Five formats to help you go from wordy to engaging content

Sure, sometimes it’s necessary to publish a long article or report. But most of the time, wordy content will simply turn your readers off.

In today’s attention economy, what you need is content that is accessible, digestible and engaging. Writing for Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog, media relations expert Peter Panepento shares creative alternatives to traditional narrative approaches. Read more below or check out the full article here.

1. A Q&A instead of a profile

Panepento writes:

“…while profiles can humanize your work and provide readers with an easy way to see your organization’s impact, you don’t have to rely on a narrative structure to tell these stories.

Consider instead a Q & A (or question-and-answer) format. Q & A’s offer readers an accessible way to learn about a person and his or her opinions.

Paired with a strong photograph, they can help you tell a story quickly — and they are often easier to put together than a long narrative.”

2. A timeline instead of the standard ‘about us’ text

“You’ll make it much easier for your key audiences to digest and understand your story,” says Panepento.

3. A case study instead of an impact story

Noting that case studies “can be presented as short, bite-sized pieces or long, downloadable whitepapers”, Panepento adds that they “make it easy for readers to understand the impact of your work.”

4. A quiz instead of an article

Panepento highlights the work of the American Red Cross to illustrate how a quiz can be an excellent option:

“The American Red Cross isn’t just about disaster response. Part of its mission is to help the public prevent and prepare for emergencies.

Rather than simply providing written guides and articles about these topics, the organization has developed a series of online quizzes that give readers a way to think about and digest information that will help them prepare for emergencies.

By giving them a tool that allows them to engage with the information, readers are more likely to access and retain the information.”

5. A checklist instead of an article

“Rather than simply writing about how to prepare for or accomplish something, break it into a list and present it as something readers can use,” says Panepento.

 

Featured photo source: Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog