How to Write So People Read Every Time

Start with an eye-catching headline

Writing for an online audience involves psychological principles.

Anytime you write for a large group on the internet, you’ll need to be persuasive. Attention is the name of the game. Your content doesn’t have to sell a product or service to be noticed. But you do have to market your ideas.

Noteworthy headlines and quality, relevant photos are the best way to do that.

The psychology of marketing is fairly straightforward. Give the people what they want.

No matter what your content is about, if someone clicks through to see your content, they’re looking for an answer to something. Rather than giving them the runaround, give them what they’re looking for. Answer their question simply and clearly and with as little jargon as possible.~Kevin Ho

Here are a few reasons they’ll read your writing.

1) You have an eye-catching headline and subhead

Show them your offer upfront your headline. Creative word choices in a title will ensure someone will take a peek and hopefully read your inspiring piece.

I’ll share more on headlines in a moment.

2) You offer advice or a product/service.

Tell them your offer right away. State your clear and concise topic sentence in the first paragraph. Tell them how you’ll help them how to accomplish their goals or solve their problems. Show them with lists, examples, experience, and graphics.

Humans are drawn in by bright shiny objects, so colorful charts will work wonders. We also love to hear how things work. Show them how you did it.

When we choose to read a self-help or how-to article, it’s because we want someone to tell us what to do. We’re asking for help. Give that to your reader. You’ll gain credibility as a reliable resource. They’ll return for more valuable insight.

3) You aim to entertain, inspire, inform or validate them.

Everyone loves a good laugh. Levity and humor go far in the writing world. I’m working on that myself, as I’m far too serious at times. After a long day, people want to relax and enjoy some good-hearted fun.

Sharing a story about your life can inspire and enlighten others. Triumph over adversity or relaying an important life lesson can be a wonderful way to engage your readers. Don’t be afraid to get raw and real. We all want connection.

If you’re writing a personal essay, be sure to include them on your journey. Ask questions to encourage thought and reflection. Identifying with someone fosters intimacy.

When you tell a story that’s relatable, readers emotionally respond. They want to hear more from you because they relate on a deep level. “I’ve been there, too,” they say.

When you share information or teach a skill, break everything into parts like I’m doing right now. Our brains need structure and clear direction. Include plenty of white space and break it all down into manageable parts.

Content is anything that adds value to the reader’s life.~Avinash Kaushik

4) You’ve included a unique, attractive photo.

You can choose from a multitude of online photos. Always include a photo credit.

Unsplash, Pixabay, and Shutterstock are some popular sites. My favorite is Unsplash. A lot of writers use it here, though. So I’m careful to find the least used photo if I can.

You can also use your own high-quality photo. Be sure to indicate that you took it. “Photo by author” is sufficient.

Notice what piques your interest as a reader.

What makes you click on a story link? What captures your attention? Scroll through social media and you’ll see right away what works.

Notice the sponsored posts and ads. You might be intrigued by a promise to improve your life. You could find a story that pulls at your heartstrings. Ads and clever skits can tickle your funny bone.

Readers need a compelling reason to dive into your story. Make it your goal to find their sweet spot.

The website might be familiar and you trust their stories resonate, but do you click on all of them? You probably don’t.

You’ll likely choose one that reads, “Elephant Saves Hedgehog and Lifelong Friendship Follows.” There’s an endearing photo of the hedgehog snuggled beside the doting elephant friend.

There’s plenty of clickbait, which means you click the link looking for one thing and you get another topic or sales pitch.

Don’t let this be you. Not only will curators not distribute your story, but it’s also bad form. If you want to be a respected author, illustrate that by telling the readers what they hope to read.

Let’s elaborate on titles.

Create an attractive headline and subhead.

I dedicated an entire section to headlines because they’re the first thing to grab the attention of your readers.

A subhead can clarify a detail or two about your topic. For example, I’ve told you that I’m going to focus on the importance of your headline.

Start by deciding what topic you’re going to write about. Then do some matchmaking. The title needs to reflect your topic or you’ll lose your reader midway.

Once I know my topic, I write the headline. Usually, I start with one and end up with another more clarified title. Once I have my premise and main points, the best title shows itself to me. You might do it differently and that’s ok. Some writers do a list, let them simmer, then come back and choose the best.

Sometimes you don’t get as many views as expected.

You just wrote a brilliant and insightful article. You expect overwhelmingly positive results.

Your article flops. Where’s my audience? Why didn’t they like what I’ve shared? You ask.

They could’ve passed it over due to a bland title. That’s the first thing potential readers see. You need to hold their interest long enough for them to want to read.

Seasoned writers advise us to pay attention to crafting an effective headline. I went back to read some of my articles that could have showcased my talent but had fewer views than expected.

I saw that I didn’t grab their attention in the beginning. My headline was either too vague or failed to completely match my story.

Then I found a headline analyzer that showed me a breakdown of elements and gave me a score. If nothing else, it made me aware of titles that were too vague or misleading. For this platform, and any online audience, I need to pique their curiosity so much they’ll stick around.

The headline analyzer tool is meant to be a guide, not a substitute for creating your own fabulous titles. I once used a title with a high score and later realized it looked and sounded awkward and contrived.

I recommend you use it only as a tool to complement your intuition and experience.

You’ll be sure to write a story that people will read when you pay attention to human nature.

Watch and listen to what attracts you to something. Create a headline that stands out so they’ll keep reading. I know we’d like to think we’re complex in many ways. But this stuff is pretty basic. We gravitate toward what we want and move away from what we don’t want.

As a writer in an online forum, you have an opportunity to utilize psychological principles to gain readership. We attract who we want to reach and they come. It’s that simple. You don’t need to study psychology. Use your keen observational skills to decipher what your audience wants. Then offer it to them.

Let’s stay in touch. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or my personal blog at gratefulx365.wordpress.com. Submit your amazing stories and follow my Medium publication, Gratefully Yours.