Pointers for good readability

Pointers for good readability

As many of us know, it can be quite the mission getting a green face for readability but not to worry, help is here and it’s easier than we think.

Based on a Yoast article, there are a few things to look out for in our quest for good readability. Please see below:

1.    Try to incorporate conjunctions and transition words/phrases like “because” “therefore” or “in addition” etc. This will improve the flow of your article.

2.    Avoid starting too many of your sentences with the same word. This is repetitive and can ruin the reader’s experience.

3.    “Flesch reading ease” which analyses text and gives a score from 1-100, focuses on how easy your article is to read, so using short sentences and words of no more than two syllables can help you get a good score. (60-70 is usually acceptable).

4.   Break up your copy and start a new paragraph as often as possible. Long paragraphs will get you a red face for readability and your readers will end up with a thesis on mobile.

5.   Using enough sub-headings. This is important for SEO but it’s equally important for readability. It will guide your reader through the article and make it clear to them what comes next.

6.    Like we encourage short paragraphs,we encourage short sentences. A sentence over 20 words, for instance, may be difficult to grasp, to the point where your reader may have to go back and re-read to understand.

7.    Try to avoid passive voice as it will make your message less clear. The sentence structure of passive voice is more complex than if it were written in active voice, meaning your reader would have to think a lot more and we are trying to make reading our pieces as effortless as possible. Here’s a great article on passive/active voice.