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words are powerful

Are you enjoying these lessons? How do you find the balance between facts, observation, and action?

There is a reason for the sections. There is a reason for the lessons. There is a reason for the way the sections are written.

My intent is to do 2 things simultaneously.

  1. To break down what are very complicated things into bite sized pieces; but also
  2. To make the content engaging. If you aren’t following you’re not learning.

Sections could be more detailed. I could build micro courses. But that isn’t the objective here. You can go exploring with AI later.

My intent with this work is to maximise clarity, engagement, and make you think.

Here are some techniques to think about when you’re writing:

Write for scannability

  • You need headlines that explain what the section is about:
    • Use clear, descriptive headings that summarise the point of the section.
  • Keep paragraphs short:
    • Optimise paragraphs to 2-3 sentences to reduce fatigue (or even shorter!)
    • You may even want to just write sentences as separate lines.
    • This will drive academic people crazy, but lazy people will lap it up.
    • Breaking content into single short sentences also gives you the ability to ‘bounce’ concepts from story line to the next, like a series of effective combos. This works particularly well on social media.
  • Use bullets and numbering:
    • Complex concepts should be broken down into points.
    • People can just look at a block and figure out the meaning immediately.
  • Bold key phrases:
    • Highlight critical points in bold so readers can immediately see the point.
    • Random Capitalisation or italics - can improve cognitition too.
    • People that like orderly grammar will hate this, but it doesn’t mean its not a persuasive tactic.

Embrace Minto - or the Inverted Pyramid as they call it

  • Start a piece of content with the conclusion:
    • You put the key takeaway first. Just smash it out there.
    • The audience may be confused, but that’s the point.
    • They then want to read more to figure out ‘why’.
  • Then you frame the details:
    • Block by block.
    • Answer - Why - Because of X, Y, Z.
    • X, Y, Z where established by Facts, Q, R, T.
    • Q, R, T were established by U process.
    • U Process was W.
    • Here is the details of W.
    • — in this model of thinking, the context, supporting data and examples comes last.
  • The method, observations, and data comes later once people are already bought in
    • Only offer deeper background and caveats at the back.
    • If people make it that far they’re already bought in.
    • It also stops the poo poo crowd from questioning and assumption mid presentation.

Use clear and active language

Remove as much fluff as you can from language. You can get AI to help you:

There are a number of points here:

  • Use an active voice to explain things:
    • Instead of saying ‘Buildings are built by you’ just say ‘You build’ as its a more direct inference of meaning to the person, and it’s more clear.
  • Use strong verbs:
    • Don’t say - ‘run quickly’. Use a greater level of precision and say ‘sprint’ dammit.
    • It instantly confers the meaning, rather than an inferred meaning.
  • Use conversational tone:
    • Write as if you’re speaking to one person even if you’re speaking to 2,000 people.
    • You could address an audience as ‘you’ rather than ‘we’. We is lame because you may or may not be bought in.
  • Don’t use jargon unless there is a cultural reason to do so:
    • Use plain word alternatives - and reference the jargon words for those people.
    • You’ll speak over the head of experts and connect with everyone then.

Now that you’re writing well, you can work on your call to action skills.

Call to action content:

  • Hone the focus:
    • People are dumb.
    • Each piece of content you create should have ONE primary call to action.
  • Make your calls to action, actually action oriented - lol:
    • E.g. start with a verb—“Download this” “Start now” “Join the meeting”.
    • If you compel someone to do something it mentally frames a level of commitment to go to a next step.
  • Frame the benefits implicitly:
    • Be specific about what a step entails. What do they get from reading the content - or signing up or doing something. Then deliver.

A word of caution here. Don’t mislead an audience using a call to action that does something else.

It shreds trust.

SEO strategy for online content

Consider personal branding over generic keywords. Traditional SEO is oversaturated with English words. Instead of describing what you do, consider building your brand around your name. When people search for you, make sure interesting, valuable content appears.

Write for clarity, not complexity. Your primary goal is getting people to read, enjoy, and take action on your content. Keep it simple - aim for 6th-grade reading level. Even busy executives appreciate straightforward communication over complex jargon.

Optimise the basics:

  • Include important keywords in titles, headings, and opening sentences
  • Keep URLs short and descriptive
  • Write meta descriptions that highlight benefits
  • Make content scannable and easy to consume

Personal online presence is now an advantage. Building a substantial online presence used to be viewed negatively, but creators understand its value. In the AI era, authentic personal brands will become increasingly important.

The bottom line: maximise readability and engagement over perfect accuracy or completeness. If someone reads your content, enjoys it, and takes action, you've succeeded.

Conclusion:

Schools teach proper language and etiquette, but smart communicators know when to deviate. Small disruptions - like unusual capitalisation or punctuation - grab attention and make people pause.

Social media rewards engagement above all else. While text is the slowest format to consume, it's also the most powerful. When people scroll slowly through your content and read every word, algorithms notice and show it to more people.

The real skill isn't following rules - it's converting readers into believers and buyers. Every word choice is a tool for growing your power and influence.

Whether in school, business, or social groups, mastering communication gives you a distinct advantage. Most people have forgotten how to write compelling content, creating a massive opportunity for those who get it right.

Treat language as a strategic weapon, not just a way to share information.