A Short Guide to Long Text

As any large language model could tell you, text remains essential to communication. Marketers in industries such as financial services, healthcare and tech rely on long-form text to convey the details of complex products and services. Not everything can be reduced to a meme.

In pre-digital days, art directors developed techniques to make long copy “inviting.” In today’s multiplatform, multichannel mediascape, finessing text presentation is more challenging, as content may feed websites, tablets and mobile devices, each with its own form factor and layout constraints.

We recently worked with a financial services organization that needed to communicate a complex, detailed topic requiring a clear, scannable narrative as well as technical details. We didn’t expect readers to parse every word of this long-copy website, just to absorb the essence of the story and remember details relevant to them.

Here are the best practices we followed to maximize engagement and deliver our content in a user-friendly way:

Write for different types of readers. Some users want to read every carefully crafted word of your content; many prefer to skim. You can make everyone happy by building “go deeper” options into the layout and using visual cues to show the reader there’s more than one information path. Some examples include buttons to take you to expanded content and hover features that reveal previously hidden text.

Chunk out the text to help the user understand the narrative. Break down your long text into smaller sections that each cover one main idea or topic. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the logic and flow of your content. Use visual cues such as icons, images and even colors to delineate sections and convey structure.

Use informative headings and subheads. Headings and subheads not only organize your text, but also help you hook the reader’s attention and interest. Make yours descriptive, concise and edifying, so even by skimming the subheads readers will grasp the main points of your content.

Use short sentences and paragraphs. Extremely long sentences, even if grammatically correct, may make readers work too hard or signal that the material wasn’t written for them. Shorter sentences and paragraphs improve readability, while varying paragraph length helps the reader track and stay engaged.

Keep line width short and use plenty of leading. Line width is the length, left to right, of a line of text. Leading is the vertical space between lines of text. Both affect the readability and appearance of text. If the width is too long, the reader may lose track of the next line, while insufficient leading makes text appear dense and impenetrable – a “brick,” in old art director parlance.

Use a large font size – and don’t get fancy. Font size influences the readability and attractiveness of your text. Too small, and users may have to work too hard, while text that’s too large can look childish. Avoid typefaces with decorative flourishes and stylization. Sans serif fonts tend to be more readable on screens.

Pay attention to contrast. Contrast is the difference in brightness and color between your text and your background. If there is too little contrast, the text disappears into the background and fails to meet ADA and WCAG standards. Too much contrast is harsh on the eyes. In all but specialized cases, stick to dark text on a light background.

Use lists, tables and image captions. These devices enable you to present information in an organized, concise and appealing way. Additionally, they serve as discrete exhibits that encourage a skimmer to slow down and focus. Lists break down complex information into bite-sized chunks. Tables help organize data and make comparison easy. Captions help your reader understand an image and appreciate the point you are making.

Keep your language simple and accessible. Even if your content is complex, you want it to resonate with a wide range of readers. Unless yours is a specialized audience, avoid industry jargon and aim for eighth-grade vocabulary, sentence structure and syntax. Online tools such as the Flesch-Kincaid grade level calculator or the Gunning Fog Index will gauge the reading level of your text.

In a TikTok world, it’s challenging to make a great long-form text experience. By optimizing the quality and presentation of your words, you can keep customers engaged, ensuring the right messages get through at the right time and in the right way … before they swipe to the next story.