Readability is where what people read and how they read it come together. One without the other doesn’t work!
It applies to web copy, marketing material and anything you use to promote your company where words and graphics come together. If you don’t get it right people leave your website before they get your message and your flyers end up in the bin.
Here are my six key tips for optimising readability.
1. Watch people handle different types of flyers; where are they looking? That’s where your most important message goes.
2. Your core message should be focused on what the reader wants, then put it where the reader is looking. If you don’t know where that is sign up for the reports on www.lesleywriter.com.
3. Big wodges of text put people off, lots of white space attracts, so short paragraphs and sentences encourage reading.
4. Write at the level of the least educated reader; the smart ones won’t notice and everybody will get your point.
5. There are various views on spacing between sentences, but one space after a comma; and two after a full stop (or ? or ! or : ) gives people a brain break before the next thought and allows them to digest your message better.
6. Bullet points are more likely to be read than a paragraph, people read lists. Use them to get your key message across.
There’s a lot more, but you’ll find a much more comprehensive insight in both the Goldfish Report and the Website usability and readability report – both are available in a series of four reports on www.lesleywriter.com.
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