When your small business blog is SEO optimized, it gets the search engines to notice you, index your website, and bring readers to your blog. That’s why SEO optimization and functionality are the goals of many small business blogs. Readability, though, is equally important for small business blogs. Here’s why.
Readability is the measure of how easy it is for readers to read, comprehend, and act on your blog’s message. In other words, it’s what makes your blog enjoyable versus trying to read. Many bloggers, content creators, and small business owners overlook the importance of ease of reading. That happens because they write the way they speak. When you make it a point to make your blog readable, you create an ideal experience for your readers. These tips should help.
- Avoid using long words and industry jargon
- Aim for a reading level commensurate with your target audience
- Opt for short sentences that contain twenty words or fewer
- Use appropriate humor to your advantage
- Start with an attention-grabbing headline
- Keep content simple, clear, and concise
- Ask thought provoking questions that pique interest
- Use bullet points, numbers, and white space to avoid your blog looking cluttered
- Make sure your blog focuses on the needs of your readers
- Break your information into manageable chunks with short sentences and short paragraphs
- Make sure your blog is as error-free and grammatically correct as possible
Number One Readability Tip: Hire a copywriter, blogger, or content creator who knows the importance of readability. Here’s a fantastic one I highly recommend. When you outsource content creation, you leave all the details to someone else and create time to focus on using your core competencies to grow your business.
Make your blog easily readable – it increases time spent on your blog and shows your target market you put their needs first.