Think about what catches your eye as you read blog posts, newsletters, and other long-form pieces of content:

Color, visuals, headlines and subheads, white space, bold or italicized type, unusual typefaces, “chunked-up” copy

We scan and skim when we read a lot of copy these days, right? Especially with online content, we don’t lean back in our chair and settle down for a nice, long read of anything.

And we’re an impatient bunch. So format your content with elements that make readers stop and pay attention.

Don’t overdo it, or your piece will just look ugly and unprofessional. Here’s my two cents:

• Color always attracts the eye, whether it’s in the design, type treatment or imagery.
• Visuals are the first thing we notice.
• Clever and catchy headlines draw readers in, like moths to a flame, while strong subheads help organize the copy.
• White space frames your content. It can inject drama into a design, making the reader focus on the copy. It also acts as a visual aid to readers. And it’s soothing.
• Type treatment Use bold or italics to set words or phrases apart. Choose a different typeface for your headlines to make them distinctive.
• Chunked-up copy may be my personal favorite: I prefer shorter paragraphs to accommodate readers’ shorter attention span.

What eye catchers do you prefer?

(c) 2016 Margie Dana