Writing a compelling article that captures your reader's attention and keeps them engaged till the end is an art. Beyond just organizing your thoughts, you need to intentionally structure your article in a way that makes it easy to read, conveys your key messages clearly, and leaves the reader feeling satisfied.

Implementing some best practices in how you format and layout your article can go a long way towards improving its readability. Additionally, how you sequence information, incorporate multimedia, and write strong opening and closing sections greatly impacts the influence of your article.

Here are some tips to guide you in structuring your article for maximum impact and readability:

Craft a Strong, Attention-Grabbing Opening

Your title and opening paragraph are your first (and possibly only) chance to entice the reader to invest their time in reading further. You need to quickly establish the topic, your unique angle on it, and why it matters to the audience.

Some effective opening techniques include:

• By asking a compelling question, the article will answer
• Presenting an interesting statistic or fact about the topic
• Setting up a scenario or story that introduces the topic
• Referencing a recent event demonstrating the topic's relevance
• Defining a key term related to the topic and why it matters
• By presenting a common problem, the article will solve

Keep sentences short and direct. Maintain the reader's attention by quickly transitioning into discussing the topic itself within the first 1–2 paragraphs.

Use subheaders to organize the article structure.

Breaking up your article content into clear sections makes it less intimidating and easier to digest for readers.

Short, succinct subheaders also improve SEO by using relevant keywords readers may be searching for. They help search engines better understand the overall structure of your content as well.

Ideally, subheaders should:

• Succinctly describe the main point or topic of each section.
• Use relevant keywords that readers are likely searching for.
• Be formatted consistently (e.g., all subheaders styled as H2 tags).
• Not be overly general, like "Introduction" or "Overview."

Subheaders can break the article into chronological sections or subtopics. For example:

Symptoms of Stress and Anxiety

— Mental Symptoms

— Physical Symptoms

— Behavioral and Emotional Symptoms

Or

• Identifying Symptoms of Anxiety
• Managing Anxiety through Lifestyle Changes
• Seeking Professional Treatment for Severe Anxiety

Use your best judgment based on the flow of your content. With long articles, having a clear hierarchy of H2 and H3 subheaders can further organize each section.

Structured Content in Short, Scannable Paragraphs

On the web, most readers don't read word-for-word. Instead, they skim, looking for information relevant to them.

You can make your article more scannable by structuring it with short paragraphs of 2–4 sentences each.

Breaking up content into small, digestible chunks:

• Facilitates skimming by allowing readers to easily spot sections of interest.
• Improves overall readability since screens are tiring for the eyes.
• Let's emphasize key points by giving them their paragraph.

Additionally, use transition sentences between paragraphs to guide readers. For example, you can summarize the key point made in the preceding paragraph or reference what will be discussed next.

Use lists and bullet points strategically.

Where appropriate, incorporating lists and bullet points can substantially improve the scannability of your article.

Lists allow you to succinctly present multiple related points, tips, or steps without large blocks of text.

For example, you can use bullet points for:

• Listing the main features or components of something
• Presenting a sequential, step-by-step process
• Highlighting key takeaways, conclusions, or recommendations
• Providing multiple tips or strategies related to a topic

Introduce the list with a lead-in sentence or subheader. Be consistent with your formatting, using either numbered lists or the same-shaped bullet points.

Include relevant images, graphics, and multimedia.

Relevant images, charts, graphs, and other visual media make articles far more engaging and eye-catching.

Strategically place visuals:

• Near-relevant sections, they help illustrate or emphasize
• To break up long sections of text
• Where readers may need a visual reference to understand the content

Graphics can clarify complex ideas and concepts visually. Data visualizations like charts allow readers to grasp statistics and trends more easily.

Photos help capture the audience's attention while also making your article appear more professional and polished. Select images that are:

• High-resolution and quality
• Relevant to the nearby content
• Provide additional information or perspective beyond the text.

Videos are highly engaging and informative for readers. Even short, 1–2 minute videos personalized for your article can be very effective.

Close with a Summary and Call-to-Action

Make sure to wrap up your article with a strong conclusion. The ending should summarize your main ideas and leave the reader feeling their time was well spent reading.

Some tips for closing articles effectively:

• Restate the key points made and their significance.
• Provide recommendations based on the information presented.
• Encourage further reading and learning by linking related resources.
• Issue a call-to-action so readers know any next steps to take.
• Circle back to the opening scenario or problem from the introduction.
• Add a compelling quote or remark to reinforce the topic's importance.

With longer articles, the final section should motivate readers to apply what they've learned, whether it's solving a problem, changing habits, making a purchase, and so on.

Proofread thoroughly for errors.

Before publishing your article, set it aside for a few hours, then re-read it closely for any errors. Look for:

• Spelling and grammar mistakes
• Awkward phrasing
• Unclear transitions
• Sections that seem out of place or disjointed
• Broken formatting or issues with visuals
• Facts that need to be verified

Ideally, have a friend or colleague proofread the piece with a second pair of eyes.

Read your article out loud to catch any rough patches in the writing. Double-check proper names and citations.

Be sure to proofread thoroughly and check for errors, as detailed in this blog post writing guide.

A clean, error-free article enhances your credibility as a writer and boosts reader trust and retention.

Optimize Article Structure for SEO

Proper article structure isn't just important for readability. It also improves SEO. Use these SEO best practices:

• Include target keywords in subheaders and the opening paragraph.
• Use keywords appropriately within the content to help search engines understand the topic.
• Break content into short paragraphs and use lists for scannability.
• Include alt text descriptions for images to optimize their relevance.
• Structure URLs with keywords and organize content under clear site categories.
• Feature important information prominently near the top of the article since search engines weigh that content more heavily.

Well-structured and formatted articles signal to search engines that your content is high-quality and relevant.

By following these structural techniques for organizing your articles, you'll keep users engaged, convey information clearly, and boost your ability to rank in search engines. While it takes more planning, proper article structure enhances readership, retention, and overall impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long should my paragraphs be?

For online articles, shorter paragraphs of 2–4 sentences generally improve readability. Paragraphs over 5–6 sentences can appear dense and overwhelming on screens. However, paragraph length can vary stylistically based on the content. Use your best judgment.

2. How many subheaders should I include?

The number of subheaders can vary substantially depending on article length. Aim to break up your article into logical sections of 3–5 paragraphs each. Subheaders help create a clear structure while facilitating skimming. Just be wary of overusing subheaders, which can disrupt the article flow.

3. Should I use numbered or bulleted lists?

Either style of list can work well, depending on the information being presented. Numbered lists imply a sequence or order, such as for step-by-step instructions. Bullets are best for non-sequential tips or data points. Be consistent with whichever style you choose within a given article.

4. What image types should I use?

For online articles, JPG and PNG images tend to provide the best balance of quality and file size. GIFs can also be effective for simple graphics, charts, or animations. Use high-resolution photos for maximum image clarity.

5. How do I make my article easy-to-skim?

Using short paragraphs, subheaders, bullets, and bolding key terms facilitates skimming by allowing readers to rapidly focus on information relevant to them. Breaking up long sections of text also promotes skimming. Include graphics and multimedia elements to enhance scannability as well

Final words

Properly structuring your articles takes effort, but it is well worth it. Following best practices for organization, formatting, and layout improves readability, information retention for readers, and your ability to rank in search engines. Keep these structural tips in mind from the initial outlining phase through the final publication to maximize the impact of your content.