You’ve created a blog to help you reach your target audience, boost SEO, and increase your internet footprint. That’s an amazing first step, but there are millions of blogs being published online today, which can make it difficult to attract and retain an audience.
With this in mind, in addition to publishing your content on a regular schedule, you must also take every possible step to make your blog attractive and engaging. Readability is a key component of this.
The way that you format your blog posts can ultimately make them easy to read and keep readers on the page longer. So what will you need to do to format your posts for readability and clarity? Follow these five tips.
1. Use a Clear and Engaging Title
Your blog post’s title can attract readers to click on your content. It can communicate your brand authority by answering a question a potential customer might have or providing guidance around a pain point.
If you are trying to rank for a specific keyword, include it in your title. While you do so, focus on communicating a benefit. What will they learn? What problem will you solve?
Finally, set your heading styles to indicate the title of your blog post. Do the same with any subheadings that follow. Search engines reward well-organized copy that has a clear flow.
2. Include a Table of Contents on Long-Form Content
Help readers navigate right to the content they need with a table of contents. This is particularly helpful when you publish long blog posts that cover a lot of information. Hyperlink your table of contents to match each of the headings and subheadings in your article to automate navigation even further.
3. Use Links to Enhance Engagement
There are several reasons to use links in your copy. The first is to back up the claims you make. For example, you should add a link to back up any statistics you share.
Additionally, you can use links to make your posts more concise. For example, imagine you’re writing a post about getting the best car loans. You might mention something about how interest rates are calculated for different loans. However, if you go into too much detail, it might take up too much space and distract from your original purpose.
Instead, summarize supplemental points briefly and link to a separate resource, like a loan interest calculator, for those who want to dive deeper into the details.
4. Keep Readability Features in Mind
Readability features are visual elements you use in your blog posts that make them easier to comprehend quickly. These include:
- Bullet points
- Subheadings
- Numbered lists
- Short paragraphs
- Bold print
Use these liberally in your content to prevent that “wall of text” effect that can make on-screen content difficult to read.
5. Use Visuals
Pictures, infographics, and other visuals can really engage readers and keep them interested in your content. You can use images to help explain complex concepts, create a specific mood, and break up content.
Make Your Blog an SEO Machine
An engaging blog can increase traffic, generate leads, and raise your search engine ranking. If you’re ready to start incorporating blogging into your SEO strategy or improve your online presence, reach out to schedule a consultation with our team today.
Leave a Reply: