Improve the Readability of Your Copy with Short Paragraphs

When writing copy, a common mistake is writing in long paragraphs. The result is that when you look at the copy, you see big blocks of text.

When the prospect sees the copy, he's thinking, "This looks like a lot of work to read..." Because of that, the prospect may decide not to read your copy, especially if she's busy or pressed for time. All this happens in the first few seconds.

Those first few seconds are critically important.

So what's the solution? You guessed it. Write in short paragraphs.

Short paragraphs improve the readability of your copy. Your copy looks easier to read. And the prospect is more likely to read it.

To write in short paragraphs, first make sure you have your first draft written. You don't want to check your copy for long paragraphs while you're writing your first draft. Leave that for the editing phase. The first draft is where you write and let it flow naturally without editing yourself. This is so your creativity can flow freely.

After your first draft is complete, go over your copy and see if you have any long paragraphs. If you have a paragraph that's longer than 5 sentences, split it into 2 or 3 shorter paragraphs. The paragraph probably covers a number of ideas or thoughts. Each idea or thought can be a paragraph on its own. So you'd have one idea or thought per paragraph.

When splitting up a paragraph, look for a point where a thought or idea is introduced. And then break it into a new paragraph.

Don't be afraid to have one-sentence paragraphs. One-sentence paragraphs are acceptable. When done properly, they can add a dramatic effect to your copy.

Another tip is to vary the paragraph length throughout your copy. This adds variety and makes it more interesting. It's like a piece of music. If the music were the same throughout, it'd be dull.

Music has variations throughout to keep it interesting. Apply this to your copy, too. Vary the paragraph length. The prospect will more likely be engaged and glued to your copy.

Another important tip is to add a space between paragraphs. This article is an example where a space is added between each paragraph. Failing to add a space between paragraphs makes the text look cluttered and hard to read. But adding a space between paragraphs makes the copy easier to read and gives the prospect a good first impression.

The first few seconds the prospect reads your copy are critically important. That's when the prospect decides whether to read your copy. Apply these tips by writing in short paragraphs. The readability of your copy will be improved -- along with your sales.

Francis Lui is a freelance web copywriter with web technical skills. To get FREE web copywriting and Internet marketing tips, sign up for his FREE newsletter, The Web Copy Letter, at http://www.francislui.com/.