10 Simple Ways to Compose Better Presentations

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There’s a lot of content about writing better headlines out there. Hey, a crucial part of your blogging strategy is getting someone to click on your post. But what about introductions to writing?

It’s an art form in and of itself to compel people to actually read the article — and if you don’t do it well, then you’re denying yourself future promoters, subscribers, leads, and even paying clients.

In order to see what I mean, take a look at the following graph from Schwartz. It shows that, in an experiment covering several articles around the site, individuals avoided scrolling.

Chartbeat examined the actions of the user on a second-by-second basis each time someone landed on a post, including which portion of the page the individual was currently viewing. Of bar reflects the proportion of readers in the article who have come to a specific depth.

Of all those who have landed on a post, 10% never scroll down.

And how are you going to get more people scrolling? By writing a strong, convincing introduction, one way is.

So, let’s see now to make it easier, can we? I’ll share with you in this post how to write good introductions that turn casual browsers into readers. Introductions to articles matter, and here’s how to make them count.

 

  1. Keep it short for your first sentence.
  2. Don’t repeat this headline.
  3. Hold the brief for the introduction.
  4. At least once, use the term “you”.
  5. To express what the article covers, devote 1-2 sentences.
  6. Dedicate 1-2 phrases to clarify why the article is important.
  7. Refer to a question or issue that your readers may have.
  8. But … but, uh … Be cautious about storey telling.
  9. To convey significance, use a stat or fact.
  1. Keep it short for your first sentence.

I am a huge fan of short phrases. I love them because people can easily comprehend them. In short sentences that are understandable, digestible, and punchy, there’s an incredible amount of importance.

But authors also get so wrapped up in the tension of their presentation that long, garbled sentences come out. The issue with lengthy, garbled phrases is that it makes readers work hard. In order to understand your post, readers don’t want to work hard — particularly at the beginning. With a bite-sized sentence or two, start off your introduction.

2. Say something odd.

You’ve probably heard advice such as “build a hook” and “catch the attention of the reader.” But what kind of stuff actually captures the attention of someone? Actually, I can think of a lot of things, but they would probably not be suitable for an introduction.

What comes down to these often-repeated phrases is this: tell something odd. An unforeseen anything, too. If it is unusual enough for your very first sentence to make people want to read the next one, then you have done a good job. You could lose potential readers if you start off with something boring or expected.

3. Don’t repeat this headline.

Assume that the reader has read the title already. It’s not important for you to write it over again. Instead, take advantage of your opportunity to improve the title and set the stage for the rest of the post.

4. Hold the brief for the introduction.

As for how long an introduction should be, there is no definitive answer. Yet readers have limited attention spans, as the Slate study told us. They’re anxious to get to the article’s meat. There’s information your readers are searching for, so don’t hide it deep in your post. Cut to the pursuit.

5. At least once, use the term “you”.

A strong term is the term “you”. It tells the reader that, with them in mind, you, the author, are writing the article. For them, you empathise, you feel about them, and you want your piece to resonate for them. It’s a simple trick that establishes a bond with your reader that is crucial.

Here’s a great example from Shannon Byrne of CloudPeeps:

6. To express what the article covers, devote 1-2 sentences.

This will be called the ‘essay’ by your English teacher. This is where you tell the reader what the article is about. What are you going to be addressing, in order? What’s the reader going to learn? Lay it out to help set the standards of the reader and help her decide whether she wants to read the article in its entirety, scroll to various sections, or not read it at all.

Don’t be afraid of writing, literally, “This article is about X” or “I’ll talk about Y in this article.” To get you started, here are some variations on this theme:

  • “You are about to find out why sea turtles on the beach still lay their eggs.”

  • “And, if you’ve ever wondered why sea turtles are laying their beach eggs, here’s what you need to know.”

  • “The 17 reasons why these incredible creatures lay their eggs on beaches are explained in this post.”

  • “The reasons why sea creatures lay their eggs on the beach are interesting, humorous, and disturbing.”

7. Dedicate 1-2 phrases to clarify why the article is important.

Why the content of your article is important to your readers may be obvious to you, but it may not be evident to them. Let them know loudly and explicitly why the data you discuss in your article is important for them to know. You could force readers who would have bounced otherwise to continue reading.

You’ll remember the following sentence in the introduction to this particular article:

Here’s a great example from Shannon Byrne of CloudPeeps:

You're denying yourself future promoters, subscribers, leads, and even paying customers if you don't [write introductions] well.

My aim here was to relate the subject of introductions to blog posts to the wider issues of readers, clients, and revenue.

8. Refer to a question or issue that your readers may have.

If a pressure point can be dragged into the introduction, much better. Everyone has their collection of issues in every area. You should have listed some already from when your buyer personas were built. In your introduction, express your knowledge of those issues and you are more likely to get a sympathetic reader.

Here is a great example from Alex Turnbull of Buffer, whose intro here is a storey format with a twist of a problem:

People want to fix their problems, and it will help you gain readership with posts that illustrate how to do this.

9. But … but, uh … Be cautious about storey telling.

In the introduction, a lot of individuals will tell you that you need to write a novel. Stories can work, as in the above example, but in your intro, there are good and bad ways to tell storeys.

Use storytelling to ignite the imagination of the reader and empathise with her. But don’t get carried away and write a storey that is long-winded and loses readers along the way. Remember the tip to keep introductions brief? When you are telling a storey, that still applies.

Here’s an example from one of my own blog posts on QuickSprout:

Note that I highlighted the segment on “empathy” — the first sentence. Here, I helped to establish a connexion with my readers. I told a brief storey, then, about my own experience. I finished the introduction with “what’s next” after that.

Here’s a tip if you start your article with a storey: don’t disclose the conclusion until the reader is further into the article, or even until the very end.

10. To convey significance, use a stat or a fact.

When journalists start a news report, they sometimes send readers an eye-catching statistic or reality of what’s going on. A very interesting status or fact will draw your reader in as a blogger or some other form of writer and show them why your subject is really important.

For starters, say that you’re a plumber writing a blog post on repairing pipes. If you start a post by illustrating how often old pipes burst in the winter, you could pull in more readers. If readers see that this is a popular annoyance faced by others, they could continue to read to learn how they can prevent it.

Introduction Takeaways

Think about what kind of introduction will make you want to read the article the next time you write a paper introduction.

Will it make you want to read more with a long, wordy first sentence? Oh, no. You might find yourself thinking, Yikes, is this what it ‘s going to be like the rest of the article? Bounce off the tab. What about a storey or question that just doesn’t matter to you? No, not possibly.

You want to read something new , exciting, and entertaining to force you to read before the beginning of an article. You’d like to hear about yourself and your issues. You want to be put in a position where a must-read insight is the rest of the article that will help you overcome certain issues and improve your life.

Introductions are difficult, and it takes time and practise to write good ones. Often, until you are done, you may find yourself having to re-write them several times. Note, if it means holding the attention of a few more of your followers, it is all worth it.

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