A starter guide to writing successful digital content

By Sarah Rose Mosh

Design digital content with a low cognitive load for maximum impact 

In today’s digital age, people are interacting with written words more than ever before. As a small business owner, you must use this to your advantage. If your company is not currently capitalizing on ever-present digital content, you are missing out on a world of potential revenue. 

When it comes to digital marketing, ease, clarity, and accessibility are key. Your digital marketing content should be easy for users (i.e., your customers and potential customers) to understand, access, and interact with. Be intentional about your company’s online presence and content strategy. Your digital marketing content should primarily do two things:

1. Succinctly identify your target audience’s pain points or problems.
2. Clearly explain how your company solves those problems.

As the owner of your business, you can likely identify your customer’s problem and your company’s solution with ease. But how do you turn that into content writing to improve your brand awareness and your bottom line? How do you write those concepts for a website, social media platform, or other digital channels? 

Let’s explore some simple and straightforward ways to achieve high-quality content that will resonate with users.  

Consider cognitive load

Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort a person needs to do something. Any digital content marketing you put forth should have the lowest cognitive load possible while still conveying your message. This doesn’t mean dumbing down what your company does or offers; it means stating it in the easiest way to understand. Remember, users come to your website or social media platform to find a solution to a problem, not to read. 

To illustrate this point, take a look at the following two examples of website copy for a fictional dog-walking company: 

Example A: At DogTrot, we know that you care deeply about your precious pet, so we prioritize their needs above all else, imbuing each and every one of our service offerings with utmost care. We take excellent care of your beloved dog in your absence.

Example B: Your dog is your best friend. At DogTrot, we give your pup that same care when you’re not home.

See the difference? While both examples convey the same message, Example B does it with significantly less cognitive load than Example A. When it comes to writing content, keep your messaging as simple and easy to read as possible.

Make your digital content clear 

Any content writing that will represent your business online should be clear and easy to understand. This includes website copy, social media posts, and scripts for audio content or video marketing. 

Your online content is not the time for industry jargon. (Informative blog posts are an exception.) Use simple, straightforward words that are commonly used in everyday language. Now is also not the time to embellish your writing. Studies show that users only read about 20% of the copy on a web page. You want to capitalize on that 20%, highlighting the most critical information you want users to know. 

Your written content should also be scannable. This means breaking it up into easily digestible pieces or chunks. Bullet points are one effective way to accomplish this. Laying out written copy with lots of surrounding blank space and breathing room is another way to chunk visual content. Use accurate headers when breaking up visual content so users can easily navigate to the information they need. 

Let’s compare two examples of content to determine which one is clearer: 

Example C: At DogTrot, our service offerings include daily dog-walking while you’re away at work as well as in-home pet-sitting to care for your pet overnight when you’re traveling.

Example D: Our services include:Dog-walkingIn-home pet-sitting

Again, both examples convey the same message. Example D uses simple language, bullet points, and blank space to make the message scannable and clear. Example C, on the other hand, is much harder to process and may even require users to reread for clarity. The clearer and more scannable you can make your content writing, the more likely a user is to move to the next phase in the sales cycle. 

Incorporate inclusive principles when creating digital content

Your content should be welcoming and accessible to diverse audiences. Members of your target audience likely all have at least one thing in common (the problem your company solves), but they are not the same individuals. Some members of your target audience will have accessibility issues, and it is your responsibility to consider these issues in your digital marketing content.

These issues include, but are not limited to:

• Visual impairments
• Speech and auditory impairments
• Seizure disorders
• Cognitive and learning disorders
• Language barriers 

Here are suggestions for how to design inclusive digital content for each of these accessibility issues. Keep in mind that this guide is just a starting point. Double-check all of your digital content for ADA compliance before publishing. 

• Visual impairments
  • Use alt-text to concisely describe any images.
  • Keep text dark and background light.
• Speech and auditory impairments
  • Ensure any video content you publish has closed captioning.
  • Publish transcripts along with any audio content. 
  • Offer options for users to contact your company via a form, text, or email so that a voice-to-voice call is not the only option. 
• Seizure disorders
  • Avoid using flashing backgrounds or images.
• Cognitive and learning disorders
  • Use simple language. 
  • Write in sentence case. 
• Language barriers
  • Don’t assume English is the first language for your users. Avoid figures of speech and puns to ensure important information is not lost in translation.

Let’s examine two examples of social media posts to highlight the importance of accessible content: 

Example E: Post reads: Don’t Bark Up the Wrong Tree! Hire DogTrot, the Company That Takes Paws-itively Amazing Care of Your Pup!

Example F: Post reads: Looking for a trustworthy dog walking service? Contact DogTrot, where we treat your pet like our own.

While these two examples may look similar at first glance, Example F has a significantly more accessible content design than Example E. Let’s delve into the reasoning behind this: 

• First, the text in Example E is not dark enough compared to the background, making it challenging for a user with any kind of visual impairment to read clearly. Example F uses dark text on a light background, making it significantly easier to read. 
• Second, Example E uses title case instead of sentence case, which increases the user’s cognitive load and makes it less accessible for non-native speakers. 
• Third, Example E contains puns. While puns may seem like a fun and clever way to engage your target audience, they actually have the opposite affect, potentially alienating non-native speakers or those with cognitive impairments. 
• Fourth, Example E does not include any direct contact information. Example F offers two clear contact methods, so the user can choose their preferred way to get in touch with the company. 

Digital content: Putting it all together

Your company’s digital presence is a powerful tool to drive business. When designing digital content to represent your company, keep the cognitive load as low as possible for your end users, make your content clear, and always incorporate accessible principles. By following these suggestions, you will reach a broader audience, and your content will have a greater impact. 

Interested in personalized help from a marketing expert? Reach out to Cogent Analytics today.