Readability is an important metric used for Search Engine Optimization. Readability here means not just that your content is readable (anything could be with enough dedication), but that it is easily readable. Google’s algorithms will measure not only the time your visitors stay on your pages, but also their clicking throughout your content. The better your readability, the more visitors will be engaged. The more your visitors are engaged, the more you will acquire new (and returning) visitors.
Content that isn’t easy to read will give your audience a bad user experience. When sharing content, it needs to be aimed at providing value to your audience. You want to give your readers the best experience possible as they visit your site with optimized web content.
Readability
Writing easily readable content is not as easy as it sounds. In addition to generating the content, it requires paying close attention to the words, sentences, paragraphs and headings you’ve used.
Improve your readability for SEO
1. Limit difficult words
When writing web content, it’s important to keep in mind that reading from a screen is harder for everyone. So why make things harder still by stuffing your content full of difficult words? Words that contain four or more syllables are considered difficult to read. Be sure to limit the use of difficult words to cases where you absolutely must.
In cases your blog post requires an advanced vocabulary, make sure your sentences and paragraphs are short. Readers looking for this particular content will stay with you. Using your keywords is most important to attract your target audience. Proper keyword research will give you the right alternatives for a difficult focus keyword.
2. Use transition words
Transition words are words like ‘additionally,’ ‘because,’ and ‘therefore.’ They function to transition your reader from one concept to the following one. They send a signal to your readers that something new is coming up that builds on what they’ve already read. Readers will understand your content much better if you make proper use of these kinds of words.
3. Keep sentences brief
Use short sentences whenever you can. Keeping sentences under twenty words boosts your readability. When you do use a long sentence, offset it with a short sentence afterward.
4. Write simple and clear paragraphs
Begin each paragraph with your most important sentence. With all the information we process each day, most of us skim content rather than reading word-for-word. As long as you start with your objective, the reader (or skimmer) will grasp the most relevant content. If your paragraphs are too lengthy, divide them into smaller bits. Paragraphs should be four to five sentences at most.
5. Use headings
Using headers well is helpful for your visitors and increases the chances of them reading your article. Headings and subheadings highlight your text, pointing your readers to the most important information. Without headings, readers can become easily distracted and lose focus of your article. Effective headers keep people focused and help them grasp the message of your post.
Use Yoast SEO
To assist you in writing readable content, use the readability analysis tool by Yoast. It’s available for free in the Yoast SEO plugin. It checks the length of your sentences and paragraphs and whether you’ve added headers and transition words.
If you are interested in learning more about how to optimize your online presence with web content, contact LP Creative Co. to see how our professional writers can help with your content strategy.