Writing Tips for Creators - Tips for Fixing Common Errors when Creating Content
The Hurried Edit
Everyone has time management concerns and maybe you’ve reread your piece so many times that you’re confident you’ve caught all the mistakes. But taking enough time to thoroughly proofread your post or article is critical. It is essential to good writing.
Understand the importance of formatting
The structure of your post is important in holding a reader’s attention. Many readers scan or skim articles rather than read them word for word. A big block of text makes this habit difficult and may repel readers.Tips:
- Use bullets and numbered lists when appropriate. These formats are easy to scan and keep readers engaged with the text.
- Edit to ensure you have relevant information in your article
- Format links effectively
- Keep paragraphs short
Jargon heavy content
Clear and concise writing is essential to holding the reader’s attention and keeping them coming back. If they don’t understand or follow your writing, they might not visit again. Using more natural language can also have Search Engine Optimization benefits; users are more likely to use natural language in their search terms, it will boost the chances that your content will appear in search results.Tips:
- Read your draft out loud. Reading your own writing out loud is a good way to notice mistakes, unclear phrases, too-long sentences, etc. If it doesn’t sound natural aloud it’s not likely to read smoothly. If the writing doesn’t read organically, you might not keep readers.
- Keep voice search in mind. Content creators shouldn’t ignore the value of voice search in SEO and organic searches. One should optimize digital content to compete in search and increase organic traffic.
- Make an optimized headline. The headline is the first and sometimes all a reader will see.
Too much passive voice
Passive voice is when a subject is a recipient of a verb’s action. Writers and editors tend to prefer active voice because it’s clearer and more direct. You might be tempted to use passive voice because it sounds fancy, but much like using too much jargon, using too much passive voice can turn away readers. Do not cut out all the passive voice in your writing — sometimes it just works but one should learn how to identify it and use it when necessary.Tip:
Tools like WordPress’ Yoast plugin and extensions like LanguageTool, Quillbot, Grammarly and Outwrite can help you identify instances of passive voice and offer suggestions for how to rework them.
Use best practices for links
Including relevant links, whether internal or external, is essential. Don’t overwhelm readers with too many link options. They could decide to not click on any.Tip:
- Don’t duplicate links. Have you ever clicked on two links, only to be taken to the same page twice? Irritating, right?
- Don’t use generic text like “click here” or “more.” Using descriptive keywords in your link tells the reader what they’ll find on the page.
