Tips On How To Simplify Complex Content For Audience

Creating a piece of content about a complex or boring subject matter in a way making it simple and easy to understand is a tricky job. Apparently, it seems very simple: to create content that is engaging and easily understood, so the audience won’t get bored and leave your page soon after they land on it. 

Sure, that sounds simple enough, the real problem arises when it’s time to implement that.

How can you make boring or complex subject matter (think about all the dry SEO terms) exciting to read and simple to understand for your readers?
The key to accomplishing this clarity driven task primarily lies in the hands of the writer. Let’s have a look into the insights on how to get the best out of your content by making it appealing to the readers.
 

It’s Mostly BUT Not Just About The Writing

Consider two pieces of writing, one is written in a very complex way containing the words that you have never (or hardly) heard of before. On the other, there is writing with a simple, effective and plain prose, in active voice and words that you are familiar with. Which one would you prefer? The latter one, I bet!

Nonetheless, words alone can’t complete the job for you of turning a complex subject into something clear and simple. Various other elements play a crucial role to tell the story more effectively. 

Great writing but poor execution will make your audience leave your website in no time. 

Great writing with great layout and execution is the key!
 

Improve Your Content

⦁    Avoid Complex Words

Simplicity. It is something that will keep showing throughout this article.

To make your content simple, you must begin with avoid using jargon words and complex terms. If the subject matter is really complicated, then it isn’t possible to entirely avoid the “big” words. The more complex the subject, the more complex are the words.

The goal is to write in a simple language to describe any jargon and complex words.

A good writer always tries to keep the content as simple as possible and explain the topic in simple words to clear up the complex or jargon words. As Albert Einstein said, “Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”

That is how you must convey your message across, clearly and concisely.
 

⦁    Make Content Engaging

Being an audience yourself, you must know how quick is a reader to spot a fake or bored writer. It is best to write with full drive and something worthwhile. Your writing should reflect your energy and enthusiasm about the subject under discussion.

Imagine involving your audience in something you feel zero excitement while writing. That’s impossible, right? The excitement and the energy writer feels for his words clearly reflects through his/her writing.

To make your content more energetic and engaging, you can make use of straightforward analogies that people can easily relate to. Keeping an eye on Google trends and doing some keywords research will further help improve the content you are creating.
 

⦁    Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

This is not a new one. (or is it?)

Active Voice: I wrote an article.
Passive Voice: An article was written by me.

Spot the difference; it is simple and clear.

Active voice let you write a clear message as compared to passive voice. It is important to write in an active voice about a difficult subject as it makes it easier to understand. The use of passive voice must be limited to when you need to put an emphasize over the actor.

Try to keep your sentences precise and punchy while writing in active voice. This will help deliver a clear message that also reads better on mobile devices (a tip for digital writers).
 

⦁    Use of Images

Some people spend way too much effort on creating all those colorful images. But you must not underestimate the power of simple graphics.

Simple images are easy to look at and understand. You are able to instantly recall your concepts by just looking at the images that are simple and not tricky. For instance, there is a complicated subject, supported with simple images besides the words. The graphics will help readers get a clearer message.
 

⦁    Use of Video

People love video content, which is why they spend countless hours watching videos on YouTube every day.

Adding video content to support your written content is potentially productive. It can help you deliver your message to a broader audience, especially those who are not much of a reader.

It is not necessary to go deep into videos, just summarizing your content is enough. However, if you have budget and time on your hands to go in depth, go for it. By covering both aural and visual audience, a video is just providing you another medium to reach additional audience. And that doesn’t hurt!
 

⦁    Use of Infographics

Simple text. Simple images. It is important to keep things simple.

However, don’t miss a chance to add infographics in your content, whenever possible. This will be very effective for visual learners.

When combined at the right time with the right writing, images, and video, infographics can do wonders by simplifying and assisting the learning process about a complicated subject. Furthermore, infographics hold viral potential that might make your simplified message about a complex topic go viral.
 

Improve Your Layout

⦁    Use Gripping Subheadings

Subheadings significantly reduce the pressure on the reader while reading a piece of writing. Breaking up a larger piece of content into subheadings will go easy on the eyes and make it easier for readers to absorb the information in the form of chunks. 

The more complicated and dull a piece, the more critical it is to use subtopics. Use of subheadings will simplify the message being delivered from both content and visual perspective.
 

⦁    Shorter Paragraphs

Use space!

Consider an article with two long paragraphs and an article consisting of various paragraphs of relatively shorter length, which one would you find more comfortable to read? 

When you make shorter paragraphs, it will create space on the page. Shorter paragraphs with space make things easier to process as per psychology. 

Smaller paragraphs and spaces psychologically influence reader’s mind, clearing up way to read quickly and absorb the concepts easily.
 

⦁    Miniseries for Easy Consumption

You can go for one epic post or split it up in a miniseries!

It is totally an option though, you can describe everything in one big post, or you can write in a series. Miniseries is ideal for a subject that has multiple levels of complexity. Reading over time as compared to one reading will help the audience to grasp the information without getting lost somewhere in between easily.

Furthermore, the power of a good series is that it will keep your readers waiting for more.
 

Conclusion

The word ‘simple’ has been mentioned quite a few times in this article; it was the theme here. However, the goal is to write simple but compelling content.

This will help generate a clearer and simpler message, allowing a larger audience to understand and benefit from what you’ve been trying to explain all along.

Of course, if you are writing for a medical journal, the complexity will remain high but always try to keep things simple. The simple you can make it for your audience, the better they will digest the explained information.