There are some good commonsense rules of thumb to help you organize your content better. The overarching principle is that your work is for your reader, not for you. You are seeking to make a connection and the way that you present your work has to be inviting. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense to you. If your readers don’t “get it,” it’s not their fault—it’s yours. Here are a few tips to help guide you.
- Be concise. Don’t worry too much about word count. Focus on quality content above all. If it’s not good content, it won’t connect. For blog posts, my rule of thumb is about 450 words. I try not to go too far over 700 words, if possible. Though there are folks who make compelling arguments for longer posts, I will make a case that less is more:
- Mobile devices. Your readers are going to be on mobile—well, at least some of them. They are likely to get your feed via a reader, not by visiting your site directly. They might be in line at the supermarket, waiting for the bus, or in the waiting room at the dentist’s office. Good writers are concise. They get the point across quickly and effectively.
- Skimmers and scanners. People aren’t going to read your whole article. In fact, most readers will read only half of your article. You’ve got to get to the point, and fast. Readers are going to scan quickly, make a quick assessment, and choose to either stick around or bounce.
- Be clear. What’s the main point that you’re trying to get across? Don’t let that get lost. Headings and subheadings are welcoming to the reader. They are orienting, and help the reader know where to focus. Use bullet points. Sorry, but people like bullet points. They are scan-friendly. Also, emphasize any points you want to highlight—maybe in boldface or in a pull quote. Can an image say something better? Great. Use that, too.
- Be direct. Have clear calls to action (CTAs) in your piece. What’s the desired action? Do you want to invite discussion in the comments section? Do you want to lead someone to the next piece? Do you want people to share? Don’t leave these things to the reader’s imagination. Be very clear about what you want the reader to do, and ask directly.
- Be generous. Generosity is good for you and it’s good for your content. Recognize the work of others. If someone else’s content says it better than you can, then link to it! Provide value by sharing others’ work as well as your own. What’s the best way? Give credit where credit is due. If you’ve contributed to the conversation or extended someone else’s idea, they are likely to share your content, too.
- Be yourself. The tone of your piece is essential to making a connection. Are you being helpful? Be nice. Be courteous. Be respectful. Even if you are trying to make a forceful point, extend a hand rather than a fist. Try to understand other points of view and how the reader might interpret your piece. Invite conversation, not combat. An argument can be powerful if it’s constructive.
As you organize your content, you will have to find your own style. Try to be consistent—your readers will appreciate that. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries or break the rules once in awhile. But, as always, do it in service of your audience as you search to find the best ways to be helpful to them.
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This series is designed to help entrepreneurial authors navigate the landscape of a post-publisher world. For more about Content Strategy for Authors, please see the “For Authors” section of this site—or follow along with the Glass Box Project, as I write my own book “in the open” to model the process for you.
To hire me for specific help with your content strategy, please see my “Helping Authors” page. I specialize in non-fiction authors, and the first “orienting” session is always free. Or if you just want to support my writing, please use Gittip.
Photo credit: “Last of the color coding” by Juhan Sonin is licensed under CC BY 2.0.