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Creating amazing content with lots of useful info and wise insights is a good thing. But it won’t be all that impactful if your awesome content isn’t encouraging searchers to actually read it, react to it, and share it.

According to a Chartbeat survey, more than half of all searchers spend less than 15 seconds reading the content that’s in front of them. Oftentimes, it’s because of the way website, blog, social media, or ad copy is presented.

Readable content that’s also relevant has the power to drive traffic and engagement. But if what you’re presenting to your target audience isn’t cutting it, consider the following easy ways to make your content more readable.

1. Base Word Choice on an Appropriate Reading Level

Just because you have an expansive vocabulary doesn’t mean you have to wow readers with big or obscure words. Unless you’re writing for a specific niche where industry jargon is expected, strive for maximum comprehension with your wording since most online searchers have short attention spans and many possible distractions.

Base your word choice on the reading level of your content. There are basically four reading levels when it comes to content.

Writing at an elementary level means you’ll be choosing words with simplicity in mind, but not so much that you’re talking down to readers or insulting their intelligence.

With an inspectional level of writing, you’ll be writing with time in mind for readers who tend to skim before fully reading.

Content for analytical and syntopical reading levels involves more complex terminology. The intended reader either expects more detail or they already have an understanding of the subject matter.

Write your content with the reading level in mind that’s most appropriate for your target audience. For consumer-based content, for example, it’s often recommended to aim for either an elementary or inspectional level to maintain comprehension for searchers looking for quick info so they can make a decision. Readability of text is mainly affected by:

• Length and structure of your sentences
• Number of characters within your words
• How many multi-syllable words you use

2. Match Headlines to Reader Expectations

The purpose of any headline is to prepare the reader for what followers. It’s also headlines that are the most important part of content online in terms of readability.

If a headline doesn’t catch the attention of the intended reader, anything below it will be ignored. While you want to put some pizzazz into your headlines to generate interest, it’s equally important to match your titles and subheads to reader expectations.

With online attention spans clocking in at less than five seconds, headlines should be concise, enticing, and, most importantly, accurate. Headlines not relevant to the content that follows will also affect your SEO efforts, which means you won’t be getting all that much love from Google. Plus, headlines that deceive readers will drive searchers away from other content you produce.

3. Offer Value with What You Present

Visitors will keep reading your content beyond the headline if it’s offering something of value for them. The value your content offers should be immediately apparent.

Go beyond readers’ expectations and give them more knowledge then they had when first arriving to your content’s location. Do this by offering added insights beyond what inspired them to click their way to your content in the first place.

This could be done by with links to articles on related topics from trusted sources. Or you might use internal links to take readers to related content within your own website or blog.

4. Format Your Articles into ‘Bite Size’ Sections

Readers don’t always want a full overview of whatever topic is covered in your content. Instead of expecting visitors to digest everything at once or search for what’s specifically of interest to them, make each section uniquely appealing and informative in some way.

For example, an article on back pain may have separate sections on common sources of spine-related problems like sciatica, disc herniation, and bone spurs. Each section might include bulleted lists for symptoms and treatments.

Presenting content in this way makes it easier for the reader to immediately find something relevant. Further boost readability by keeping paragraphs within each section short and concise (no more than one main point per paragraph is a good rule of thumb).

5. Throw in Visuals and Other Media

The human brain processes visuals 60k times faster than text, and 90 percent of the info sent to the brain is visual. One surefire way to increase readability is by including related visual elements within your content.

Break up your content with relevant visuals and other media to drive home points and make a lasting impression on readers. When it makes sense to do so, enhance your text with:

• Photos and images that appropriately sized and captioned
• Videos
• Embedded social media posts
• Edited webinar content
• GIFs
• Infographics

Readability is sometimes subjective in that what you might think is perfect content could be coming across completely different to your readers. So, it’s a good idea to test your content to see what’s likely to pack the biggest punch with your target audience.

Techniques like A/B testing, where you present two different versions of the same content, can give you a better idea of how to structure things. Finally, pay attention to feedback you’re getting with your more interactive content like what’s on your blog and social media pages to get a better idea of what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.