Bullet points (also known as dot points) are an excellent way to get your message across in a concise way. They also make things easier to read and are a great way to break up big chunks of text to improve scanability. 

While I see many using bullet points, some aren’t using them as effectively as possible when writing content for blogs, landing pages, emails, and more. Over the years, I’ve honed my skills when it comes to bullet points, and I’ve got a list of tips that I’m ready to share with you!

Keep reading to see all my tips to help you use bullet points more effectively in your copy:

Formatting/ Style

While what you are saying in your bullet points is important (I’ll touch on it in the next section, don’t worry!), I’d like to start with the formatting. One of my pet peeves is poor and/ or inconsistent formatting/ style across bullet points throughout a single piece of content.

You should look to keep a symmetrical formatting across each set of bullet points. This means aiming for a similar length and structure. For example, are you writing in full sentences or short/ sharp points? Mixing the two in the same set of bullet points may confuse readers (and it doesn’t look good either!).

Even if you choose to write in full sentences, they should still be as concise as possible. The whole point of using bullet points is to break the text up a little bit, so if there are full paragraphs’ worth of bullet points, it kind of defeats the purpose.

It’s also a good idea to have a lead-in line before you kick off your list of bullet points. This helps to clearly explain to the reader what the set of points is about. The first word should start with a capital letter, and if you’re using full sentences, a full stop is required (it isn’t required for fragments, though).

Writing Engaging Content

All the formatting in the world won’t save an unengaging list of bullet points. One of the most important aspects to consider when writing bullet points is to focus on what’s in it for the reader. Instead of talking about features, focus on the benefits.

Another key consideration is to use power words. These are the types of words that are more likely to capture the attention of your audience. Words like “secret” and “proven” are good options if you’re stuck. 

When using bullet points in your content, it’s a good idea to address common objections. Think about what doubts readers might have about a certain topic and use logic or proof (for example, social proof) to disprove them.

Placement

You can get more out of your bullet points if you think about where they should be placed within the content. Your most interesting bullet points should be placed near the beginning of the content. The earlier the bullet points are placed, the more likely the user will read them (and the content will stick in their minds).

Bullet points shouldn’t be too long either; the normal number of points should be around three to seven. Any more than seven, you are more likely to start overwhelming the reader. As I mentioned previously, it’s a good idea to use bullet points to break up large chunks of text. It makes reading the content a lot less daunting.

Ready to take your copy to the next level? I can help with everything from bullet points to headlines and everything in between. There’s never been a better time to get the ball rolling, so reach out today 🙌