How to Write Scannable Content for a Blog

Writing for blogs is very different than writing for other media. People who use the web typically will not stay on one web page very long and will usually skim through the content to find what they are looking for. If you want your blog to be successful, it is important to write your blog posts in a way that the content is easily scannable by the reader. Below are a few tips that will help to make your post scannable.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use formatting wisely. Use capitals, underlining and other methods of formatting to highlight your main points within your blog. Do not overformat or it will become meaningless.

2. Make lists. Readers love lists. Lists get read far more often than the same information presented in paragraph form. When you make lists, you have done all of the work for the reader by only posting vital information.

3. Use short paragraphs. Long, endless paragraphs of content will quickly overwhelm the average web reader. Break long paragraphs down into shorter points and your post is much more likely to be read in its entirety.

4. Use headings. Using headings to highlight important points throughout the post makes it easier for readers to find exactly what information they are looking for. Seeing a well-structured post with headings and subheading also makes it more likely that the reader will read your entire post.

Tips & Warnings

• Use pictures and videos to grab the reader's attention. Pictures are useful in long posts to break up the text and to keep the reader interested.
• Do not wait until the end of the post to make your main point. This can be frustrating to a reader, and most will stop reading your post before even getting to its main point.
• Do not use long or obscure words in your post. If the reader becomes frustrated because he does not understand words in your post, he is very unlikely to continue reading the post or to be a return visitor to your blog.
• Do not clog up every inch of space on your blog with text. This will quickly become overwhelming and complex. It is perfectly acceptable to have empty spaces within your blog in order to keep things neat and simple.

Resources

• Make your own blog with Blogger.
• Technology blogs at CNET