Content: From Boring to Engaging
“There really is no such thing as a boring subject. Just boring, unimaginative writers.”
~ Ben Hart
Content. A concept that seems so basic and simple that trips up even the best industry professionals. There’s always one question that pops up when writing for more informative pieces: “How do I make this content interesting and engaging?” Nearly every writer has come across this problem at one point or another. What separates the strong writers from the weak is simply mindset. With so many options to embrace and rise to this challenge, no content should ever be “boring.” Consider the following ways to take your content from boring to engaging!
LOOK FOR THE UNEXPECTED ANGLE
When a certain topic has been written about many times over, it’s hard to make your content seem fresh and original. Try going a little deeper into your knowledge base and research the topic to discover a potentially unexpected angle. When you can offer up new information or a new perspective to a subject that has been thoroughly exhausted, you’re not only bringing more eyes to the topic at hand, but showing that you are an authority or expert on the subject.
SIMPLIFY THE TEXT
Since “boring” is such a commonplace word that gets thrown around with various meanings, it’s hard to pinpoint just what constitutes “boring text.” One way to do this is to simplify the text. If you’re talking about a convoluted medical procedure or tax form, chances are the average reader won’t know what you’re writing about if you continuously use language and verbiage that is out of their wheelhouse. By simplifying the language, you’re bringing the engagement value of your words up, making it possible for the mass majority of readers to comprehend your article.
KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL
People love a good story. Sometimes, readers want to engage more with the writer than what was written. They want to get to know the writer on a personal level to help connect with the content. While this may be harder to do for some material like business, finance, or medical text, it can be done. Is there a specific tax form you’re trying to explain? Maybe you or someone you know needed to fill it out. You can pull from that story, answering any questions that may pop up ahead of time.
USE GRAPHICS
Images are one of the best mediums to engage an audience. Bright colors, crisp photos, and clear messaging can help shed a little engagement light on even the driest content. It’s all how you dress it up. If you have information that would be better served as an infographic, create one instead of boring the reader with big chunks of text. This helps make it easier for the reader to digest the information as well as make the post or article look great.
SHORT AND SWEET
At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do to make text seem less “boring.” If you’ve already tried a handful of tricks and are still struggling to meet what you deem to be “engaging,” just keep the content short and sweet and to the point. The last thing you want to do is to go on and on, rambling about a topic that already has trouble keeping an audience engaged.
With these tips and tricks under your belt, you will have no problem turning dry content into engaging content, whether you’re writing for yourself or for a client!
