Getting Looked Over, Without Getting Overlooked: by Matthew Cobb, copywriter

Getting Looked Over, Without Getting Overlooked: by Matthew Cobb, copywriter

*Scanning and Skimming Practices*
Whether you're writing e-mail messages or Web site sales
letters, you need to know how to hold the attention of
different types of readers. Even the readers that don't
actually "read."

Most readers will either scan, skim, or both, especially
when reading online or when reading long pieces. Optimizing
the writing on your site for those who scan and those who
skim isn't extremely difficult, but it does require an
attention to detail.

First, let's take a look at what these terms mean.

Scanning--involves looking for particular elements,
such as headlines, subheadings, and text that is
highlighted, bold-faced, or otherwise emphasized.
Scanners read only the elements that "stick out,"
their eyes moving from one attention-grabbing word
or phrase to another.

Skimming--involves looking over the entire page but
only superficially, like a speed-reader. Skimmers
may see the same elements that scanners do, but
they don't focus that much on anything specific for
very long. They glance over all of it, just trying
to get the basic idea.

Most readers do a combination of scanning and skimming.
They might scan a page and find a headline that grabs their
attention, then skim the paragraph beneath it. Only when
they find something really interesting will they go back
and read.

Sometimes, the information in the various headings and
emphasized text is all the information a visitor needs. In
fact, a visitor to a consumer sales site should conceivably
be able to make their entire buying decision based solely
on the headlines and emphasized text.

It's important to note that scanning and skimming isn't
something that was created by the Web. (It just seems like
it sometimes.) Audiences have been skimming newspaper
headlines and flipping through TV channels for quite some
time now.

*6 Steps for Writing for Scanners and Skimmers*
In the Information Overload Age, consumers have grown tired
of sales hype and marketing fluff. They're already
predisposed to skimming and scanning. Short attention spans
and a high level of skepticism are becoming a part of their
nature.

But all is not lost. Optimizing for scanners and skimmers
(and turning them into readers) isn't easy, but you can do
it if you take a steady approach and revise carefully.
Here's an example of how you can do it:

Step 1) Write out the main points of your sales
argument (which some will call a sales "pitch," but
since I want to persuade rather than "pitch," I look
at this process as a kind of debate...hence, a
sales argument.) These main points will be your
subheadings. List them as a skeleton outline for
your piece, and leave space beneath each.

Step 2) Below each main point, write down the main
words and phrases associated with each point in
your argument.

Step 3) Start writing the body of the piece. Here,
you'll explain everything in full detail. People
who read the body of your message want details, so
you should provide all the relevant information
that you can imagine a potential customer might
want to read.

Step 4) Take the words and phrases you generated
in Step 2 and thread them throughout the body of
the message. Make sure they work within the context
of the paragraphs (in other words, don't just throw
them in anywhere.) Use bold-facing, italics,
underlining, or highlights to draw attention to
these words or phrases. (Just don't go overboard...
too much emphasis can come off as "salesy", and
you'll need to only use as much emphasized text as
you think your audience will deem credible. An ad
for a luxury car won't use as much emphasized text
as a sales letter for the latest mail-order kitchen
gizmo.)

Step 5) Look at all you've written and come up with
a headline that ties it all together with a strong,
unique benefit. The headline should generate
curiosity and target a specific audience. Statistics
and testimonials generally make strong headlines by
getting attention and establishing credibility,
which is important for making a connection with
your target audience.

Step 6) At this point, you've written your first
draft. As you read back through what you have, ask
yourself a few questions: Does my headline lead
logically to my subheads? Do my subheads lead
logically to the emphasized text? Does the
emphasized text fit logically into the context of
the body? Most importantly, can a visitor make a
buying decision based solely on the headings and
emphasized text?

Sometimes, you'll find that certain elements no longer fit
the original argument. Your approach may change. That's
okay. Revise until everything flows together and makes
sense during the first reading.

Never be afraid to go back and rewrite. Always use the
strongest material, even if that means deleting half of
what you've already written. It's the only way to get your
best work.

The truth is, most readers won't make it to the body of
your message. That's okay--don't expect them to. Not all
of them will be right for your offer.

You need be able to get your points across with good
headlines, subheadings, and emphasized text. If you can do
that, you won't have to be afraid of how--or whether--your
visitors actually read the entire page.
About the Author
Matthew Cobb is an independent copywriter. Visit www.cobbwriting.com to learn more about his freelance copywriting services or to sign up for his monthly e-publication, The Copy and Content Clinic.