Writing articles for online readers is different than writing for print publications. Online readers scan the content on the Internet quickly, stopping to fully read articles that are well structured and which stand out.
The Opening
The first thing that people often read of an article is its opening sentence. Work to grab the reader’s attention by asking a question, using a declarative statement or by using an interesting fact or figure. The next 1-3 sentences should be used to expand on the article idea yet should still work to maintain the reader’s interest level. The closing sentence of the article’s opening paragraph should summarize and tell the reader what the rest of the article holds.
The Body
The body of the article should ideally contain paragraphs that are not longer than 3-6 lines. This size makes it easier for an online reader to scan. Paragraph subheadings should also be used to break up the article’s paragraphs where they make sense.
For added article interest, use numbers and bullet points to expand upon ideas. While the bulk of the article should be traditional paragraph content, adding in these items to add visual interest should make the article easier to read.
Conclusion
It is not necessary to include a conclusion in the article. You can either add 2-4 lines to wrap up your thoughts or you can leave the reader hanging to move onto your well written resource box. If you are unsure, write a quick 1-2 sentences to wrap up your article or try a combination of both writing one and leaving one off in your content over time to see what works better.