Why and how you should vary formatting for your online content

The user experience is a crucial aspect of landing your message and keeping your audience coming back for more. Here are variations to attract a wider range of readers.

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Content creation isn’t just about formulating the right words and cadence to capture your audience’s attention.

It’s about formatting your content and setting expectations for what your audience is about to read.

Many outlets give you the number of minutes it takes to read an article, which we’ve included below, but we found a few other format and design features that enhance the user experience.

Choose your adventure

The Christian Science Monitor has a toggle feature just under the headline that offers readers two versions of the article. By default, “Deep Read” is selected, and there will be a minute count to help you make your decision on whether to toggle to “Quick Read.” The quick read isn’t just the first paragraph or bullet points; it’s the abstract version of the full article.

Category: Long read

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