Why do people continue to watch a movie at the theater even if they find the movie to be very boring? Why do people still continue to follow a course at the local college, even though it does not meet their expectations?

There are 2 simple reasons:

1. You paid for the movie or the course.
2. You have already invested considerable time and effort, so you do not want your investment to go in vain.

But a web user on the other hand can view and skip dozens of web pages with in few minutes. The user can do this due to two simple reasons:

1. The user did not pay to view the web page. It’s Free!
2. The time that takes to assess the quality of the web page is very minimal (may be few seconds). Therefore no loss of time and effort.

This means writing a web page is much harder than producing a boring movie! Satisfying the needs of a web user is challenging since they have no prior investment of time and effort, therefore they can leave your site anytime with loosing anything.

In this article I am giving away few tips that will allow you to write better content that easily connects with your readers. These tips can reduce the chances of your audience skipping your web pages and going to another site.

1. Write for the readers’ needs, Not what you know

Many people write what they know, not what the reader wants to know. Any article you write should give your readers something to take away. People read your articles because they want to find solutions to problems. After reading the article the readers should be equipped with some knowledge that they can apply for their own benefit.

2. Keep your article short and simple

In this fast paced world people want the easiest, cheapest and fastest solution. People want to buy the fastest food they can get for lunch (McDonalds), the cheapest call they can make (VOIP Phones) and the easiest way to get to the corner store (driving instead of walking). Unfortunately many apply the same principle for learning too. Nowadays many people seek knowledge only if it’s easily and quickly accessible. So by keeping your article short and concise you will attract a large number of readers.

3. Use stories and examples

Stories and examples are powerful tools that can illustrate a point clearly and can be used to develop a compelling argument. This is why politicians and religious preachers use stories extensively in their speeches to present a compelling case for their followers.

4. Be up to the point and be confident

Your article should be up to the point solving specific issues. Just being generic and vague on what you say can easily put off your readers. Be confident in what you say. Readers love writers who deliver good material with confidence.

5. Use good titles

A heading says it’s all. This is why in morning television news there is a segment where they review the headlines of major news papers. Use headings to grab the reader’s attention. Most readers scan through headings and subheadings to determine the relevance of the article to their needs.

6. Be conversational

One way to develop a connection between you and your readers is to write in conversational tone. Your readers should feel that you are a friendly and approachable person.

There you go, 6 simple tips to better connect with your readers.

Please feel free to share any other tips you know!