10 Easy Ways to Write Better Introductions
To increase reader engagement and reading time of your article.
There is plenty of information available on writing compelling headlines. Getting people to click on your article is integral to your blogging strategy. But how about writing introductions?
Getting readers to read the article is an art form in and of itself, and if you don’t do it well, you’re missing out on potential promoters, subscribers, leads, and even paying customers.
A study revealed that 14% of people who land on an article never scroll down.
So, how do you get people to scroll more? One method is to write a vigorous and compelling introduction.
So, let’s see what we can do to make it better right now, shall we? I’ll show you how to craft effective introductions that convert casual browsers into readers in this post. Introductions to articles are essential, and here’s how to make them count.
1- Make your first sentence as brief as possible.
Short sentences are very appealing to me. They appeal to me because they are simple to grasp. Short sentences that are readable, digestible, and punchy are extremely valuable.
2- Speak something unpredictable.
You’ve most likely heard phrases like “create a hook” and “grab the reader’s attention.” But what kinds of things catch people’s attention? I can think of many things, but they’re probably not appropriate for an introduction.
These oft-repeated phrases all boil down to this: say something out of the ordinary. Even something unexpected. If your first sentence is unusual enough to entice people to read the next one, you’ve done well. You may lose potential readers if you begin with something boring or predictable.
However, writers are frequently caught up in the stress of their introduction, resulting in long, garbled sentences. The issue with long, jumbled sentences is that they make readers work extra hard. Readers don’t want to work hard to understand your article, especially at the start. Begin your introduction with a sentence or two that is short and to the point.
3- Don’t use the same title twice.
Assume the reader has already seen the title. It is not necessary to rewrite it. Instead, use this opportunity to reinforce the title and set the tone for the rest of the article.
4- Keep the introduction short
There is no hard and fast rule for how long an introduction should be. However, as the Slate study revealed, readers have short attention spans. They are eager to get to the heart of the article. Because your readers are looking for information, don’t bury it in the middle of your article. Let’s get started.
5- At least once, use the word “you.”
The word “you” has much power. It conveys to the reader that you, the author, are writing with them in mind. You sympathize with them, you care about them, and you want your piece to have an impact on them. It’s a simple trick that creates an essential connection with your reader.
6- Dedicate 1–2 sentences to explain what the article is about.
This is what your English teacher would call a “thesis.” This is about where you tell the reader about the topic of the article. In what order will you be speaking? What will the reader discover? Lay it out to help the reader decide whether she wants to read the article in its entirety, scroll to different sections, or not read it at all.
Don’t be afraid to write, “This article is about X” or “In this article, I’ll discuss Y.” To get you started, here are some variations on this theme:
“You’re about to discover why sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach.”
“And, if you’ve ever heard why sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach, this is the place to find out.”
“The 12 reasons why these amazing turtles lay their eggs on beaches are explained in this article.”
“The reasons why sea turtles lay their eggs on the beach are fascinating, funny, and shocking.”
7- Explain why the article is essential in 1–2 sentences.
It may be evident to you why your article’s content is important to your readers, but it may not be to them. Make it clear to them why the information in your article is important for them to know. You may persuade readers who would otherwise abandon your work to continue reading.
In the introduction to this particular article, you must recall the following sentence:
“If you don’t write good introductions, you’re denying potential promoters, subscribers, leads, and even paying customers”
My goal with this post was to connect the topic of blog post introductions to the larger issues of readers, customers, and revenue.
I have learned many new ideas about writing on medium, my top 3 aspirations are Tim Denning, Jessica WildFire and Robert Ralph
8- Mention a concern or problem that your readers may be experiencing.
Even better if you can incorporate a pain point into the introduction. Every profession has its own set of issues. You should already have some listed from when you created your buyer personas. If you convey your awareness of these issues in your introduction, you will be more likely to gain a sympathetic reader.
People want to find solutions to their problems, and articles that explain how to do so will help you gain readers.
9- Be cautious when telling stories.
Many people will tell you that you must include a story in the introduction. Stories can be effective, as in the example above, but there are good and bad ways to tell them in your introduction.
Do use storytelling to pique the reader’s interest and make them empathize with her. But don’t get too carried away and write a long-winded story that loses readers in the process. Remember how we said to keep introductions brief? That is still true when telling the story.
If you do start your article with a story, here’s a pro tip:
“Don’t reveal the conclusion until the reader is well into the article, if at all.”
10- Use a stat or a fact To emphasize the importance
When journalists start a news story, they often provide readers with an eye-catching statistic or fact about what’s going on. A genuinely fascinating stat or statistic will pique your reader’s interest and demonstrate why your topic is so vital to you as a blogger or other form of writer.
Assume you’re a plumber writing a blog post about pipe replacement. You may attract more readers if you begin a post by describing how frequently old pipes burst in the winter. If readers notice that this is a common annoyance for others, they may continue reading to learn how to avoid it.
Takeaways:
Think about what kind of introduction would entice you to read the article the next time you write one.
Would a long, wordy first sentence entice you to read on? No. You might be thinking, Yikes, is this what the rest of the article will be like? And navigate away from the page. What about a story or a question that has nothing to do with you? No, most likely not.
You want to read something original, fresh, and intriguing that will entice you to read past the article’s start. You’d like to tell me about yourself and your problems. You want to be in a position where the rest of the article is a must-read experience that will assist you in solving those problems and changing your life.
Introductions are difficult to write, and writing effective ones takes time and practice. You might have to rewrite them several times before you’re satisfied. Remember, it’s all worth it if it means keeping a few more of your readers’ attention.
