Writing for an online audience is much different than writing for print markets. Many writers and bloggers learn this through trial and error. There are websites dedicated to helping writers, bloggers, and business owners learn to adapt their writing for the online market. Lately a new market has opened up – mobile readers.
Mobile readers have yet another style of reading that is similar to people that digest their information via regular online outlets. By adapting your writing style to a mobile market, especially if you have a mobile dedicated blog or site, will help your reach more readers and hold their attention.
Mobile Readers
There are a number of different methods that readers use for mobile content. Tablets and smartphones are the main avenues, though every device has a different view of the internet. Mobile applications may display differently, so using a mobile software that displays properly on most will help you reach a larger audience. The popular platforms for most devices are using Safari (iOS), Android, or Windows software to display the internet. Check all of your posts or articles in each type of platform if possible before releasing to the public.
Bites Over Meals
Sometimes all we want is a snack or a bite instead of a full meal. Online writing can be considered a light meal while mobile reading is a snack or a bite. Easily digestible – mobile reading should be short and to the point. Smaller screens display less information. People using mobile phones want to get the important information right away, they’re on the go, in a hurry, and their news is on an important, need to know basis. Your writing should be tight, to the point, and short.
Keep mobile aimed writing to a maximum of 400 words. Even shorter articles are acceptable as long as you have all of your facts straight and information present.
Focus, Focus, Focus
Mobile writing needs to have a laser focus. Don’t ramble – keep your readers entertained and informed, but stay on topic. When people are in a hurry they want to know the facts. A short article that doesn’t have the information they are looking for is useless. Don’t stray off topic or you’ll risk losing a reader, maybe all of your readers. Allow readers to navigate through your information easily through a serious of on-target links if you need to write a longer, informative article. Be sure that these links have clear headlines and link exactly to the proper information.