10 essentials to keep Web readers engaged

Stop fighting for your audience’s attention online. Follow these tips, and they’ll find your content irresistible.

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1. Keep it short.

Most people on the Web scan your page. They don’t read it. Usability expert Steve Krug says you should write your Web copy, then cut it in half. Once you cut it in half, cut it in half again.

Get to the point, because every extra 100 words only gets 4.4 seconds of attention. Make those words count!

2. Put keywords at the beginning of your headline.

Your keyword should be the thing people came to the site to read about. Make sure people can spot it quickly so they’ll stay on the page. This is a common mistake bloggers make.

3. Break information into sections.

You’re not writing a thesis or literary novel. Break information into sections to make it easier to digest. Break up long paragraphs by keeping them to just a few sentences each.

4. Write direct sub-headlines.

People scan your content. Use direct sub-headlines to grab your audience’s attention at a glance.

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