As a content creator, the fact that most people will spend less than a minute skimming through an article on your blog or website might not sound very inspiring, but unfortunately, it is an unavoidable fact of the Internet.

The only solution to this problem is to create your content in a Web-friendly way. This means making it scannable in such a way that people can skim through it without you having to sacrifice quality and information at all. For the most part, it is about formatting your article in an Internet-friendly way.

Put the following tips into practice to make Web-friendly content.

Engaging Titles and Subheadings

Titles are typically the first part of a piece of Web content that people will see. A good title is more likely to draw people in, while a bad one will have the opposite effect. Good titles are also important for search engine optimization. Creating engaging titles is one of the more challenging aspects of creating Web content.

Generally, you should keep titles short, clear and to the point. Other things which can make for engaging titles are those which inspire a degree of fear, controversy or curiosity. A title should also provide the best possible idea of what the subject is about while making that subject sound irresistibly interesting at the same time.

Another popular trend on the Web are titles which begin with numbers and apply lists, such as ‘4 things,’ ‘3 ways’ or ‘4 tips’ etc. How to articles can also be immensely popular.

Subheadings are also important, since they help to break up an article. Ideally, subheadings should be in bold, larger or separated from the previous paragraph by a few lines. Like main headings, subheadings should also be relevant, unique and as engaging as possible.

Suitable Paragraph Formatting

The infamous wall of text is something that turns most viewers off in an instant. Even in printed media, it is generally considered poor practice to have extremely long paragraphs. In Web content, however, paragraphs should be much shorter. Generally, it is a good idea to stick to paragraphs which are no more than four or five sentences long. Long paragraphs on the Web strain the eyes, are not conducive to scannable content and they are harder to digest.

Lists are another favourite in the online world. Bulleted, hyphenated or numbered lists are easy to skim through, they draw attention, they are easier to digest and, for the content creator, they are quick and easy to write too!

Another popular trend is to put particularly important words and phrases into bold fact. This should be used sparingly however. Some content creators tend to overdo it. Bold text should be used to emphasise particularly important or interesting facts.

Particularly when creating content for a blog, always place links in your article. Do not have the link itself displayed in the body of text, however – this just looks messy. Highlight the relevant word or phrase and turn it into a link. Internal linking in your blog is a great way to direct readers to other articles that they may find interesting and it’s good for SEO.

Other Considerations

Pictures can also make a great addition to a piece of content. In fact, they can be even more important than the title. A great picture helps to bring an article to life and attract reader’s attention. Websites and blogs which are particularly text-heavy tend to turn people off. Having said that, do not use pictures excessively, since they use much more bandwidth and can slow down your site.

Advertising, whether in the form of pictures or text, is essential for any monetized website, but it is important to use it correctly, particularly with regards to placement. Try not to break up content with advertising banners. While it might make the banner more noticeable, it can also turn a lot of readers off and distract them from the content itself.

Good advertising points the customer toward a store or a website where he can find more information about the products that interests him. Except in the case of solo advertising and full page newspaper ads, ad text has to come across in as few words as possible.

Once the customer is on the site, he expects to read about the features and benefits on the front page without having to dig through a number pages for the information he wants. He expects easy-to-read text that isn’t filled with a lot of specific details or flowery language.

Most sites directed to selling don’t do an adequate job of addressing specific customer problems. The advertising should have done the job of targeting the right audience. The site has to propose a solution to the reader’s problems. While the site can focus on product features, it’s the benefits that help solve the customer’s problem. .

While product prices are important, most customers will pay more for reliability and exceptional after- sales service. Directly listing prices beside the product’s benefits is better than hiding those prices deep in the site for fear the customer might balk at them.

Exaggerated claims are easy to spot. The customer usually does his homework by looking at competitive products and prices before coming to a buying decision. He is suspicious of any site that promises to deliver a superior product but provides no real proof as to why the product is superior to the competition. A unique selling feature can make a product stand out, but presenting it honesty is important as many customers are wary of scams.

The customer wants to know if the products have worked for others as claimed. Testimonials and endorsements can lead to a buying decision. Testimonials need to be truthful and never fabricated. If the product is new, a discount or a try-before-you-buy offer are effective methods to get testimonials.

A free email newsletter is a major part of every business that needs to build a list of clients they can email with up-to-date news and offers. Every site needs an opt-in sign up page to gather contact information.

Everyone loves getting something for free. It helps keep the customer on the site longer. The free offer can be offered with no purchase or included in the sale. Any way it’s done, it entices the customer to buy sooner rather than later.

A strong guarantee is a necessity. One of the keys to getting happy customers begins with after-sales service. Many businesses forget that customer support is just as important as getting a client to buy. All professional businesses have a customer service department. Every website should come with contact information so the customer can have someone to talk to when problems arise.

A well constructed site requires more attention to details. When all areas are covered, the viewer will feel comfortable in surfing through the site and will continue to buy.