse themselves in what they’re reading, and to believe it.

You should try to incorporate different points of view, facts and statistics into your content. As this, entwined with a story like narrative, will stick in the readers mind like a moth to a flame; and be much more effective. 

Involve The Reader

When you’re communicating with the reader, use words like ‘you and ‘your’ – this immediately makes it more personal to the reader. By making the reader feel as if the text is aimed at them and not just a generic post will instantly make your writing more engaging.

By bringing them into the heart of the narrative, it is more likely that they will take the action you intend once they have finished reading. Don’t allow your audience to consume your content from a disconnected viewpoint; they must feel involved and connected to what you’re saying.

Now you have the knowhow to write more engaging content, go and give it a go. Apply these tips and let us know how you get on with it. Tweet us @mcmnet or post a link to our Facebook page!