How Accessible Writing Wins the Internet

Charlie
3 min readDec 2, 2023

“How do I stand out online? What’s the secret?” you ask.

Have you ever stumbled upon an X post, article or blog that felt like a breath of fresh air? Finding yourself deeply engaged and effortlessly absorbing every word? There’s a hidden art to this kind of writing.

An art that can broaden your audience and deepen your impact.

Standing out from the crowd online is difficult. To stand out it’s tempting to dress up your language in layers of complexity. By adding superfluous words there’s a belief your content comes across as more clever and engaging.

But think about it!

The most engaging content isn’t always the most intricate. The most engaging content by definition is the most accessible. It’s simplicity.

Mark Twain once said, “Don’t use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.” This timeless advice rings especially true in our digital age. Simple, straightforward language isn’t just easier to read; it’s more inviting and inclusive. It breaks down the barriers between the writer and the reader.

“But, i’m after a smart audience!” you yell.

There’s a surprising reality when it comes to what a “smart” audience is relative to the population. A much larger portion of the global population…

--

--

Charlie

Senior Digital Accessibility Consultant • Sharing Knowledge To Empower Founders, Devs & Users • incluseum.digital