12 Structured content
There is a tendency for people to think they need to cover everything in what they write, and so try to cram in information. That may be counter-productive.
The main problem with that is that there will always be much more than you could possibly include, so avoid the stress, and pick a couple of subtopics that illustrate what the main topic is about.
Once having done that, show each of those subtopics in depth. By doing that, your readers will really understand what is involved, rather than superficially touching upon a multitude of facets, perhaps inspiring them to expand upon what they have learned by reading and researching more. Provide links to related articles for them, but in a way that does not distract them from completing your article.
- a.Lead with what about your site/article/services/product will benefit the reader. This will engage them more than extolling features
- b.Conclude with what they need to do to reap those benefits
- c.Ensure that the story you are telling has a logical flow. Only refer to what they are expected to know, or what you have written about earlier in the article. Use each section and paragraph to add what you need to open their thinking so they are ready for what is to come next
- d.Only use metaphors or analogies to briefly help align your reader's thinking to yours, then let them go, as they are only a temporary representation of the real topic, and so will likely create confusion if stretched too far into details, or the reader may assume an excessive level of equivalence and possibly make incorrect inferences.
One of the advantages of in-depth writing is that it will automatically provide better Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), as it will include a rich mixture of related words and phrases, which are evidence of some level of authority, whereas seeking superficial coverage may just seem more like keyword stuffing, leading to downrating of the article and the site.
For each section or subsection, use this process again, but scoped to just it. This will ensure that they are introduced properly, and bring the reader to your desired thinking or understanding by the end of them. Put headings before any content, such as images, because it can be confusing as to whether the image is for the content under the previous heading or the next. Confusion is a distraction from concentrating on the narrative. If the images are large, then the headings need to be more prominent so they appear the most significant signposts.
Do not be surprised if in building up the information, you may see that the article can be re-purposed to be more effective, or satisfy a larger audience. Every journey brings new opportunities, so be open to possible benefits.
Glossary - A glossary provides a collection of paragraphs with headings, so are useful for concise blocks of information, like definitions or special terms. Each heading can be the target of a link, and so can be accessed independently.
Lines - Lines provide a simple means of separating content that is all at the same level, but may be a change of subject. Think of a line as representing a change of scene. The lines help identify which content is part of the same topic. However, there is no label telling the reader what each part contains, and so they will have to read the whole narrative.
Sections △- Sections are about providing a drill down into a subtopic. As they are added, an entry is also added to the article's navigation bar. Sections are what makes articles into reference material, rather than just a continuous narrative, as it allows readers to choose what to look at. Their headings can be the target for links.
Subsections - Subsections are sections, but one level down, providing more detail at a lower level. As each one is added, an entry is added to its parent section navigation bar. Their headings can also be link targets.
- a.Is the article meant to be part of reference materials?
Use sections and subsections for easy navigation to what is sought. - b.Is the article mainly providing a narrative, but needing some indication that there are several points to be discussed?
Use lines. - c.Does the content need to have levels of information?
Use sections and subsections. - d.Is there a need for a related set of concise identifiable items of information?
Use a glossary.
Of course, all can be used in an article. Lines can separate content in sections and subsections. A glossary can provide some reference information for the following sections and subsections.