How to get paragraphs read on mobile
To keep readers from having to scroll to see your paragraph, pass Jon Ziomek’s 1-2-3-4-5 Test.
Ziomek, a professor at the Medill School of Journalism, suggests that your paragraph contain:
- 1 idea, expressed in
- 2 to 3 short sentences, taking up no more than
- 4 to 5 lines on the page
Pro tip: Email your paragraph to yourself and review it on your phone. If it passes the 1-2-3-4-5 Test, you’re good to go.
“You must cut the meat into little pieces,” Ziomek says.
Especially when writing for mobile.
How long should your message be?
Would your message be twice as good if it were half as long?
Yes, the research says. The shorter your message, the more likely readers are to read it, understand it and make good decisions based on it.
So how long is too long? What’s the right length for your piece? Your paragraphs? Your sentences? Your words?
Find out at Rev Up Readability — our clear-writing workshop, which starts June 20.
There, you’ll use a cool (free!) tool to analyze your message for 27 readability metrics. You’ll leave with quantifiable targets, tips and techniques for measurably boosting readability.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.
