Theodor Seuss Geisel had a knack for many things. Little did he know that he’d be a damn good teacher to the modern content marketer.

Although his insights can be applied to many industries and myriad topics, today we’re viewing famous Dr. Seuss quotes in the context of content marketing. Follow along as we cover nine very pertinent lessons.

1. “Teeth are always in style.”

While content marketing may evolve, there are certain tactics that will always be on trend because they work. Don’t mess around when you find a good thing, or you’ll risk creating cavities in your marketing budget.

2. “Only you can control your future.”

Do you have a documented content marketing strategy? If you’re reading this without one, you’ve just discovered the biggest threat to your future success.

3. “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

As marketers who are constantly on the search for the pièce de résistance of our content plan, we often overlook the KISS principle. Well, guess what? Creating content that’ll launch your ROI into the stratosphere doesn’t require a PhD in rocket science. If you look too deep, you might miss a simple idea with the potential to go viral quickly and produce long-lasting results. 

4. “So the writer who breeds more words than he needs is making a chore for the reader who reads.”

Brevity is a skill. Practice it.

5. “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

Let’s replace the person in this scenario with content. In our fast-paced and increasingly mobile world, consumers don’t have the time to digest lengthy pieces of content. As a result, the impact of microcontent is greater than many marketers believe. With its growing importance, it’s critical to ensure every bit of copy offers high value no matter its length.

6. “Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

The way you behave online affects your brand’s reputation. As many business owners have learned, you can’t come back from some things. Since the Internet remembers everything, think before you hit the publish button.

7. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Are you following the crowd, or flying under the radar so you don’t upset anyone? If you answered “yes,” you need to re-evaluate what you’re doing. Content marketing allows you to distinguish your brand with your authentic voice and unique personality. It allows you to show consumers why you’re the difference they need. Don’t go Charlie Sheen tiger-blood crazy, but don’t let your competitors eclipse your brightness either.

8. “You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.”

If you still hide behind the safety of your blinders, you’re missing opportunities to reap the rewards of an effective and comprehensive content marketing strategy. You have to look at the bigger picture before you can focus on the things that matter to your brand. Therefore, you should be researching consistently, keeping track of emerging trends relentlessly, learning from mentors regularly, studying content marketing diligently, and watching key conversations between competitors, prospects, influencers, and other stakeholders constantly. Be aware of what’s going on around you so that you’ll be less likely to miss the good revenue-generating stuff.

9. “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that bang-ups and hang-ups can happen to you.”

No one is immune to mistakes, least of all content marketers. Make one tiny error and the grammar police will pounce on you like kids around a broken piñata. Whether it’s a wayward tweet or misused word, be prepared to make blunders. How you handle the situation is what counts.

As much as Dr. Seuss was known for his brilliant illustrations and whimsical turn of phrase, he was also known to scrap about 95% of his material before nailing down a theme. Perhaps it’s the now-oriented world we live in, but some ideas turn out better when left to marinate. There’s no denying that content marketers can learn a lot from Theodor Geisel, but the biggest lesson of all is that we should never stop pushing ourselves to be better at what we do.

What’s your favorite Dr. Seuss quote and how can you relate it to content marketing? Join the conversation in the comments section. 

As personalized search continues to transform the way Internet users experience content, we increasingly rely on technology to identify and deliver relevant results. These filters are great for managing the overwhelming amount of information that can be thrown at us with a single search, but there’s still a need to sharpen our sixth sense for all the junk that gets through. After all, algorithms aren’t always perfect.

Even though most users appreciate the convenience of algorithmic personalization, this type of technology still lacks the ability to identify value on a human level. So, what is one to do? From a consumer’s point of view, it’s as simple as clicking away from a page when content isn’t helpful. From a content marketer’s point of view, value can be derived by turning that junk into treasure.

What Constitutes Junk Content? 

You’re likely thinking about infuriating filler content right now. While you’re not wrong, junk content encompasses so much more. From nonsensical ads and inflammatory social media posts to cringe-worthy YouTube scripts and bait-and-switch headlines, this type of content simply serves little purpose and offers little value. What constitutes content junk may be subjective in some cases, but if you can improve it, you can use it.

Following are four simple ways you can turn another marketer’s trash into your treasure.

1. Learn From It

We all wish we had the benefit of hindsight before making a mistake. Thankfully, we don’t always have to be the one in error—or suffer the consequences—to benefit from a learning experience. Compile a “what not to do” portfolio so that your creators will avoid written and visual content you deem to be unfit for publication.

2. Solve the Problem

There are few better ways to build credibility than by showing off your expertise. Begin by explaining what’s wrong with the third-party content you’re sharing and then offer suggestions for improvement in a makeover or clinic style post. If you have the time, make it interactive by asking readers to submit their own failed pieces for critique.

3. Curate It

Content curation is one of the easiest ways to deliver meaningful information to your audience without having to create something from scratch. While curation is usually about finding quality sources of content, there’s no reason you can’t transform something that’s relatively worthless into something your readers will enjoy.

Once you’ve aggregated enough junk content around a specific topic, find ways to repurpose and repackage the content for your target demographic. “Top fails,” “biggest mistakes,” and “worst of” listicles are extremely popular. To ensure you make your post a worthwhile read while imparting your own brand flavor, make sure you add relevant commentary and insight.

4. Improve It

How many times have you discovered a piece of content and instinctively known you can do better? The chances are it happens every day. While you don’t want to recreate the piece, you can use junk content to fuel inspiration for your own masterpiece. If the core idea is good, but the execution is poor, harness your own creativity and knowledge to engage your target audience and deliver something useful.

Pieces of junk content you can successfully leverage for your own brand’s benefit are few and far between. However, you shouldn’t ignore those unexpected diamonds in the rough. Fair use doctrine only extends so far, though, so make certain you abide by copyright law to ensure you don’t land in hot water unintentionally. Never copy content in its entirety and always share a link to the original.

How would you turn junk content into treasure? We’d love to hear your ideas, thoughts, and tips so feel free to share them with us in the comment section. 

Did you know that a common trait in highly successful people is focus? They understand what it takes to accomplish anything worthwhile, and there’s very little that can derail them from their mission. Focus doesn’t always come easily though.

If you reach the end of campaigns to find you’ve been disappointingly ineffective, or your never-ending to-do list only reminds you of your inefficiency, the chances are your focus could do with a little fine-tuning. How do you accomplish that?

1. Home In On One Core Goal and Buyer Persona at a Time 

One of the biggest mistakes we can make as content marketers is to treat a single piece of content as if it’s the Swiss Army Knife of our strategy. We expect it to be multifunctional—all things to all people while achieving all business goals. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

Besides creating confusion, you risk diluting your message and minimize your ability to impact an audience. Be strategic about the pieces you create, but be focused in terms of the people you’re talking to and the objective you want your content asset to achieve. Anything else is a waste of marketing dollars.

2. Stop Trying To Multitask 

Attempting to complete a number of complicated tasks simultaneously increases exposure to stress. This can impair your prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the human brain that intelligently regulates your emotions, thoughts, and actions. The sheer overwhelm can lead to a decrease in attentiveness, an increase in errors, and lower productivity.

While content marketing sometimes necessitates multitasking, it’s crucial not to make it a habit. For better results, focus on one thing at a time so that you eliminate brain fog, improve productivity levels, and execute tasks as flawlessly as possible.

3. Learn To Do One Thing Exceptionally Well 

As much as multitasking can take your eye off the ball, so can dabbling. If you find yourself spending too much time on social media, design, management, or business aspects that don’t apply to your content marketing efforts, you’ll quickly find you’re able to slip into multiple roles, but you’re not exceptionally great at any one of them.

Being all over the place doesn’t serve you, and it doesn’t serve your business. Rather stick to the meat and potatoes of content marketing so that you reap the rewards of excellence, not mediocrity. Don’t forget that you don’t need to bear the burden on your own if you’re a small business owner. Outsourcing things like content creation and social media management can help you stay focused while ensuring you derive the benefits of content marketing on a limited budget.

4. Get Rid Of Distractions 

From email alerts and social media notifications to text messages and unexpected interruptions, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate in today’s corporate environment. Unfortunately, these distractions not only decrease productivity, but they also negatively affect focus and hinder quality of work. Therefore, it’s important to carve out sufficient time each day to concentrate on specific projects. Eliminate all distractions for optimal focus.

5. Learn To Say “No” 

Many content marketers suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out). The problem is it just isn’t possible to employ every tactic, implement every idea, or even respond to every blog comment. While seizing an opportunity is usually favorable behavior, saying “yes” to one more thing is sometimes like being on the losing end of Jenga. Why would you risk toppling an unstable tower when it’s within your power to avoid it? Just make sure that when you do say “yes,” it’s because the thing you’re agreeing to supports your goals without taking focus off what you’re already doing.

With these tips in mind, should you stop thinking in broad terms then? No. Whether you’re applying content marketing principles to your own business or someone else’s, you have to look at the bigger picture to identify gaps, pinpoint areas of opportunity, and solve problems. You simply need to remember that your success will eventually depend on a single-minded focus.

Are you someone who struggles to focus? What are you currently doing to build discipline in this area? Join the conversation in the comment section.

Nearly every entrepreneur and marketer has been in the same boat at one point or another—asking questions rooted in that dreaded emotion: fear. Will anyone care what I have to say? Are my ideas good enough? How am I going to stand out in an already overcrowded market? What if people react negatively? What if I fail?

There’s no doubt about it; fear will cripple your ability to be a great marketer if you let it. It will slowly rob you of your confidence and courage, leaving behind someone who would readily give up hope of building a viable business to sit on the sidelines and watch others claim the glory of their great ideas.

If you’re ready to stop talking yourself out of doing things that could potentially expand your business and elevate the position of your brand, then join us as we explore some common content marketing fears.

Will People Notice My Brand? 

Attracting new prospects, building awareness, enhancing brand image, and boosting customer engagement are some of the biggest draws of content marketing. However, you may feel like a small fish in a big pond just thinking about the sheer size of the Internet community and the number of competitors already operating in your industry.

Will people interact with your blog, like and share your social media content, or download your whitepaper in exchange for an email address?

First, it’s crucial to understand that content marketing doesn’t diminish the importance of in-person interactions for not only building meaningful relationships, but also building a team of brand advocates who naturally share your content because they think you’re great. Second, there is room for everyone on the Internet—even in seemingly overcrowded segments. It’s your USP that’s going to make a difference. Third, it can take time to build an audience, even with a rock solid strategy that follows all best practices to a T.

With that said, if you’re worried you’ll remain invisible when you haven’t yet raised your virtual voice, you’re sabotaging your success before you’ve even begun.

What If I Make A Horrible Mistake?

What, like some of these guys?

Often, it’s the fear of consequences that stop us from going for what we want. The good thing is you’re thinking about consequences. It’s the ill-worded or ill-timed Tweet, the poorly thought-out newsjacking, or misguided content ideas that get your fellow marketers into trouble. Pay attention to what you’re making available for public consumption before you hit the publish button, but also realize you’re human. You won’t be the first person to make a mistake, and you certainly won’t be the last. It’s content marketing, not skydiving.

Do I Really Know What I’m Doing? 

Fears around building a content marketing strategy and measuring ROI usually stem from a lack of knowledge and indecision. A lack of knowledge can easily be remedied, but when it comes to indecision, you need to keep in mind that your strategy is living, not static.

Sure, creating an actual document forces you to commit to an approach, but it’s something that’s continually adapted based on your content marketing KPIs and results. If things aren’t working, re-evaluate. Your confidence in what you’re doing will develop as you inch closer to your goals.

What If My Ideas Aren’t Unique Or Good Enough? 

With so much content already online, the reality is you’re bound to say or do something someone else has already said and done. The important thing to remember is you’re creating a user experience unique to your audience. You’re adding your own flavor, sharing your special talents, and bringing a fresh perspective to the table. Even though it’s intimidating when competitors have been doing a great job for so long, don’t underestimate your ability to provide exactly what your target audience needs when they need it.

My Content Might Not Be Perfect 

From major fears such as failing to create an authentic voice to minor fears such as typos, content marketers can work themselves up over problems that often have simple solutions. In many cases, outsourcing to professional writers, copywriters, designers, and editors can instantly improve the quality of content assets.

In other instances, it’s as simple as focusing on the right aspects. Instead of asking, “Is this funny enough? Clever enough? Engaging enough? Attractive enough?” Ask yourself, “Is this effective?” If the right people see your content and they’re taking action, there’s nothing to fear.

Perhaps Shakespeare said it best: 

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”

What are your greatest doubts and fears? What are you doing to push past them? We’d love to hear your take on this so contribute your thoughts to the conversation below.

When I tell people I’m involved with online marketing, their eyes immediately widen and they start visualizing space-age computer code and Facebook icons. In reality, it isn’t that glamorous, and list management is one of those non-glamorous tasks. Much like getting a yearly physical or balancing a checkbook, managing a contact list isn’t something that anyone really wants to do, but it’s something that needs to get done, regardless.

A well-maintained contact list is one of the more important end results of your marketing activities (sales being the most important, of course). This is the data that you will use to grow a business, sell products and services, and otherwise move a business forward. These people are your market (or at least they should be). Not managing a list well means you are working with bad information, which is not good in a sales setting.

Clean House

Working with current information means greater efficiency and less embarrassment. Routinely updating your contact list will help you avoid marketing to people whose information is no longer accurate.

• Remove bad information like bounced or inactive emails after each campaign
• Clear out people who have opted not to receive emails from you
• Update contacts that have changed roles in a company
• Move contacts to different market segments when they change (i.e. prospect to current customer)
• Add information when you receive it. For instance, more phone numbers, alternate emails or additional addresses.
• Add notes about your contacts that could be relevant for future communications. For instance, maybe you received a response to an email campaign or a sales call from a contact that contained important information for sales down the road.

If you don’t perform any of the other tasks featured in this post for managing your contact list, you should at the very least keep your data current. When you have good information about your market, then you look like you know what you’re talking about in your marketing. 

Use a CRM

Nothing makes cleaning your data easier than a Customer Relationship Management system. It used to be that these systems just helped you organize data, but they do a lot more than that now. On the data cleansing side, though, CRMs can help you:

• Easily update basic information
• Integrate customer information into your marketing activities
• Categorize data and otherwise organize it in a way that is best for your workflow

Although it may not seem like much, a huge benefit of CRM software is that all of your customer and prospect information is in one central location. Rules and processes that can be used on one contact can be used for all others.

Conversely, if you store your contacts in an Excel spreadsheet, it’s much more tedious and time consuming to go through and manage them. It will also drive you nuts. 

Use Email Marketing Software to Manage Lists

CRMs can be overkill if all you want to do is manage some opt-ins or perform other simple tasks. Look into using an email marketing program instead. The following platforms are great for managing contacts in terms of maintaining a good list of active and willing email marketing participants.

• Mail Chimp
• Constant Contact
• iContact
• Marketo
• HubSpot

There are a ton of other choices, as well. Search for email marketing programs on the web and you will instantly numerous options to sift through. The programs named above (especially the first three) are inexpensive, easy to use and great for managing contact information. 

Segment Your Email Lists

Just getting good information into a list can be daunting enough, so make sure you have that down before you move on to organizing everything. Once you’re there, though, segment your email list according to who your market is and how your business operates.

For example, if your business sells different products or services to people with different buying interests, those contacts should be in separate lists because they should be receiving different messaging.

When you segment your lists, it makes marketing easier and more effective. People who are interested in a particular product or service won’t be receiving messages that aren’t relevant to them, and therefore will be less likely to opt out of receiving communications from you.

What tips do you have for managing a contact list? Join in the conversation by commenting below.

It’s great that you have a steady stream of eyeballs on your content, but what’s that really worth if readers aren’t performing some sort of action? After all, you’re not spending precious marketing dollars on content creation for nothing. Whether you’re producing blog posts, articles, white papers, eBooks, or other types of content, there should be several points of interaction—elements that persuade your audience to complete tasks that inevitably result in leads, revenue, and advocacy.

Besides producing impactful content filled with tips, advice, and ideas your readers can practically implement in the real world, here are nine more ways to create opportunities for action on your written content.

1. Create a Comment Section

Astonishingly, many business sites still lack comment sections. The writing simply draws to its conclusion with no place for readers to contribute their ideas. Besides being bizarre in an age when generating online conversation is crucial for brands, it can be highly frustrating for readers who want to make their voices heard. If you’re developing stimulating content (which you should be), be sure to provide a space where people can leave their opinions without having to publish an article of their own.

When you enable public comments, keep in mind that there are those who will want to submit their thoughts privately. Make certain you provide that option, even if it’s through your contact page or social media properties.

2. Include an Actionable Summary

Tell your readers what the next steps are. Identity specific behaviors you’ve outlined in your post—the ones your audience should carry out in order to achieve the goal of your article—and then list them in a bulleted or numbered format.

Sarah Arrow does a great job of this at the end of her SteamFeed blog post on the connection between blogging and Kindle. Not only did she follow on with a brief list of links to resources (another point of interaction), but she also included a call to action for comments. Note how she slips in a bullet point that tells readers to subscribe.

3. Incorporate Powerful Calls to Action

Actionable content drives a response. It’s your job to engage readers and move them further down the conversion funnel with a compelling call to action (CTA) that consists of a short, explicit instruction. Whether that actionable step is clicking, downloading, commenting, taking a tour, starting a trial, or signing up depends on your agenda.

HubSpot excels in this area, placing a relevant lead-capturing CTA at the end of each blog post. The beautifully designed, clickable image contains a persuasive message to take action. It’s always related to the topic the author has covered in the post, and it always leads to a gorgeous landing page where a reader’s email address and other details are captured.

4. Add Subscription Options

There are two ways visitors can subscribe to your content: RSS and email. Both can drive tons of traffic to your blog each day—traffic you can potentially nurture through a well organized marketing funnel. In the image on the left, you’ll notice that HubSpot offers both methods. Their CTA is prominently placed on the right-hand side of the blog, ensuring all new visitors have easy access to it.

The inbound marketing experts also place a CTA for blog subscription at the bottom of each post. While the CTA in the right-hand panel can be completed without leaving the page, the CTA at the end of the post leads to a landing page that allows readers to enter their email address, set the frequency of email notifications, or subscribe to their RSS feed.

Alternatively, you can go for something simple and effective like this signup form Derek Halpern at Social Triggers uses.

Besides blog posts, subscribers regularly receive helpful content, advice, and updates right to their email box. It’s all part of a wonderful content marketing machine.

5. Include Internal Links to Related Content

Internal links carry a bevy of benefits, ranging from an improvement in user-friendliness and a reduction in bounce rate to an increase in page views and a boost in link juice. Readers know you’ve put a link within your text for a reason. That link acts as a CTA, telling them you want them to click on it because there’s something relevant on the other end. Get wise about your linking strategy and use internal links within an article sparingly, but strategically.

6. Make Suggestions for Other Relevant Content

Every clickable link presents the potential for an action to take place. There’s no better way to keep readers on your site and engaged than with a list of relevant content suggestions. “Most Popular Posts,” “Related Posts,” and “Other Posts You Might Like” are just few common examples you’ll see on sites optimized for action. Available plugins and built-in options will vary depending on the content management system you use, so be sure to check them out and choose one that suits your web design needs.

7. Integrate the “Send to Kindle Button” Into Your Site or Blog

In early 2013, Amazon.com released a “Send to Kindle” Button for publishers. For content marketers, this is a great way to offer an audience convenient reading anytime, anywhere. Rushed readers who can’t enjoy your content right then and there can simply send the article directly to their Kindle for reading on the go.

If you’re a website owner, you can visit www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle/developers/button to generate a widget code. If you’re a WordPress blogger, you can visit http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/send-to-kindle/ to install the button.

8. Use the “Click to Tweet” Plugin or Similar Tools

“Click to Tweet” serves as a fabulous little CTA all on its own. When you have valuable insights, original data, or interesting facts scattered throughout your text, they offer an ideal opportunity to encourage promotion of your content on Twitter. Readers can quickly and easily Tweet the info to their followers, along with a link to your post.

9. Invite Readers to Share

Many readers barely take cognizance of social sharing widgets when their focus is solely on consuming information. They forget you’d like them to spread the word; share a link. Therefore, you have to remind them by inviting them to make use of those powerful little buttons. Ask people to share your post with their networks if they believe others will find it helpful.

As a final note on actionable content, users must understand the points of interaction in order to complete the task. Therefore, navigation and functionality are essential. Spend time evaluating your content for interaction points, make sure they’re clear and understandable, and then check that they work correctly. If you want readers to click on a link, subscribe, share your content, or leave a comment, then they shouldn’t have a hassle performing the task. Most importantly, ask yourself whether you’ve written something that will make people want to take action.

How do you ensure your content is actionable? Is there anything you’d add to our list? Share your thoughts in a comment.

Recently, we published a piece about content readability and its importance as a content marketing success factor. Equally important is understandability as it can be a barrier to accessibility and usability. After all, if your target audience can’t read or understand the information you publish then why bother creating it?

The last thing you need is poorly conceived and poorly crafted content that leaves readers wondering what you wanted them to learn. While everyone differs in their cognitive abilities, there are ways to improve text so that it’s understood by as many people as possible the first time they read it.

Follow along as we look at eight questions every writer should ask when developing content that doesn’t cause cognitive overload or understandability issues.

1. Have You Used Plain Language?

Plain language contributes to an accessible user experience. It’s clear, it’s easy to read, it’s easy to understand, and it’s inherently usable. These qualities relate to effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Unfortunately, information doesn’t automatically conform to these characteristics. It’s your job as a content creator or publisher to make that happen.

How do you ensure your language is simple and easy to understand?

• Proofread your text for misspellings and commonly confused words. While a spellchecker can help you identify the former, it won’t always identify words that are spelled correctly, but used incorrectly (E.g. “weary” vs. “wary,” “discreet” vs. “discrete,” “for” vs. “fore”). When in doubt, use a dictionary

• Use active voice rather than passive voice to strengthen your writing. With active voice, you directly link the subject of your sentence with the action, which makes it clear about who is doing what

• Be concise

• Avoid long, run-on sentences to help readers remain focused. Short sentences that are no more than 25 words in length are best for readability

• Eliminate unnecessary adjectives

• Articulate existing ideas in a new, easy-to-understand way

• Use conversational language when appropriate

• Use metaphors and analogies to improve comprehension. Many people understand ideas better when you explain them in everyday terms

• Don’t oversimplify things. You don’t want to give readers a false sense of understanding what you mean when they really don’t

• Avoid redundancy

• Don’t use more than two conjunctions in a sentence

• Avoid double negatives as they cause confusion and inhibit comprehension

• Limit your use of jargon, idioms, acronyms, abbreviations, and complex words or phrases. As long as it doesn’t affect the precision of your communication or change its meaning, replace technical or high-level terminology with common terms whenever possible

• Provide the pronunciation of a word when the meaning of a word is ambiguous without knowing the correct pronunciation

• Be literal. Some readers have difficulty distinguishing between implied and literal meanings

• Include the definition of a word or phrase when necessary

• Avoid using unusual or foreign words

• Don’t use showy or unfamiliar word combinations to impress readers. Clear communication is essential for full understanding

• Make sentences easy to process by applying parallel sentence structure conventions

How simply and concisely you write will depend on a range of factors. Most importantly, it depends on your intended reader. Keep in mind that your text should not only be read by humans, but by assistive technology, too.

2. Did You Write For Your Target Audience?

While language might seem plain to one group of readers, it might not seem plain to another. Therefore, you must consider your target audience when writing. Characteristics such as level of education, intelligence, familiarity with the subject matter, motivation to learn, and gender and cultural differences all play a role in your choice of words and writing style.

Map your user personas to ensure you’re writing for the right people at the right reading level.

A knowledgeable, highly motivated, and educated reader could sweep through a lengthy, intellectually challenging article with ease, understanding every word and concept. An average reader, however, might find the task more taxing. Ultimately, you want to ensure that you write according to your target reader’s level of comprehension. If you’ve already defined your user personas, you should be able to develop content around a topic that your ideal reader will feel comfortable reading and understanding.

3. Are Your Ideas Presented In A Logical Order?

A crucial cognitive process happens during natural language understanding: the formulation of coherence. For readers to interpret a piece of text correctly, they must link its meaning to the prior context. A reader already assumes that you’ve written with an intention and that each new sentence is relevant to the one before it. Therefore, you should help readers establish relationships between the ideas presented in your paragraphs by writing clear sentences in a rational sequence.

Before you can write in a clear style, you must arrange your thoughts in an orderly manner. This ensures your ideas will flow smoothly and build logical bridges to help readers make sense of your text. Be sure to evaluate your piece for coherence before you publish it.

4. Did You Provide Context?

Context, which refers to the circumstances that establish the setting for your idea or statement, has an influence on the way readers understand what you’re attempting to convey. This relies heavily on the coherent relationship between your sentences. As a result, you should provide sufficient context for even the simplest of thoughts so that readers can fully understand your meaning.

5. Are You Using The Right Content Type?

A moment of comprehension doesn’t always stem from a clearly written text-based piece. Your target readers might have a better understanding of your content if you present it in audio or visual formats. Consider videos, infographics, images, podcasts, slideshows, and similar content types when deciding on presentation mediums. Depending on your subject matter, you might want to try a combination of media to ensure the widest possible audience understands the message you’re trying to convey.

6. Did You Provide Practical Examples Where Applicable?

Articles based on complex or technical subject matter are often abstract, making them difficult to read and understand. To avoid confusing readers further, you should provide practical examples to help them conceptualize an idea, process, event, or problem.

For example, in this piece about writing a job description for a social media manager, the position summary was not only explained, but a solid example was provided so that readers can see what a typical summary for this position looks like.

7. Did You Use Alternative Representations To Clarify Meaning Where Applicable?

In addition to practical examples, supplementing your text with visual or audio aids can help clarify the meaning of your content. Diagrams, illustrations, animations, images, symbols, video, and other visual depictions enable people to learn faster and more effectively because the message is communicated in a more concise and simplified way. Make sure you enhance your complicated textual content with formats that improve comprehension.

8. Is The Reading Level Of Your Content Appropriate?

Although you may believe you’ve created simple, clear, and understandable content, the chances are that some readers will still have trouble perceiving the meaning of your text. That’s where readability tests like the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level index can help.

The algorithms of these tests use mathematical formulas to evaluate a piece of text for reading ease and reading level. The only downside is that they focus mainly on quantitative metrics. Therefore, you can’t rely on a formulaic process alone in order to understand the simplicity and clarity of your content. You must consider all factors as outlined by the eight questions in this blog post.

Even though the results are only superficial measurements of readability, you can use them to gain insight into how readable and understandable your content is. Most experts recommend a 7^th-8^th grade reading level for general content. Based on your result, you can adjust your writing so that it aligns with the comprehension skills of your target readers. Keep in mind that a lower grade level increases the accessibility of content since a wider audience is likely to understand it.

Conclusion

Writing understandable content for a large audience isn’t always easy. This is especially true for niche topics. While one reader feels you’re writing for first graders, another might feel you’re writing for postgraduate students. The key is to keep the reader, purpose, and context in mind when crafting content. Always aim for simplicity and clarity if you want your content to be accessible and useable. There’s no place for convoluted content when it comes to simple, concise, and understandable text.

What steps do you take to ensure your content is understandable? Share your tips and thoughts with us in the comment section below. Don’t forget to share this post with authors and web content writers who might find it useful.