Texts vs. reader’s attention, or how a copywriter should write texts!

Daily we are inundated with content in both real and virtual reality. In the latter even more so. Every time we open a web browser or a social media application, we are hit with a plethora of information in various forms. It is said that within 10 seconds we decide whether we want to read some text or scroll on. In 10 seconds, we assimilate about 220 characters, and based on that, we either get persuaded to stay on a certain page or review a post more thoroughly, or we give up. Most people will probably now that this is not enough. And they will all be right. Actually it is not much, which is why it is so important to understand the relationship titled texts vs. reader attention. And then know how to attract and keep the attention of the Internet user.

Let’s start with a little fun – imagine that you sit down in front of your computer or pick up your phone and fire up your browser. You type some search term into Google, such as “how to set up a pond,” because you’re in the process of setting up your own garden. The search engine finds almost 300,000 results. Of course, you start at the top. You fire off three results in separate tabs and read. If the first few sentences seem interesting and answer your question, you probably won’t switch tabs. Or you’ll switch it, but only to verify and possibly complete the information. However, if you find that the title of the article is nowhere near the content, or the whole thing is unreadable because there are no mid-headings, you will keep looking. .

When you’re on the other side of this and you’re the one creating the content, you want to do everything you can to make sure that your texts catch the attention of your readers. To that end, put yourself in their shoes. Literally step into their shoes. That’s the only way you have a chance to interest them..

Read also: How to become a copywriter? Here are some tips!

Know your target audience

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If you want to create content that will interest your audience, it’s essential start by knowing the target audiencefor whom you will be creating. .

Before you start writing even a brief, think about who you want your words to reach. You write differently when the text is addressed to young mothers who are looking for information on how to expand the diet of their toddlers, differently when it is addressed to owners of collection points who want to sell used catalytic converters, and still differently to electronics enthusiasts who care about interesting facts, because they already know the basics. .

Counts include gender, age, interests, level of knowledge and where the audience lives. What specifically is relevant in a particular case depends on someone you are writing for. Your client should know what kind of people they want to reach. .

The target audience is closely related to the place of publication. In one of my texts I even said that it’s not worth publishing the same posts on Instagram and LinkedIn. And not only for technical reasons – LinkedIn allows longer texts than Instagram – but also because of the different users looking for content in both places..

So if you get down to writing, find out who you are creating for and where your text will appear. This will help you properly tune in to your writing and prepare content that will catch the attention of readers. .

And after all, that’s what copywriters are all about!

Select topic and keywords

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Good. .

You already know who you want to target and where it will be published. Suppose you have to prepare a text for a company blog. What’s next? In some cases you get a topic imposed in advance – the client wants the article to have a specific title, and sometimes mid-headlines. If you receive such a package, there is nothing to discuss with it. Unless you come up with a much catchier title, in which case it is worth proposing it, but without pressure. Ultimately, it is the principal who decides what he wants to insert and in what form. .

What if he doesn’t send anything, but gives you a free hand? Or this article is to appear on your blog, which you are just starting to work on? Then you need to choose the topic well, come up with a title and keywords..

How to find a topic for yourself? Here again we return to the target audience and stepping into their shoes. Try answering some of the following questions:.

• What might interest the people you want to target?
• What topic would they find interesting or intriguing?

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• What might readers need at the moment (maybe the school year or holidays are coming up?)

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• Have there been any interesting recent changes in your industry that are worth informing users about?

Sometimes it’s also a good idea to simply collect a large amount of knowledge in one text and prepare a solid compendium. You have a whole lot of possibilities. The only thing to remember is to write on topic and without unnecessary pouring of water. People are looking for specifics. Ba, they expect them!.

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What about the title of the text?

The headline is the element that usually determines whether someone will open the article and read at least the introduction or not.

Copywriters have several ways to create catchy titles. Catch a few of them.

text

These are just examples, but they actually work. Besides, when coming up with a headline, you need to keep keywords in mind. The keyword phrase should be at the beginning of the title, and the H1 heading itself should appear only once in the text..

Beware – for positioning reasons, it is best that the length of the headline (the <title> tag) should not exceed 60 characters with spaces. However, the editorial title can be longer and a bit more creative. 😉

Text vs. reader attention = work on your style

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What else can you do to write texts that grab readers’ attention? .

Continue to work on your style! The audience is looking for content that has two qualities – answering their questions in a specific and comprehensive manner, while maintaining a pleasant style.

You’ve surely heard of the mysterious “light pen.” This “light pen” appears, among other things, in the context of articles that are literally absorbed in one breath. What to do to have it? How to improve your style?.

First, read a lot. The more, the better. And preferably not posts on Instagram over and over again, but fiction, travel books or non-fiction. Something that has more than 2,000 characters with spaces and draws you in. .

Second, model yourself after those you enjoy reading. If you have a favorite author, you can try to copy his style for fun. This is a good exercise, provided you don’t want to publish such texts. .

Third, write down your best thoughts. Sometimes you’re riding the streetcar and a brilliant thought pops into your head. In order not to lose it, take notes. Right away, without hesitation or doubt. It may not seem so brilliant to you two days later, but it can still become a starting point for another one. Don’t be afraid to fix your ideas, after all, they are only meant to help you. .

I, for example, have 2 spaces created for this:.

• A special list in Notionwhere I save all the ideas, inspirations, issues and topics that come to me at the least expected moments. In turn, I have the app itself installed on both my computer and my phone, so I always have access to it.
• Bedside Notebook – I try to disconnect from appliances and blue light at least an hour before bedtime. And it is known that ideas like to haunt you just when you are already lying sweetly in bed and almost drifting off into the arms of Morpheus. That’s why I have a notebook on my coffee table. I write down my main thoughts there so that they don’t disturb my sleep and come back to them the next day. This way the wolf is full and the sheep is whole. 🙂

Fourth, let yourself be corrected. Every text has its own strengths and weaknesses. You as the creator may not recognize the latter. To improve your style, ask for an editor. Another pair of eyes will point out your possible mistakes, but also highlight the strengths. And the latter is extremely motivating..

And finally fifth, check your content. If you suddenly feel that you have the urge, sit down and write until your keyboard gets hot, that’s great. Just remember to read what you’ve written later. Turn on your inner critic and look at the text from the side. You can, for example, read it aloud. This really helps. That way you’ll quickly see if it has a good rhythm and if it actually conveys what it was meant to convey. .

Involve the reader in the narrative

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How else to draw the reader into the text? Reach for storytelling! .

Storytelling is nothing more than the ability to tell a story.There are those who can spin stories. Even the simplest situation dressed in the right words can be engaging, stimulate the imagination and affect the emotions of the recipient. The point is to make the story you describe visualize in the reader’s mind and be remembered by him. .

This method is used by marketing, among others, to build a bond between a company and its customers – increasing their engagement and loyalty – but it is also used for articles. If the beginning of the story is interesting, the audience will want to read on. Make sure that for a few minutes they forget the whole world.The master of storytelling is Pawel Tkaczyk, so if you have the time, desire and opportunity, reach for the content prepared by him. You won’t regret it. .

There should be a little note here – storytelling won’t work in every industry and in every case. It’s hard to spin a story about aerial lifts or power tools. With that, we are back to the target audience again. All the techniques you use in the text should be tailored to the audience..

Care for text structure

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Even the best content won’t defend itself if it’s not broken down. How do you react when you see 5000 characters without any paragraphs? You are unlikely to want to read it. Such poured text is difficult to read. That’s why, as a copywriter, you must always remember to take care of the structure. .

How should an article look like?

• title – we’ve already talked about this

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• lead – an introduction to convince the recipient

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• development – divided by mid-titles

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• conclusion – summary.

Begin each thought with a new paragraph. This way you will make it easier for your readers to receive the text, and easier for yourself to write. If possible, add lists or bullets. And don’t forget about multimedia..

Remember the multimedia

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What multimedia do you include in your text?

It depends. 🙂 .

Practically all articles contain photos to illustrate the topic. Sometimes it’s one photo, sometimes several sharing the content. In addition, you can opt for:.

• charts,

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• graphics,

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• short films,

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• animations,

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• recordings of webinars,

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• casts of podcasts.

Anything that enriches the topic, provided it is commented on in the text. If you want to attract the attention of readers, you need to explain to them why, for example, this graph is here, what it illustrates and what conclusions it draws. .

Pay attention to the language

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Just as no one wants to read articles written in a string, few choose to delve into those written in difficult language. Of course, we are not talking about scientific texts, which are directed to specialists and must contain industry words, but content for average Internet users..

Therefore, write for people and with people in mind. Provide them with the specifics they are looking for, but use understandable wording. If you think something is not clear, clarify. And at the same time, try to avoid overly long sentences – in such you can sometimes literally get lost. And the Internet is not a place where we like to get lost. .

When you feel that the text at a certain point has become sprawled and no longer interesting, shorten it. Try to dynamize the unnecessarily stretched out parts and at the editing stage throw out unnecessary words. .

Interact with readers

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There is one last point left to make. If you want to grab your readers’ attention, interact with them. .

How to do it?

You can ask questions to which they will respond in their mind, encourage them to think, call to action or comment. The idea is to get the recipient to respond – to think about whether they have encountered such a situation before and share their experience. .

Writing attention-grabbing texts is not as easy as you might think. Before you start creating, remember that the key will be to determine your target audience. Find out who you are writing for and where your text will appear. Based on this, choose a topic and come up with a title. All the while, shape your own unique style that will make you stand out. Don’t forget the need to break up the content, add multimedia and take care of the language. If possible, encourage your audience to react to what they read. Tell them a story and draw them into the world you have created. .