When an author creates a series of posts, readers begin to anticipate the continuation, and this is the main goal!
If you just post one article, no matter how important and meaningful it is, it will be better than nothing, but it will likely be quickly forgotten. But if you make several related posts, people will develop an interest and desire to return for a new portion of information. It's like reading a book—you can't stop at just one page!
By the way, let's turn to history. In the past, writers used to do just that—publishing one chapter a week in literary magazines. There it was, seriality, in its original form.
In addition, you can't always tell everything in one article. By breaking up the article into parts, you can focus more on each detail. In long articles, it's often problematic—the author often jumps from idea to idea because too much needs to be said in one article. Seriality can help here too!
Let's not keep you waiting. Let's move on to discussing the topic. You're in for nothing but benefits and nothing more. Let's get started!
What is seriality in blogging?
Let's start simple. You create content that is united by a common theme or concept and is released in parts. This is seriality. Each series develops its plot within one theme, adds new details, and leads to the next episode.
Now let's see how it works in practice.
And the first thing that comes to mind is a culinary blog. Yes, you can just post recipes every day, and the blog will probably grow. But seriality significantly increases recognizability. Let's give an example with two bloggers. The first is a restaurant chef who tells in the blog how to organize a home kitchen like in a restaurant. The central theme of the blog is preparations. On Monday, the chef goes shopping. On Tuesday, they process meat, pack vegetables, and brainstorm a list of preparations. Wednesday—meat and poultry preparations. Thursday—vegetable preparations. Friday—frozen desserts. Saturday is the culmination of the series—assembling a meal of two dishes and a dessert in 10 minutes from the preparations. The perfect series that leads the viewer from beginning to end. The second example is a blogger who conducts weeks dedicated to world cuisines. Indian cuisine week, French cuisine week, and so on. Also a good series option, but still each post is self-sufficient on its own. There is no strong motivation for readers to go further. This leads to another important point.
The series must be logical and consistent. A common theme for the posts may not be enough. It's necessary to build a logical chain of publications so that each unit of content is linked with another.
Titles and teasers: how to attract attention?
Let's talk about what titles and teasers are and how they can pump up your content. We won't delve into boring details because if you have ever scrolled through a social media feed or skimmed through articles, you know that the title is the first thing that catches your eye.
The title should be attractive, spark curiosity, and arouse action. It should give a general idea of the content of the article but still leave room for imagination.
For example, a blogger-expert who came into marketing from the banking industry. The title “The Beginning of the Journey: Reasons for Change” already evokes interest. Why did he decide to leave a stable job and start from scratch in a new field for himself? What pushed him to such a decision? A catchy title immediately attracts interest. People want to know what's next. That's the strength of such titles—they lure.
Headlines can be varied: they can ask questions, offer solutions to problems, or just intrigue. However, regardless of their type, there are common requirements: they must be brief, clear, and attractive.
For example, the title “5 Ways to Improve Productivity” is not bad, but “How I Started Achieving More in a Day Than Ever Before” sounds much more interesting. It arouses curiosity and the desire to learn how it was possible.
Now let's talk about teasers. These are small hints at the end of a post that sort of say: “Stay tuned for more!” Teasers are actually a working way to interest people and motivate them to return to the blog.
It's important to remember that titles and teasers must be truthful. If you promise something in the title, be sure to deliver it in the text. Readers quickly lose trust if they feel deceived. So strive to be honest and provide valuable information.
Why does seriality work? Let's figure it out.
There's a meme circulating the internet: “I came across a reel about how a girl fell into the hands of scammers, and it's three in the morning, but I'm still scrolling the 'scammers' highlights on her page to find out how it ended.” That's seriality at work.
Consider a situation where a blogger decides to share their experience of stepping out of their comfort zone. Instead of posting one long text, they divide their story into several parts. In each part, they describe different stages of their journey: doubts, difficulties, small successes.
Readers can easily see themselves in their experience. Many have faced similar feelings, creating an emotional connection between them.
After reading the first part of the post, readers want to know what happens next. They want to know how the blogger overcame difficulties.
The blogger is creating not just content but a whole story in which readers become active participants. Each new post is an opportunity to dive deeper into the blogger's thoughts and reflections, discuss them in comments, and share their own thoughts.
The secret to seriality lies in this: it turns one-way interaction into a dialogue, where everyone can express themselves.
Creating anticipation
Let's figure out exactly how anticipation works and how you can use this technique in your texts.
The foundation of the foundation is a strong concept around which the series will be built. You can write even twenty-five posts about one event, but if it's a story about how you go for milk, then probably not many will need it. First, you need to make sure your series is interesting and necessary for people.
We move on to intrigue. Think about what you can leave in the shadows. Hint at a conflict or problem, but don't reveal all the cards.
A crucial element of intrigue is ambiguity. To evoke interest in readers, you can create a sense of unknown. For example, leave some storylines unfinished. If your characters are about to have an important meeting, don't immediately show the conversation itself. Make viewers wait a bit but give them an indication of what might happen.
Now let's turn to the cinematic term - suspense. This state of anxious anticipation. It can be tension between characters, tension in the plot, or even tension created by a question you haven't answered yet. The more tension you create, the more your audience will want to find out what happens next.
Set high expectations. If you want your audience to anticipate the next part, you need to ensure that each part of your series is worth their time. Make sure your content is useful, interesting, and engaging. If you can set high expectations, your audience will return for each new part.
However, we find it necessary to make an important note. If you are inconsistent and often drop out of content, seriality may not be for you.
You must keep to your schedule and publish parts of the series according to it. If you keep your audience waiting too long, they might lose interest and stop anticipating the next part.
Mistakes to avoid
Unfortunately, many authors make mistakes that can negate all the advantages of serialized content. Let's consider some of them.
Too long plot development. If you drag out the plot development, there is a risk of losing audience interest. Readers want to see the development and conclusion of the story. Discussing one topic for four months is too long. Try to fit it into several weeks.
Weak connection between parts. If in the first part you discuss one topic, and in the second you switch to a completely different one without explaining why it's important, readers might get confused. Each part should be a logical continuation of the previous one.
Ignoring feedback. Don't forget that your audience is not just passive viewers. They can leave comments, ask questions, and share their opinions. Ignoring their feedback is a serious mistake. If readers ask questions about what you discussed in previous parts or offer their ideas, it's a great sign that they are interested.
Excessive shock or unexpected twists. Of course, intrigue is important, but too sharp changes in the plot can scare away readers. Give readers small hints or hooks in previous parts so they feel involved in the process.
Ignoring conclusion. If you just stop writing without summarizing, readers might be left with a sense of uncertainty. The final part should summarize the main points and perhaps leave room for reflections or future topics.
In conclusion, seriality is a powerful tool for retaining an audience and increasing engagement, but only if used correctly. Remember that your goal is not only to tell a story but also to make readers want to come back for a new portion of content.
