Writing with readability means making your content material straightforward to learn and perceive. In case your viewers can’t grasp what you’re attempting to say, what’s the purpose?
Hello, I’m Alana, your pleasant neighborhood weblog editor. I spent most of my early advertising profession within the public well being subject. We targeted on one essential writing precept: utilizing plain language.
For years, I turned advanced well being data into digestible content material. I translated sophisticated vaccination schedules and prolonged medical insurance insurance policies into easy steerage for shoppers.
I nonetheless use plain language ideas to write down clear content material. However I’ve additionally picked up some new tips alongside the best way. Listed here are all the methods I exploit to speak clearly and create worth as a marketer.
Desk of Contents
Why Writing With Readability Issues
Earlier than we get into the how, let’s begin with the why.
Why does this matter for entrepreneurs?
My expertise in well being advertising taught me that clear content material respects your reader’s psychological power. It issues as a result of it influences their capability to focus, suppose clearly, and keep motivated to take motion.
With out clear writing, even probably the most good messages fall flat. Science shows that components so simple as sentence construction affect comprehension and recall as we learn.
That’s why readability is essential. For those who do not talk successfully, your viewers gained’t know (or keep in mind) what you need them to do.
Right here’s how one can put this pondering into apply.
How one can Enhance Readability in Writing: The Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs
I’ve included six elementary ideas beneath that can assist you enhance readability in your advertising content material.
However I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the final word clear writing hack: ranging from a top level view or template. Readability begins with construction, and that’s precisely what templates (like those beneath) present.
Save them for later whenever you’re prepared to begin writing. Within the meantime, let’s get into the fundamentals of writing clear content material.
1. Know who you’re speaking to and what you wish to say.
The cardinal rule of promoting is that this: Know your viewers.
It’s simpler to speak clearly whenever you perceive what they want, what they wish to know, and attain them.
Let your viewers information your writing course of. Earlier than you place pen to paper (somewhat, fingers to keyboard), reply these questions:
- Who’s studying this? In my case, this text is focused towards advertising professionals who concentrate on content material improvement.
- What’s my essential message? Writing with readability issues in advertising, and there are steps you’ll be able to take to simplify your advertising content material.
- What’s the precise consequence I wish to obtain? I wish to give my readers actionable, experience-based methods for writing clear content material.
- How will I get them there? I’ll introduce why writing with readability is necessary, begin with some primary ideas, present expert-level methods from my advertising colleagues, and wrap up with key takeaways for entrepreneurs.
The clearest content material is content material with intention. Writing with readability forces you to consider what you’re writing — and who you’re writing it for — earlier than you begin spilling phrases onto the web page.
2. Outline unfamiliar phrases (and don’t assume information).
One other easy approach for making your advertising content material clear is to clarify your phrases. Relying on the context, even acquainted phrases and phrases can confuse readers.
At the start of this text, I outlined writing with readability. Certain, it could appear easy to me. However all it took was twelve additional phrases to verify we’re aligned as you proceed studying.
Clarify key phrases early on, so your message is less complicated to comply with.
3. Use a constant type and voice.
Typically, it’s good to be predictable. That’s a giant cause why individuals come again to your model — they know what to anticipate.
Take Duolingo for example. Chances are high you’ve observed Duo the owl on nearly each platform the place Duolingo does enterprise. He’s featured in all of their advertising content material, and he has a very distinct voice and tone.
Take a page out of Duolingo’s book. Give consumers the same experience no matter where they find you. This will help you establish a clear and recognizable brand identity.
4. Use short words, sentences, and paragraphs.
Remember when science told us we have a shorter attention span than a goldfish?
That was about ten years in the past, and it nonetheless holds true.
The truth is that the majority of your viewers isn’t reading every word you write. As a substitute, individuals are inclined to skip whole phrases, sentences, and even sections.
One factor that I attempt to do in my writing is make my content material scannable. This consists of:
- Simplifying my phrase alternative (e.g., attempt use as an alternative of make the most of)
- Focusing on 10-15 phrases per sentence.
- Focusing every sentence on one essential concept.
- Utilizing single-sentence paragraphs to create pure pause factors.
- Limiting paragraphs to 2 to a few sentences max.
Reread this part to see what I imply.
5. Emphasize your greatest takeaways.
As readers, we love to skim.
So be sure you spotlight your most necessary factors in order that they don’t get buried.
You need to use daring to convey consideration to essential ideas or necessary statistics.
Bullets are additionally an effective way to:
- Summarize your essential concepts.
- Break down particular steps or suggestions.
- Enhance general readability.
Clear writing makes it straightforward for individuals to select up what you’re placing down (perceive what you’re attempting to say).
Right here’s an instance of emphasis in motion from another blog post I wrote:
6. Reap the benefits of free writing instruments.
There are tons of writing instruments available on the market that can assist you write with readability. You may even ask your AI BFF to assist your content material learn extra clearly. (Speaking to you, Claudie.)
Nonetheless, I’ve to say, these two are my favorites proper now: Hemingway Editor and Grammarly.
Hemingway Editor is so good. You may copy and paste your content material instantly into the software. It highlights prolonged, advanced sentences and customary errors. Hemingway additionally flags pointless jargon and weak phrases in your writing.
The online-based model is free. You even have the choice to obtain the desktop app for a one-time payment of $19.99 or improve to Editor Plus for extra options.
Grammarly can be a superb proofreading software. The truth is, I’m actively utilizing the Grammarly browser extension as I write this text. It gives content material solutions, phrase alternative enhancements, and grammar checks in actual time.
Grammarly has each a free model and a paid model with superior options.
OK — now that we’ve coated the fundamentals, it’s time to change to skilled mode.
3 Knowledgeable Strategies for Writing Clear Advertising Content material
Knowledgeable mode, activated.
I reached out to a few seasoned content material strategists (and pricey, pricey colleagues) for much more clear writing strategies. Right here’s how they method writing with readability.
1. Observe by in your argument and ship in your guarantees.
Marja Vitti, advertising supervisor at HubSpot, says: “After I’ve my content material written, I learn it by and attempt to comply with the circulation of my logic. This is an instance of some questions I ask myself:
- Does my content material ship what I promised in my introduction? (If not, that is a pink flag.)
- Does the circulation of my argument make sense? (That is essential.)
- Does every paragraph make a selected level? (If not, rework and take away something extraneous that does not serve the argument.)”
I like this framework.
Within the intro of this submit, I promised to share “methods I exploit to speak clearly and create worth as a marketer.”
I additionally outlined the circulation of my logic earlier on this submit: “I’ll introduce why writing with readability is necessary, begin with some primary ideas, present expert-level methods from my advertising colleagues, and wrap up with key takeaways for entrepreneurs.”
I hope you’ll agree that I delivered.
2. Spend time constructing context earlier than stepping into the weeds.
Amanda Sellers, supervisor of EN weblog technique at HubSpot, says: “Use a framework so your viewers imprints on the correct issues.”
She continues, “A what > why > how construction may help construct context earlier than you get into the weeds of the subject. Spending time defining the issue will give your viewers the phrases to get extra context later, no matter whether or not they understood the ‘how.’”
That is the precise construction I used right here:
- I began with the what: “Writing with readability means making your content material straightforward to learn and perceive.”
- I emphasised the why: “Clear content material respects your reader’s psychological power. It issues as a result of it influences their capability to focus, suppose clearly, and keep motivated to take motion.”
- Then, I outlined the how: “How one can Enhance Readability in Writing: The Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs” and “3 Knowledgeable Strategies for Writing Clear Advertising Content material”
Works like a appeal, I’d say.
3. Ask your self: Does this truly sound good once I learn it out loud?
Curt del Principe, senior advertising supervisor at HubSpot, says: “Learn your work out loud. For those who can‘t get by it with out stumbling, it’s in all probability not clear sufficient.”
These are clever phrases if I’ve ever heard them. Plus, it’s the proper piece of recommendation to wrap up this tip roundup.
This text was dropped at you by ten read-alouds and numerous edits for circulation. Speaking by your piece and making refinements are the ultimate bosses of readability.
The Clearest Voice Wins
Clear writing isn‘t simply good apply — it’s a aggressive benefit.
In immediately’s content-saturated world, manufacturers that talk clearly win. They preserve extra prospects, construct stronger relationships, and drive higher outcomes.
Writing with readability takes apply. Even after years {of professional} writing, I nonetheless catch myself falling into jargon traps or constructing overly advanced sentences.
The distinction? Now I’ve programs in place to catch (and repair) these points earlier than they attain my viewers.
Editor’s observe: This submit was initially printed in November 2015 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
