Reading words on a computer screen is really hard on your eyes.
That’s why it’s so important to format your message in ways that make it as easy to read as possible.
Here’s a little-known copywriting tip that will hugely increase the readability of your web copy…
The space AROUND the words is as important as the words themselves.
Sounds pretty Zen, doesn’t it?
The more open space (or “white space”) you include around your paragraphs and sentences, the easier your copy will be to read.
Here’s an example to show you what I mean… which block of text below is easier to read?
Example 1:
“But how can an automated message be personal?” That’s a question I sometimes hear from business owners who are wary of using email as a way to keep in touch with their customers. They worry that a “canned message” from an automated email marketing program will seem artificial or impersonal and will risk offending their audience. But the fact is, most email service providers allow you to personalize your messages to an astonishing degree. And when you use these personalization features in a clever and engaging way, you will make your customers love you MORE, even when they can blatantly see the message is automated.
Example 2:
“But how can an automated message be personal?”
That’s a question I sometimes hear from business owners who are wary of using email as a way to keep in touch with their customers.
They worry that a “canned message” from an automated email marketing program will seem artificial or impersonal and will risk offending their audience.
… But the fact is, most email service providers allow you to personalize your messages to an astonishing degree.
And when you use these personalization features in a clever and engaging way, you will make your customers love you MORE — even when they can blatantly see the message is automated.
—————————————-
If you’re like most people, you probably didn’t even finish reading Example 1 before dropping your gaze down to Example 2 and reading it instead. Large, dense chunks of copy such as the one in Example 1 are simply too hard on the eyes to read in their entirety – which means your visitors won’t be able to fully absorb the message you’re trying to share with them.
Five “White Space” Tips for Maximum Readability
Here are five effective ways to increase the white space in your web copy to ensure that your words are easily readable:
- Limit Your Paragraphs to 6 Lines Max: Any longer and the content in the middle of your paragraph will get lost in the crowd.
- Follow a “Choppy” Paragraph Structure: Our eyes find it hard to read paragraphs that are always the same size, so it’s better to vary your paragraph lengths to make them “choppy.”
For example, follow a two-line paragraph by a four-line paragraph by a one-line paragraph. Make sure your one-line paragraphs emphasize an important point or contain a hook to keep the readers moving further down the page. - Use Sub-heads: Most people scan online copy instead of reading it word for word. Adding sub-headings every three or four paragraphs allows you to tell your story in “point form” so people can get the general gist of what you’re saying and dive in and out of the text to hone in on the points that interest them most.
- Insert Relevant Images: Images are great for breaking up the paragraph structure and adding more white space around your words. Just make sure they’re directly relevant to the copy and enhance your message instead of detract from it, otherwise they will take attention away from your words instead of helping your visitors focus on them.
- Use Ellipses and M-dashes: Adding white space within your sentences is important, as well. If you find yourself needing to write a long sentence, consider breaking up the clauses with an m-dash — like this one, for example.
… Also, ellipses (the row of three periods at the beginning of this sentence) are another good way to break up the sentence pattern and keep the eye moving down the page.
These Rules Apply for All Online Channels
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing for your website, your blog, your email marketing, or Facebook — these five “white space” formatting tips will increase the readability of your message.
… And when your message is easier to read, more people will respond to it!
