To have good content structure is very crucial in creating content that people will easily understand and digest. It also makes content creation a lot easier for you. Let’s go through the basic elements of a well-structured piece of written content.
The Intro
The very first sentence of your article should be carefully written such that it catches the attention of readers. People should have a glimpse of what your article is about from the first sentence.
Similarly, your first paragraph should be an elaboration of the first sentence to get people more interested in reading the rest of the article.
Set Expectations
Don’t go to the meat of your content just yet. Let the people know what should be expected from the rest of the article.
You can present it in details like “We’ll talk about, X, Y and Z” or simply “Here’s how to …”
What’s important is that you are able to prepare your readers on what your content will cover.
Main Points
One by one, talk about your main points.
Separate your content into chunks so that it’s easier to digest. Break up your article into subheads and subsections instead of presenting it as one big chunk of a 500-word article.
Ensure that the “what’s in it for me” question is answered quickly. Write it in a way that the readers will feel that you are speaking to them directly.
Oftentimes, presenting a few different opinions, solutions or angles can help a lot. So if you talk about investing, you can give them a few methods that they can use.
Also give a few practical or common examples. If you talk more on theory, people will most likely not remember it after a few weeks. Examples will turn the theories you wanted to share into something concrete. And people are likely to remember examples that demonstrate the principle.
The End
The conclusion will be the last paragraph of your article. It should summarize everything written in the article. You can also give emphasis on some important points.
There are times when it’s good to leave the readers with one concrete piece of action that they can readily take and put into action. Sometimes, it just wraps up the content nicely. Or if is fitting you can end your article with a call-to-action and let them know what to do next.
Follow this structure to provide your readers with a good sense of what is to be expected from the content and you will keep them engaged. Organizing your thoughts and creating an outline before writing will help the process flow much easier for you.
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