Take it from the English major turned journalist turned marketer: brevity is life when you’re online. If you can say it in 10 words instead of 20 and do it well, you are more likely to gain a reader’s attention.

Take a moment and think about your own habits as a digital reader. If you are faced with blocks and blocks of content, with long sentences and words unfamiliar to you, are you going to power through or click away?

When writing online, whether for social media, your website or blog, it’s important to write well and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Even something as simple as a newsletter headline can make or break the impression you make on your audience.

If you are looking to improve your writing skills, you can do so using these quick tips each time you sit down to type.

One: Use correct grammar!

It sounds simple enough, but making sure correct grammar and punctuation is critical to gaining the trust of your audience. Capitalizing sentences, using appropriate punctuation, and making sure each word is spelled correctly will go a long way to making you look educated—and make your audience take you at your word. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen something as simple as an error in capitalization in an email headline and I felt immediately turned off.

Two: Keep your copy short and sweet

We’ve all been there: you click on a post or an article and are suddenly faced with text blocks so long, that your eyes begin to glaze. You start reading the same words over and over until you realize you’re not retaining any information and decide to click away. You just don’t have the time to read that much text!

WHEN WRITING ONLINE, A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS:

1-3 sentences per paragraph for social media
5-7 sentences per paragraph for a website or newsletter
600-800 words for a blog

Three: Don’t use too much jargon or advanced language

You may be an expert in your field, but your clients are not. You won’t earn their trust by throwing around industry jargon and complex language. Instead, you’ll confuse them, and a confused customer doesn’t convert! You need them to see you as an expert, but also feel like they are having a personal conversation with you. So when you are writing for an online audience, keep the language conversational but professional.

EXAMPLE:

Don’t: Chiropractic care can release endorphins when your sympathetic nervous system is activated, making you experience emotions such as euphoria.

Do: Chiropractic care can help you feel happier each time you get adjusted!

Using these three simple tips will help improve your writing and be seen as an educated, credible expert in your industry. If you take a shot at writing and still feel insecure, send us an email and let us write the copy for you! With more than 10 years of writing experience, we have the knowledge and know-how to write copy that not only feels like you but converts your audience into customers.

Tired of trying to find the time to write blogs?

Ascendent Health Marketing can help! As part of our monthly service digital marketing package, we craft expertly researched and written blogs for mental health professionals. Contact us today to talk about we can help you!