How to Write Articles that Engage Readers
One of the most important goals of any blogger or content creator is to engage their readers. In fact, engaging readers should be your number one goal in any article that you write. Otherwise, you’re simply wasting your time. So how do you ensure that your articles are actually engaging? Here are some tips on how to write articles that engage readers without becoming boring or annoying.
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Do your research
If you’re writing about a new topic, it’s crucial to thoroughly research your topic. Use Google and search for whatever it is you want people to learn more about; chances are good there are dozens of existing articles on the topic. Before writing your post, read at least five other articles on your subject. When you read other people’s work, don’t just skim through. You need to do proper research and understand what they wrote in order to craft a better piece than they did. Don’t plagiarize though — that doesn’t help anyone!
Add variety
When you write your articles, adding variety will keep your readers’ attention more than if all of your content is written in a similar style. One way to add variety to your articles is by varying sentence length. In one section of your piece, you could use shorter sentences and in another you could use longer ones. Another way is by alternating between active voice and passive voice in each section. Another way is by varying how many paragraphs you have per section (for example, one paragraph vs. three). There are many other ways as well but these are just a few ideas for getting started!
Pick words carefully
When writing your next how-to post, consider how carefully you pick your words. It’s important not only to be accurate, but also comprehensive and engaging. You want your readers to see a value in spending their time reading your content and what better way than to make it interesting? Be sure you’re giving them advice they can act on. I know it sounds silly, but if you phrase a post as a list of suggestions instead of instructions or tips, people are more likely get something out of it. After all, who doesn’t like being told what they should do?
Use your own voice
One of the biggest problems people have with writing is that they don’t use their own voice. Instead, they sound like every other writer out there, which can lead readers to become disengaged. Even if you’re trying really hard to emulate your favorite writer’s style, make sure you at least include your own personality within it. This will make it easier for readers to connect with you and help keep them engaged in what you have to say. On top of having more enjoyable articles overall, they’ll also be better-received by search engines since reader engagement signals a relevant piece of content — which leads us right into our next tip…
Work on your headlines
One tip for writing articles that aren’t boring is to work on your headlines. A great headline does two things:
1) it gets people interested in reading and
2) it makes you stand out from other similar articles in your industry. And a great headline doesn’t just sell what’s under it — it sells action as well. To write an engaging headline, ask yourself who you want to target with your content, what they value, and what kind of action they’ll be most likely to take after reading it.
Keep it personal
The best way to keep articles engaging is by keeping them personal. Stories that are specific and relateable are often much more relatable than others, which means people can connect with them on a deeper level. Everyone has stories about how they started a business, struggled with relationships or got into some trouble as a kid — so use your own experiences! Keep in mind, however, that you want to stay away from writing cliche or generic articles — it’s better if you can convey your message in an interesting way. Your story doesn’t have to be 100% factual either; as long as it’s interesting and enjoyable for readers, it can be fiction.
Tell your readers what you’re going to tell them, then do it, then tell them what you told them
This is a tried-and-true approach for journalists, academics, and just about anyone who wants their readers to understand what they’re saying. This structure works well for business writing too. A surprising number of people will only read your first paragraph (I know it’s shocking, but trust me on this one), so start by telling them what you’re going to tell them. After you get done telling them what you want to say, then tell them. Keep it relevant: If someone asked me how to break into journalism, I would probably say something like Read a lot of newspapers; practice reporting news events; write as much as possible; work hard at school; don’t make enemies with important teachers/advisers/students; network with professionals in newsrooms…the usual stuff. Yawn! What kind of advice is that? It’s boring because its not specific enough.
There’s nothing worse than a boring blogger. It’s like getting stuck at an endless dinner party with people who just won’t stop talking about themselves. Whether you’re writing about fashion, business or technology, be sure your articles are engaging .
When You’re Stuck, Change Your Perspective: The same advice can be boring coming from one person and exciting coming from another. So if you’re writing for a boring audience, change your perspective. What can make an idea appealing? What examples can you use that might make it stickier? Can you give numbers to support your ideas? Maybe you’re writing something boring in a boring way. It doesn’t have to be exciting all at once — maybe a few steps of excitement at a time will be more effective than trying to hit on all cylinders right away.
