In today’s online culture of skimming and scanning, a website needs to be eye-catching and cater to the user. We can no longer assume that users will read our content just because it’s available. Creating content that a customer will enjoy can make a world of a difference. After all, who wants to read something they aren’t interested in? In this post, we’ll look at 4 strategies you can employ in to make your customers actually read what you write, and not just skim.

1. Be in-the-know

Being aware of trending topics can help you craft your story and capture an audience’s attention. If the audience is already interested in the trend then you have a greater chance of garnering traffic and keeping the reader’s attention. Current events and trends can offer a great jumping off point if you’re having a hard time getting started.

2. Be the expert

One of the most important things that you can offer your audience is trust. Readers will be more inclined to listen if you can establish your ethos on the topic at hand. Stating things such as how many years you’ve had in the industry, awards you’ve been given and testimonials by customers all help to establish your credibility.

3. Be visual

Did you know that one of the reasons President Abraham Lincoln was so successful as a speaker was his use of infographics? Yes, according to The New Yorker, he was known to reference a map of the United States that “bore the marks of much service” as well as the number of slaves in each state. This just goes to show how important visuals can be for your audience. Infographics and pictures allow your audience to contextualize the information given and also help to keep their attention.

4. Be actionable

One of the best ways to foster attention is to give your audience actions they can take after reading your article. This can be done as simply as using actionable verbs and phrases like, “click here” or “contact us”. In fact, one study done in the UK found that “Click Here for More Information” got 97% more clicks and 16% more page views than “Find out More”. Another tip is to make the message time sensitive if the subject calls for it. If you are talking about an event downtown, for example, don’t just tell the audience to buy their ticket- tell them to buy them now.  

Interested in learning more? Check out this study and this one too. If you are looking for help in managing your content though, give us a call!