A sentence’s readability measures how easy it is to read and comprehend. In content marketing, the readability of each sentence in your copy directly impacts the readability of your content.
Overall, readability affects how accessible and engaging your content is for your audience. Better engagement builds trust and satisfies user intent, both of which can lead to more opportunities for conversion. This all starts at the sentence level.
Get tips on how to improve the readability of sentences in marketing content with clear examples.
To understand what makes a sentence in content marketing readable, think of the sentences that resonate well with you as a reader. Are they long-winded and complicated? Is the vocabulary complex and filled with jargon, sending you to the dictionary to uncover the meaning of the words you are reading? Not likely. Sentences need to be easy to connect with. But how do you do that?
The guidelines for crafting readable sentences all play into the idea of clarity and simplicity:
In English grammar, proper sentences have a few foundational rules that apply in all cases. While sentences can range wildly in complexity, keeping it simple is best in content marketing.
A sentence:
In creative writing, as long as you know the rules and are mindful and artful in breaking them for artistic purposes, there will be rare and very intentional exceptions to these rules.
It should be noted that some timeless slogans and tag lines are fragments. However, in other cases, proper grammar is essential for making your content and brand look good.
Here are some examples of how the rules of readability impact engagement and connection with a customer.
Social media posts already need to be short and to the point. Think about your hook and clear calls to action — and make it highly readable to connect the greatest number of readers.
Consider the two examples below (which would be accompanied by a video or image in the post):
Poor readability: The [Example Brand] watch has a fitness tracker and a 50 MP camera, so it can capture all your great moments while counting your steps during a walk or run. Take it on vacation with you and see all it can do.
Better readability: This watch just tracked my 200,000 steps on the Appalachian Trail. It took amazing photos, too.
Product descriptions and e-commerce readability can make or break a purchase. So, it’s important to make them clear, understandable, and engaging.
The consumer will get a chance to look at the dimensions and specs.
In the product description, rather than spilling features and jargon, use clear, readable sentences to tell the reader what benefits the product offers to their life.
Poor readability: [Example Brand] fitness smartwatch has a 38 mm convex glass shape, weighs 30 grams, and has a waterproof and dustproof rating of IP67. It has 320 x 386 resolution, Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) technology, and 4G LTE connectivity. Its rechargeable battery uses lithium-ions to store and release energy and is very compatible with Android devices and smartphones.
Better readability: The stylish domed glass and unisex sizing of the [Example Brand] smartwatch make it a great gift for anyone — including yourself! It’s up to the task of your busy lifestyle: resistant to dust, water, and scratches. Sync your other devices with one click, and stay connected wherever you go. The vivid, high-contrast display ensures what you see is always crystal clear. Functionality meets fashion right on your wrist.
Longer pieces of marketing content and web publishing are judged on readability — both by the reader and search engines.
Even high-quality content will get passed by if the sentences that make up the article have poor readability. Clean, clear, short sentences work best. Think quality of information with economy of words.
For instance, in an example article titled “How to Find the Right Fitness Smartwatch,” sentence readability affects how easily a reader can follow the content, connect with it, and relate it to their goals.
The more readable version also has better natural keyword usage, which tends to happen when you stay clear and on-target with your topic.
Poor readability: Today, smartwatches have a wide array of sizes for all wrists, big and small, along with an extensive range of functionality that may or may not fit the lifestyle you lead or want to lead as a runner or other fitness-focused individual. Some have AMOLED displays, while others have OLEDs. The water pressure ratings also differ, with most coming in about 5 ATMs, while some of the best are at 10. Fitness-focused people will also want to be able to sync with their fitness tracker. Or maybe the smartwatch is also a fitness tracker with ways to plan workouts and reach other fitness goals.
Better readability: A good smartwatch must fit not just your wrist but also your lifestyle. Consider the lifestyle activities important to you and look for features that complement them. If you are a runner or fitness walker, your smartwatch needs to help you set, track, and reach your steps and other fitness goals. A clear, easy-to-read display and water resistance are key for easily monitoring progress and safeguarding your watch from perspiration.
Readability checkers can help content marketers gauge how readable copy is.
Many blogging platforms have add-ons or extensions that measure SEO and readability (check out our guide on Yoast SEO Readability Tool Alternatives).
Some checkers will pinpoint trouble areas for sentence length or structure. For instance, Microsoft Word can show readability statistics.
The Originality.ai Readability Checker is an excellent tool for evaluating the readability of the sentences in your marketing copy.
For instance, let’s look at one of the poor readability examples in this article.
Every sentence counts in marketing content. The goal is to reach and engage your audience, so every word should be understandable, clear and convincing. Once you start addressing readability in your content, it becomes easy to work it into your other content marketing best practices.
Learn more best practices for improving readability in our top guides:
