8 Design Styling Tools to Get Your Content Read

Check your style or formatting against this list. Is your article
easy to read? 

Combining the style of your writing with a design format that will draw in readers is not as hard as you might think. When writing for the web you need to remember it's about the presentation of your content as well as your content.

White space and visuals have been proven to keep users on a webpage longer. What are some more ways to turn scanners into readers?

Try to keep these 8 items in mind and your write your unique and useful content for the internet.

1. Visuals -- 

Use images, videos, charts, etc... to break up your text. The truth is, a relevant visual can convey your story and information quickly and efficiently. This can turn a scanner into a reader.

2. Bullets -- 

Use bullets for lists, facts or points and more! They look different from the rest of your text, are easy to scan and should contain information considered important to the topic.

3. Keep Paragraphs Short -- 

Though an English teacher may cringe -- keep your paragraphs short. They can be as short as one sentence though I find 2 or 3 work well for me. Large blocks of text look like walls and tend to be a turn off to users.

4. Keep Sentences Short -- 

Along the same lines as #3 above, keep your sentence short and sweet. This makes them easy to understand and more easily scannable.

5. Quotes -- 

Use quotes from your content as you would an image or indented so it stands out from the rest of the content. This captures readers who are scanning. It may even convince them to read the whole article.

6. Sub-Headings -- 

This is a must. It completely breaks up the article so a scanner can glance and see where the information they want is located. It also helps add more white space. Sub-headings should communicate key points you make in the following paragraph(s).

7. Font Emphasis -- 

Use bold, italics and caps to draw attention to key points within the article. Avoid using highlight or colored text too often in one article. It ends up looking amateurish and elementary. However, well placed font emphasis can ensure your point gets across to both readers and scanners.

8. Left, Left, Left... -- 

Align your text to the left. People are used to this and are sometimes put off when content text is aligned centered, right or justified. The easier it is to read, the more likely it will be read. Indention from the left is a great tool for quotes or to highlight important key points as well.

Sadly, this is one I seem to forget a lot. My "design eye" likes to change up where the photo/image/visual is located. However, studies show keeping the left margin for text is the best for readers. They are used to it and the eye expects it. This is one element I need to work on implementing in my articles.

How many of you read the 8 numbered ideas but not the content below it? Interesting where the eye is drawn, isn't it?