Writing About Your Topic With The Layman In Mind
If the purpose of writing is to communicate, then it's imperative to make sure your message is reaching your readers. But as you start to specialize your topics for a certain audience, it's easy to slip into jargon--specialized language that might be easily understood by those in the know, but can alienate outsiders. Nearly every industry, hobby, sport, and other pursuit uses this kind of language. It becomes shorthand for things that people in that circle understand. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as you can quickly state your ideas without needing a lot of explanation. But to the outsider or the newcomer, it only confuses the issue. How do you find a balance?
The most effective way to avoid the jargon trap is to write to the layman. Assume your reader has a passing interest or understanding of your topic but may not grasp all of the subtleties. This does not apply to scholarly articles, in which jargon is almost expected, as the only readers will be people with a similar understanding of the topic. However, most blogs are meant to be read by the general public, so you must write to the general public.
Readability and Why It Matters
Some word processing programs will have a "readability score" that can determine how easy your writing is to understand. The score reflects the average American grade level at which a student could read and comprehend your work. While not a perfect indicator, it may be a useful tool to check every so often. The benefit of this is that not only will the layman understand, but also non-native speakers of your language and people with some learning disabilities. By adjusting your style to accommodate more readers, you have a better chance of gaining a wider audience.
Avoid or Explain Jargon
Jargon is often accompanied by acronyms, technical terms, and buzzwords. Try to explain these in your article if possible. If you use "EVOO" in your cooking article, you could say "EVOO (aka Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)" so the reader doesn’t have to look it up in another place. Every time they take their eyes from your piece, you lose their attention and have a greater chance of them not coming back. Reduce this as much as possible.
Create an FAQ
If you use a lot of technical terms often, an FAQ page may be helpful. FAQ (for Frequently Asked Questions, see what I did there?) pages are simply a resource that readers will refer to before they leave your page to seek the info elsewhere. It can contain anything you need to explain often, lists of resources, and answers to common questions about either your page or your topic. Make the FAQ fit the tone of your page, and don't talk down to your reader. This can serve the same kind of function as an appendix in a book, too--link the word or phrase in question the first time it appears in your article, and point the link at the FAQ. You will have a seamless, unobtrusive way to explain unfamiliar terms to people who want to learn.