HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
I’ve often come across articles (and websites) that consist of a long block of text – and very little else. Sometimes, it will be broken up into paragraphs but that is the only concession made towards enabling the reader to understand the text.
Now, I know that I’ve spoken before about the need to let copy flow seamlessly from one idea to the next. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be broken up a little. Indeed, anything of any length (as a rule of thumb, say, over 250-300 words) will benefit from being formatted into sections so that it is more attractive and more accessible to the reader.
One of the best ways of doing this is by the judicial use of sub-headings. They enable you to break up a long article into more easily digestible chunks. Sub-heads can help to strengthen the flow of your feature by highlighting different sections and acting as a powerful link between two different ideas.
How to use your head
You can use sub-heads in various ways:
- To indicate a distinct change in direction or a specific section of the article; or to emphasise individual messages in your feature.
- To inject some humour or light relief by using a pun or an amusing reference in the sub-head.
- To link the different parts of the article into a single, cohesive unit. For instance, your sub-heads can follow a common theme or style that ties everything together.
However, I would caution you against using too many sub-heads – because that WILL interrupt the flow of your article. There’s no hard and fast rule, but you may want to opt for three or four sub-heads within an article of, say 750 words. It’s your choice – just try and tread a fine line between too much uninterrupted text (which is usually boring) and too many sub-heads (which can make everything seem disjointed).
Have a good week.
Phil
Freelance copywriter
Web: www.phila.co.uk
Email: info@phila.co.uk
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