Gone are the days of padding your Internet articles with hundreds of keywords hoping to find yourself in the top spots of Google’s search results. While keywords still play a role in search engine positioning, you can actually be penalized if your content seems to contain too many of them – not to mention how difficult it is for a person to read an article that contains the phrase “insurance NY” every 5 words! Here are some tips for writing for web readers that will help you create informative and easy to read content.

1. The headline is the most important thing – You have about 6 seconds to attract attention from an Internet user before he clicks off your site and look somewhere else. This is about the same attention span of a two year old child, so you need a headline that is going to pull them in immediately, and capture their interest long enough to get them reading the rest.

2. Use Images – Images are a great way to break up a text heavy blog post. They can help to draw attention to a specific post and add color to your blog. Don’t use too many images though, or your posts get cluttered and your text gets harder to read rather than easier.

3. DON’T use tired clichs. – A clich is a phrase that has been coined for so long that it has become boring. An easy way to turn off readers and make them move on to another site is to pepper your posts with clichs like “right as rain” and “easy as pie.” Take a minute to prune those phrases out and replace them with something fresh and original.

4. Do use lists – Most blog readers skim copy rather than read it all the way through – One way to maximize your copy impact is to use lists. Bullet lists or numbered lists call attention to important points, and ensure that readers who are skimming will catch the most vital part of your post.

5. Cut the boring parts – Unless you’re writing for personal reasons alone, you need to consider the attention of your readers. There’s no point is publishing content that isn’t useful, interesting, or both.

6. Keep it short and simple, sweetie. (KISS) – Most people are scanners. You may have a lot to say and think it interesting, and it may be. But people are reading online and out of time. Get to the point quickly. Publishing short posts more frequently is a better format than publishing lengthy articles every few weeks.

Following what works will only get you so far. Experiment with new styles, even if it means taking criticism. Without moving forward, you’ll be left behind.

Nik Imran is the creator of IMakeABlog, a blog that provides guide on how to make a blog. He also reviews blog products in his site. You can check out his review on blog mastermind review, the most recommended blog coaching program.

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