3 Tips to Increase the Time People Spend Reading Your Content

Three things content marketers can try to keep readers engaged and increase the amount of time they’ll spend reading your content.

It’s not a secret that making captivating content is more complex than ever before.

A study by Beckon revealed that even though the number of content marketing campaigns increased by 300 percent in 2016, engagement only increased by 5 percent.

The worst part is that the tiny percent of people who take enough time to study and interact with your website is taking just 37 seconds on your site.

Yikes!

What is the cause of these shocking figures?

I’d suggest many things to consider, from the overwhelming volume of content created each day to the fact we are connected to the media, and it’s challenging to get viewers’ attention.

As marketers, particularly content marketers, we need to be flexible.

We must concentrate on creating material that

We give our customers what they need.
It keeps them entertained.
They are carried through the buying process.

This isn’t an easy feat If I say so.

There is no magic solution. We can take a few actions to hike our readers’ engagement and extend the amount of time they read our articles. Let’s get started.

1. Get Visual

What’s the best amount of words? It is a question we get asked every day, and I understand why.

It was suggested that content marketers write shorter posts with a higher frequency, and later the focus was switched to writing more extensive articles at a lower frequency.

I’m not going into the pros and cons of this debate or which one is superior (it’s based on your goals and website). However, I’d say having the capacity of a post that is 2,500+ words is valuable, but it’s lots of comments!

Crack It Up

Including images in your content will increase everything from the time spent on the page to social sharing to conversion rates.

The primary thing is to ensure that you’re using the right images for your content:

Pick images that will enhance users’ experience. Generic photos are precisely what they are – generic. Make use of images to connect readers to the information.
Tell a story. The strength of images is the ability to convey the tale that words can’t. Make use of images that complement the information being displayed.
Make your brand more visible. Using the most recent meme might be a good idea if you’re a funny brand. If you’re a hospital, it likely does not. Like we said, images can create a narrative. They also can help connect users to your brand. Therefore, it’s crucial to choose images that reflect your vision.
Offer details. Humans process images more quickly than we can process language. Images communicate information, regardless of the process, study, or even a stat.

Every image isn’t made equal. Choose images that are more likely to influence your content appropriately.

2. Add Motion

Like images are a factor in engagement, as do videos.

In reality, users spend an average of 2.6x more time on websites with videos than on pages without. This is pretty impressive.

Then why aren’t all of us doing it?

One of the most significant issues with video is that people believe it is a time-consuming endeavor that requires a lot of money.

With the advent of technology, particularly phones, making high-quality videos is as easy as the ability to plan and use a digital camera (or smartphone with cameras) and an amount of editing.

The entry barrier has not been higher.

If you are looking to start adding videos to the content you create, you should consider these suggestions:

create instructional videos. We’ve all heard that “how-tos” are a crucial component on the web, and are particularly an essential element of YouTube. When you next want to write an informative blog post, you might consider creating videos instead. You could think of the Whiteboard Friday and “Here’s why.” While they may be a little more output than the ones you have, each explores a topic and guides the viewer through the concept. They’re entertaining, helpful, and can make excellent content.
Offer industry-specific updates. If you are in a field like a search, you are aware that the landscape is constantly changing. Every week, there are new developments; staying up to date isn’t easy. Instead of creating a content round-up, think about the idea of a video roundup. The team that Cypress North, for example, has released marketing o’clock, a 12- to 15-minute segment every week that examines the most recent developments in the world of search. It’s funny, smart and more engaging than a blog post with similar content.
Promote your knowledge. If you’re organizing the idea of a webinar, a public speaking event, or the launch of a new book, A video preview can help. Begin by sitting down with the person and asking them questions regarding the subject, what attendees are likely to see from the event, and where they could get more information. The video can be uploaded on the website and shared on social media, and the likelihood is that it will be shared by other people in the field (think event organizers or book publishers).
Complement your written content. Similar to how we prefer to incorporate images into the quality of our written material and videos to be able to do the same. The great thing with Whiteboard Friday is that the transcript is also available, meaning that when I’m unable to watch the video or want to look up the specific item that was mentioned, I don’t have to go back and watch the entire thing. When making videos or sets, consider how they can be used for your website.

Making a video doesn’t need to be complicated.

When an employee from your company asks to create an infographic, you can suggest they spend the time making an online video instead.

3. Offer Tips and Tips and Takeaways

While researching to write this article, I found this article by Nicole Bianchi, titled “How to Write Effective Articles that are Read and shared.” The report offers many tips that are broken in the text but also includes the following:

The article concludes with a central point to take away to ensure that I leave having at least one thought that is top of mind and giving me the impression that the post was valuable. That’s what’s important.

Your readers need to appreciate the worth of your information.

When I begin to read the content and notice that there are straightforward suggestions throughout, I’ll go back and make an effort to read the post. That’s why bullet and sub-headings can be mentioned in blogs’ best practices.

To help viewers to appreciate your writing and to keep them on your site, you should consider these suggestions:

Use quotes or calls outs. If you’ve ever been online, you’ve probably encountered a motivational quote overlayed against a beautiful background. While they’re not always the best, they can be very effective when used in the right way. Utilize a quote box or mention it within your content to break up your text and add credibility to the story you’re trying to convey. Remember to be sure to double-verify your quotation.
Use specific guidelines. Your readers are looking for response to their questions and require more information. Like what we learned from Journalism 101, don’t bury the lead. It should be easy for readers to read the key points and find the information. Utilize bullets, bolds, or highlights to help your suggestions stand out.
Think about a TL&DR. I am an avid supporter of the TL: DR concept. Why? Because I don’t have an amount of extra time in my schedule, and even though I would like all the information, there are times when I need a quick takeaway. This is contrary to the title of this article and the advice I’ve provided; nevertheless, providing me with an overview could entice me to keep studying or save it to revisit when I need it. The TL;DR could serve as an overview of your post and an incentive for readers.

The problem of content overload has become real, and being content marketing professionals, it’s our responsibility to ensure that our content is created with the mind reader.

Offering real-life tips and advice will help keep your visitors on your website and build trust and, ultimately, an ongoing relationship.