The Three Small Things that have a Lasting Impact on Your Readers
Everything requires a plan. Marketing is no different, but for most, you have seven seconds. Just seconds to make a first impression. So what is your plan?
I’m not writing this to scare you. Actually, I’m writing it to reassure you. Let’s get the fear out of the way and actually attack the problem. Because when you properly craft your content, seven seconds is plenty of time to get your point across. All you have to do is be strategic.
Seven seconds. What can you do in seven seconds? Post a picture on Facebook? Tie your shoes? Maybe just tie one shoe? Pour yourself a cup of coffee? Seven seconds goes by in a flash. That’s why it’s so scary to hear that you only have seven seconds to catch a person’s attention. By the time you even process that information, seven seconds is up.
The Headline
The first thing anyone reads is the headline. It’s big. It’s bold. It is vital to your plan. It’s right there at the top of the page. The headline is what shows up in Google searches and on news feeds. It’s what pops up in your email marketing. If I had to guess you clicked on this article because of the headline. It’s the key.
That’s why you should never rush your headline. Spend ten times more time fine-tuning your headline than any other part of your blog post or article. When you write it, you want to be straightforward. Don’t use a play on words or inside language. This is where you attract as many readers as possible. You need to make it relatable.
The Subheadline
You want the headline to be as clear and concise as possible, but the subheadline is what really does the work. This is part B of your plan. Your headline tells the story, the subheadline draws the reader in. It’s there to shock a reader or make her smile. It’s designed to make someone curious to find out more.
Don’t be fooled, the subheadline is just as important as the headline.
The Content
This is the biggest part of the plan, but it’s also the simplest to do. Whatever you promised in your headline and subheadline you deliver here. This is where you make your impact. Your content must be rich with quality information. It cannot be thrown together. You need to offer your customers something substantial.
Odds are your first paragraph is all you get to finish up your impression. That means it has to be easy and fun to read, but it also has to deliver information. Do not waste a reader’s time simply recapping what your headline and subheadline already say.
After the first paragraph, readers usually skim the article to see if they want to read more. That’s why it’s important to break your article into easy to digest pieces. Large blocks of text scare readers away. So do run-on sentences.
Add images that enrich your content. Infographics are a great way to break up what you’re saying and add a visual element. Small headlines within the article also help.
When it comes to delivering content, you want to talk to your reader. Imagine that person is sitting right next to you and you’re having a conversation. Allow your words to flow like you’re talking, not like you’re writing an essay for your English class.
Most of all avoid “inside baseball”. That means don’t use terms that are only understood by other people in your industry. If you’re creating content for the largest number of people possible, you want to make it readable by the largest number of people possible.
And that’s really the key to all of this; making your content as readable as possible for the largest number of people possible.
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