Step up your intro game

News

Be in the Know

Lyft pulls its e-bikes from the streets of SF after reported battery fires.
Impossible Foods (aka the meatless burger) is coming to a grocery store near you.
Spotify’s big bet on podcasts is starting to pay off.
Twitter’s new ad campaign is reminding people that Twitter used to be fun.
Feds cut interest rates for the first time since 2008.

Tactics

Turning casual browsers into readers is an art form. A recent study by Chartbeat found that 10% of visitors who land on an article never scroll down.

So, how do you get more people scrolling?

Writing a strong introduction is a great place to start.

Here are 9 simple ways to step up your intro game.

Keep your first sentence short: Don’t make your readers work too hard. Come out of the gate with a short sentence or two and keep it digestible and punchy.
Say something unusual: The goal of the first sentence is to get your readers to read the second sentence (and so on). Think outside of the box for your introduction. Keep it weird enough to pique their interest.
Don’t repeat the title: Reinforce the title, but don’t repeat it. They’ve read it already.
Use the word “you” at least once: Using the word “you” emphasizes that you are writing with your reader in mind. It’s a powerful word that shows you care.
Dedicate a sentence or two to articulating what the article is about: Someone landed on your article for a reason. To set their expectations, don’t be afraid to tell them exactly what they’ll be reading about. Example: This article will show you 9 ways to write stronger introductions.
Tell them why the article is important: You already know why your article is important (hopefully), but your reader might not. Give them a good hook by showing the problem and the solution with your article.
Be careful with storytelling: “If you begin your article with a story, don’t reveal the conclusion until the reader is deeper into the article, or even until the very end.”
Use a stat: Using a stat or fact is a great way to draw your reader in and show them that other folks might be dealing with the same problem or issue.