Format Your Text Like a Designer
Let’s face it: attention spans are short.
According to the BBC, we now consume as much data in a single day as someone in the 15th century would encounter in their entire lifetime.
Your audience is juggling a lot. If your content is hard to follow, it will almost definitely be ignored.
An ad designed by Whitney Larson
Why Formatting Matters
Dense blocks of text feel overwhelming. They’re a fast track to a closed tab. On the flip side:
Short paragraphs give readers space to pause and absorb points.
Subheadings break content into digestible sections.
Bold text highlights key ideas at a glance.
These techniques aren’t just about aesthetics. They affect comprehension, retention, and whether someone stays on the page long enough to understand your message.
Research shows that visual enhancements like bolding, icons, and inline visuals significantly improve reading behavior.
Foldable brochure designed by Whitney Larson
This means that formatting is an essential design decision that shapes impact.
Here are some tips on how to apply formatting principles across content types:
On Websites: Structure Is Everything
Tips:
Use clear headers (H1s, H2s), intuitive layouts, and consistent formatting across similar pages.
Keep paragraphs short and scannable—the optimal line length for body text is 50–75 characters.
Choose readable typography (minimum 16px on mobile). Break up long sections with visual hierarchy and white space.
We applied this approach in the redesign of Philadelphia Academies, Inc.’s website. By streamlining navigation and standardizing content blocks, we turned a confusing sitemap into a site that feels logical and easy to use.
An interactive homepage of the Health in Harmony website redesign
In Graphic Design: Visual Hierarchy Wins
Tips:
Break content into smaller modules.
Use headers, color, and spacing to show what goes where.
Let visuals breathe with adequate margins and gutters.
Keep font styles simple and consistent and avoid overly decorative fonts.
Sidebars, callouts, and images can help guide the reader through complex ideas.
When we redesigned the newsletter for the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists (AEG), we transformed it from a wall of text into a magazine-style layout. The result: a more engaging read that mirrors the organization’s excellence.
The newly designed AEG newsletter
In Email: Support the Skim
Tips:
Make sure you have one strong visual goal per email (for example, a call to action encouraging users to do something in particular, or a button up top).
Use strong headers, paragraphs no longer than 1–3 lines, bolded key phrases, and buttons instead of plain hyperlinks.
Embrace ample padding between elements to reduce fatigue.
Prioritize mobile readability to meet users where they are (85% of users use smartphones to check their email).
We’ve seen our highest newsletter engagement when we follow these rules. Strong formatting helps your audience get the message quickly and clearly.
A screenshot of the Boman Communications email newsletter (sign up in the footer)
TL;DR
Good formatting makes content easier to read, understand, and remember. Think like a designer:
Keep paragraphs short
Break up walls of text
Make content scannable by using bold text or color
Structure content using correct headings
Whitespace is our friend
At Boman Comms, we help mission-driven teams bring structure and clarity to everything they create, from the words to the layout. Need formatting or design support? Let’s talk.