Write for your target audience
As a professional writer, one of the first things I do when writing an article is to think about who my target audience is. This helps me decide what writing style to use and what topics to write about.
Think about who your target audience is before you start writing. If you are writing for a general audience, use a more relaxed and informal style. Write about topics that are of interest to a wide range of people. However, if you are writing for a specific audience, such as academic researchers or business professionals, use a more formal style and write about topics that are relevant to your audience.
It is important to write for your target audience to engage your readers. Think about who will be reading your article and what they would be interested in. Write in a style that appeals to them and choose topics that are relevant to them. Doing this will make you more likely to hold their attention and keep them engaged throughout your article.
Focus on quality
It’s important to remember that quality is far more important than quantity when it comes to articles. You might be able to write several articles daily, but if they are all low quality, they will not do you any good. Instead, focus on writing fewer, high-quality articles. This will help ensure that your content is engaging and informative and help you build a reputation as an authority in your field.
Create engaging content
Your title is the first thing potential readers will see, so it’s crucial to ensure it’s engaging. A catchy and attention-grabbing title will encourage people to click through to your article, while a dull title will likely turn them away. Spend time brainstorming ideas for your titles and develop something that piques your reader’s interest. If you’re having trouble brainstorming ideas for your writing, try brainstorming with someone else. Brainstorming can help you come up with new ideas and perspectives you may not have thought of on your own.
Also, you can use personal stories or examples to engage the reader. Personal stories can help readers connect with your writing on a personal level. Examples can also help to illustrate your points concretely.
Keep it concise
It can be tempting to want to include everything you know about a topic in your article. However, this will only lead to a long, drawn-out piece that will likely lose your reader’s attention. Instead, focus on keeping your content concise and to the point. Get straight to the point, and don’t include any unnecessary details. This will help keep your article engaging and prevent your reader from getting bored or lost.
Format your article
Another important aspect of writing engaging articles is to format your content in an easily readable way. Breaking your article into smaller paragraphs with subheadings will make it much easier for people to scan and read. Using bullet points or numbered lists can also help make your content more digestible.
When writing for the web, it’s important to use short sentences. Studies have shown that people tend to skim online content rather than read it word for word (e.g., Vicari & Kirby, 2022; Liu, 2021), so making your sentences concise and easy to scan is essential.
In general, you should aim for sentences no longer than 20 words. If you write longer sentences, try breaking them into multiple shorter ones. Not only will this make your writing easier to read, but it will also help keep your readers’ attention focused on your content.
Be aware of the writing language
When writing an engaging article, one of the best things you can do is use an active voice. Active voice makes your writing more lively and easier to read and can help capture your readers’ attention.
To write in active voice, simply make the subject of your sentence the actor (or doer) rather than the recipient of the action. For example, instead of writing, ‘The book was read by me’, you would write, ‘I read the book’. It may not seem like a big difference, but it can make your writing more engaging and easier to read. When you use active voice, your readers will feel like they are in action with you rather than just reading about it.
Another way to keep your writing interesting is to use strong adjectives. Adjectives can help vividly describe your points, making your writing engaging. Another way to add interest to your writing is to use humor. Humor can help lighten the mood and keep the reader engaged.
Also, powerful words have a strong emotional effect on readers. They can help make your writing more persuasive and engaging and can be used to great effect in headlines and calls to action. Some examples of power words include:
When you’re writing for a general audience, it’s important to use language that is easy to understand. This means avoiding jargon and using simple, clear language. Jargon is the specialized vocabulary that is used in specific fields or industries. Jargon can be complicated for people outside of those fields or industries to understand. For example, if you’re writing about medicine, you may use medical jargon such as “symptoms” or “diagnosis.” However, this can be confusing if your audience is unfamiliar with medical jargon.
It’s important to remember that not everyone is familiar with the same terminology as you are. When in doubt, use simpler words and phrases. This will make your writing easier to understand for a wider audience. So next time you write an article, remember to use active voice to persuade and engage your readers, including powerful words yet simple language.
Include images and videos
Images and videos can add an extra level of engagement to your articles by providing visual interest. Images are a great way to add visual appeal to your articles and to break up your text. They can also help illustrate your points and make your content more relatable. People are more likely to read an article if it includes an image or video, so be sure to include them whenever possible. Just be sure not to overdo it; too many images or videos can make your article look cluttered and overwhelming.
When choosing images for your articles, it’s important to ensure they are relevant and add value to your content. It would help if you aimed for high-quality and visually appealing photos. If you’re unsure where to find suitable images, there are a few sources you can check out, including free stock photo sites like Unsplash and Pexels.
Edit and proofread your writing
Once you’ve written your piece, editing it before publishing it is essential. Editing can help you improve the clarity, conciseness, and overall quality of your writing.
First, read through your piece and look for any errors in grammar or spelling. It’s also a good idea to have someone else read through your piece to catch any errors you may have missed.
Next, take a look at the overall structure of your piece. Make sure that your ideas are logically organized and easy to follow. If you find that your article is confusing or challenging to follow, try rearranging your ideas or breaking them down into smaller sections.
Finally, ask yourself if there is anything you can cut out of your piece. Frequently, writers can get carried away and include information that is not essential to the main point of their writing. If you find that there is information in your piece that is not necessary, remove it. This will help to make your writing more concise and easier to read.
Final thoughts
Writing an engaging article is not as difficult as it may seem. By following these tips from a professional writer, you can easily write articles that will keep your readers coming back for more. Just remember to be clear, concise, and engaging, and you’ll be well on your way to writing interesting articles that your readers will love.
Works cited
Liu, Z. (2021). Reading in the age of digital distraction. Journal of Documentation, 78(6), 1201-1212.
Vicari, S., & Kirby, D. (2022). Digital platforms as socio-cultural artifacts: developing digital methods for cultural research. Information, Communication & Society, 1-23.
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