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Long articles don’t work anymore, they say.
Why?
Users are busy. They have no time to read lengthy paragraphs and texts. Their attention span is short (most web writers know they have about eight seconds to grab attention and engage), and their reading habits have changed (many scroll content on their smartphones).
It doesn’t mean we have to bury long-form writings.
As noted by experts in a personal statement writing service, longer content (essays, blog posts, case studies, podcasts) offers in-depth information and analysis, plays a significant role in SEO, and helps brands build awareness and nurture leads.
But:
It’s short-form content that hooks users, engaging them to click, learn more about you, and go to your longer writings afterward.
Short-Form Content and Its Benefits
Short-form content includes visuals (images, memes, infographics, TikToks, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Stories/Reels) and concise texts (tweets, short captions, 2-3 minute read articles).
The pros are obvious:
- Short-form content takes less time to create.
- It’s easy to share as it’s within the character count or video length limit on all social media platforms.
- It’s more accessible and user-friendly: Quick to consume, it engages users with content shock and shrinking attention span, who see more extended assets as “too long” to read.
That’s when you might hit a snag:
Shorter doesn’t mean easier to write.
Unlike dissertation writing tips, it’s more about creativity, emotions, and limited word count to communicate complex ideas to the audience.
So, Here’s the Deal:
- Give readers something they’ll enjoy and relate to.
- Think of mobile readers: Short paragraphs, white space, and bucket brigades are necessary.
- No AI. Authenticity, personality, and insights matter.
Look:
57% of content on the internet today is AI-generated or AI-translated. With that in mind, think like a reader: Do you want to consume superficial, human-imitating writing on topics only a lazy person hasn’t chewed and spit out dozens of times already?
- Give emotions and value fast. (No: truisms or lengthy passages with no meat. Yes: short guides that encourage readers to act.)
- Motivate and inspire. (Don’t be afraid to look vulnerable. Share failures and lessons learned, not mere success. Who loves flawless characters?
Below are some practical tips on communicating all the above in your short-form writings.
How to Master Microcontent: 5 Writing Tricks to Follow
#1. Hook Them With a Killer First Line
In microcontent, you don’t have the privilege of writing lengthy introductions with massive paragraphs.
Your first sentence should grab the user’s attention and motivate them to stop scrolling, engaging them in learning more. And this rule becomes even more essential to follow when you write a text for social media:
Most of them (Instagram, LinkedIn, X) shorten captions after a few lines. So, your task is to deliver the most attention-grabbing elements before your post gets shortened. Do your best to convey the key point yet make it intriguing for users so that they want to click “More.”
What writing hooks can you try in your short-form content?
- A question (Ask something that triggers your target’s pain point to encourage further reading in search of the answer.)
- A surprising fact on your topic (It will motivate them to keep reading to check if it’s true.)
- A joke or pun (Ensure that it’s relevant to your topic, fits your brand tone of voice, and your target reader will respond to it; humor is subjective, after all.)
- An attention-grabbing word or expression to create a wow effect
#2. Tell Stories
Yes, you’ve heard that tons of times already:
Storytelling works. It’s compelling because the human brain retains more information through stories than data; stories are about experiences and feelings, not dull data; we don’t retain information through facts: 95% of it lingers in our heads through emotions.
Okay, this factual blah-blah is enough. You’ve got the point:
Tell them a story if you want users to listen to your message. For business, storytelling combines marketing and fiction and is an opportunity to build a brand identity and a personal connection with customers.
- Craft short stories that capture attention, spark interest, and make users see the world through your eyes.
- Use a narrative to communicate your vision and values through content.
- Tell stories your target audience can relate to: Users should recognize themselves in your story, and then they’ll respond to it.
#3. Add Value
In plain English, answer a user’s “What’s in there for me?” question.
Creative and original, your microcontent should give or communicate something that can make the reader’s life better. What do they get from your message that addresses their pain points, needs, fears, problems, or desires?
Practical tips, freebies, step-by-step guides, DIY instructions, or inspiring advice that motivates them to act are a few options for you to consider.
#4. Write Like a Human
AI is magic. It makes a writer’s life easier when assisting with idea generation, content creation, and draft revision
But let’s face it:
Users are tired of robotic messages and annoying, same-looking texts full of professional slang or marketing buzzwords. (Those who aren’t tired will often ignore such messages anyway, thanks to ad blindness and clip thinking.)
To make them read your writings, focus on conversational language. Write like a human, not a robot:
- Use short sentences and paragraphs.
- Use active voice verbs and transition words.
- Appeal to psychology: emotional writing tactics and neuro copywriting tricks will help here (numbers, sensory words, beneficial adjectives, questions and quotes, stylistic devices such as contrast, metaphor, repetition, etc.)
Advanced: Master phonosenamtics, aka the art of choosing particular phonemes for your short texts to trigger emotions and associations. By combining sounds in specific orders, you will help readers “see,” “hear,” and “feel” your words.
#5. Format For Readability
Users scroll and scan content, so they won’t stop reading a long text sheet with no spaces between lines.
Yes, your microcontent is short. But it still needs to be punchy and easy to read. Your task is to structure it accordingly:
- Line breaks and white space between paragraphs
- Bullet points, bold and italics where appropriate
- Emojis
- One-line paragraphs
- Short sentences
- Visually appealing headlines and subheads
- Calls to action
- Text-based images (Post your short message as a picture: handwritten-style infographics, images with quotes, billboard- or street signs designed images, or sticky notes — all work well on social media.)
In a Word
A user doesn’t even notice all the above writing tricks when reading your short story. And it’s okay. This is as it should be: It sounds like nothing special yet engaging enough to click and keep reading. It’s all about pure engagement, influencing your audience reflexively.