Whether you're a writer or a consumer of writing, there's no question that the way people read and interpret information has undergone a huge shift in recent years.

In fact, studies have shown that the average attention span is now only as long as that of a goldfish—and it's getting shorter—while nearly half of all readers spend less than fifteen seconds on an article before deciding whether to continue.

The rise of mediums like Instagram and Snapchat have put more emphasis on images and videos than ever before, drastically reducing the time users spend reading text.

And while the internet has democratized access to information, it has also made us more discriminating when it comes to what we want to read.

So how can you ensure that your audience reads your content? If you're writing for yourself or for marketing purposes on social media, here are some tips:

Use shorter words and sentences.

This doesn't mean dumbing down what you want to say—just consider how you can say it in fewer words, using shorter sentences. If you write out your piece first and then go back and edit later, see if there are any keywords or phrases that can be replaced with shorter synonyms that mean the same thing.

Use images and videos whenever possible.