Why I scrolled right past your post (and how you can catch me next time)

Have you ever scrolled right past a blog post without reading it? Guess what — your potential readers are probably doing that to you too. Like, right now.

There are many reasons why people don’t read what you have to say, but there are also some writing techniques that can help. In this blog post, we will cover writing tips and give examples of how to increase engagement with your content.

Having a weird, bad, stupid, or unengaging headline

One of the main reasons people scroll right past a blog post is because of the headline. The headline is your first impression, and if it’s not good, readers will move on. Make sure that your headline is interesting, relevant, and realistic. For example, “How to write the perfect blog post” is unrealistic — no one can write the perfect blog post, and it’s not very interesting either. Try writing headlines that are specific to your topic or offer helpful tips.

Having the wrong image

Another reason people might not read your blog post is because of the image. If the image doesn’t match the content, is of low quality, or is poorly cropped, readers will move on. Make sure that your image is high quality, relevant to the topic of your post, and properly cropped.

For example, if you’re writing a blog post about writing tips, try including an image of a pencil or keyboard. If you’re writing a post about cooking, include an image of a delicious-looking dish. Don’t include images of people or animals, as they often don’t add anything to the post. And don’t include random stock photos, of unrelated items or scenes.

Having bad copy (especially a bad intro)

Copy is also important when writing a blog post. Your readers need to be able to understand what you’re saying within the first few sentences, so make sure your writing is clear and concise. Saying something unique is also crucial — if your blog post sounds like every other blog post out there, why would someone bother reading it?

The introduction here is especially important because it’s your chance to hook your readers and make them want to read more. If you can’t do that, they’ll scroll right on past.

Additionally, writing in a way that’s easy for your readers to understand is crucial. If you’re writing about something very complicated or abstract, consider breaking it up into smaller sections and giving examples along the way.

Marketing or promoting to the wrong audience

Finally, writing a blog post that’s just about promoting or marketing your business is going to turn off most people from reading it. People usually don’t want to read long-winded sales pitches in their free time, so writing this way will likely get you skipped over quickly.

The bottom line

People scroll past blog posts because of many different reasons — but if you follow these writing tips, they’ll be more likely to read yours. Make sure to experiment with different techniques to see what works best for you and your audience.