A New Writing Trend: The Impact of Begging Readers
For new and old writers this habit might be hurting your reads
We are writers, readers read our writing because they want to. I’ve noticed a trend of writers asking their readers for read time. Usually, this call to action is put in the first few lines of the article. This isn’t a good idea and if you think about it rationally, you will see why.
Nobody likes a beggar
When I am browsing posts to read a request in the description
“Please stay on my page for 30 seconds to help my read ratio”
Rather than reading, I automatically swipe left. This is like using your cash-app QR as a dating profile picture.
Money motive
At this point I don’t care about the title, or what point you are trying to make. All I see is this writer wants to make money above anything else. Yes, we all want to make money, but being this obvious about it is off-putting for many readers.
It’s a quick fix
I understand the frustration that the reader isn’t staying on your page for very long, but it seems rather lazy to use it as a way of essentially getting people to pay you. There are other ways to keep the reader’s interest!
One of the other reasons this is a quick fix is because this kind of tactic is for the first time reader and is assumed that they will never come back. These aren’t the readers you want!
In any kind of business including writing your main clients or in this case readers are going to be repeat business. Those that come back again and again.
A compelling opening
You are wasting a valuable asset! The first few lines of the post are those that are used in the very important description.
This is what readers see in the search engine results or the list of posts on your blog. The title is the bait. The first few lines are your actual hook.
By including this call to action before the reader knows much about the main content of the article, you have made your hook appear unnatural. The fish just spat it out and swam off, looking for more tasty food.
An interesting read
If you want to improve your read ratio. Make the first thirty seconds of your post interesting enough to keep the reader on it!
Not only that. But make sure the rest of the post is interesting enough for the people to want to read your next post.
This organic kind of approach will work better in the long run over a short-term beg for a dollar tactic.
I really hope that this post helped you.
Thanks for reading.
Please, Clap, Follow, and Comment if you want to.
Paul
