According to Brian Clark at Copyblogger, "On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest." Headlines as well as email subject lines, tweets and Facebook status updates are all in the category of microcontent.
In these areas, you don't have much space to work with, but they are some of the most important spaces out there now. You have to create "sticky content" in that space that grabs people and lures them in. You want to make them open your email or click on that link.
Here are 9 ways to create that sticky content and get the most of these little tiny places we are being forced to write for:
- Make the short version work.
Do not cut and paste the exact same thing between your microcontent. You do not have the same space to work with for each medium. Facebook gives you the most space. But keep it to one to two sentences and make your status "likeable." With Twitter, you only have 140 characters, but leave room for retweets by others. You also want to share good links (not just your stuff) so that means utilizing a url shortner like bit.ly or ow.ly. The smallest space to write for is your email subject line. You should keep it less than 65 characters, but put the most important words in first 30 characters. - Highlight Everything and You Highlight Nothing.
Do you bold words to the point that more words are bolded than aren't? You waste the advantage of bolding when you do this. Only highlight short important phrases - 3-7 words at a time. - Include Your Response Words.
Response words are those that get people to react. Your words will vary but some examples are: save, money, free, results, new, easy, today, right now, urgent. Victory, celebration. Be careful with negative response words that over-exaggerate or sound salesy. - Emphasize the personal value of your content.
We are selfish by nature. We want to know what's in it for us. The best way to make it personal is simply use "you" or "your" in your content. On Facebook, ask questions for a conversational feel. Make your content feel personal and about your reader. - Write Visually.
When images aren't available, be specific. Use more descriptive nouns and verbs as opposed to adverbs and adjectives. Too many words blur the picture especially in tight spaces. - Sometimes clever and coy works...sometimes it doesn't.
This works best in social media, but you really have to know your audience. Giving them what they don't expect can go either way. Your main goal is to pique interest, not necessarily controversy. - Be direct and timely, but not too pushy.
You can't control people. Make them want to do it - don't tell them to do it. Urgency can be a good tactic, but lure them in so it doesn't feel like an order. - Avoid ALL CAPS and *crazy* punctuation?!
Keep everything simple. This will also help you stay out of spam folders. However, I highly recommend the colon for punctuation in tight places. It lets you get those important words up front. - Test and track.
You have to experiment with your content. Test different subject lines and see which get opened more or what links get clicked. Go with what works for your readers.
The bottom line is promise and deliver. Delivering on what you have promised builds trust so ultimately people will know what you send is worth reading.
For more detailed information and examples on microcontent, check out Kivi's e-book from Network for Good - Big Impact in Small Spaces: 9 Ways to Write Better Email Subject Lines, Headlines, Tweets and Facebook Updates.
Also, you can listen to the full webinar recording from "9 Tips to Improve Your Small-places Writing: How to Compose Better Microcontent and Social Network Updates."
If you have questions or would like to make a comment about this webinar, please join the conversation at The Network for Good Online Community.
Adapted by Kristina Leroux
