Some writers seem to have a magic touch…
One minute you’re reading their introduction, and before you know it you’ve reached the end of their post.
Their content reads so smoothly, it’s almost impossible to stop.
How do they do it?
Well, it isn’t magic.
Great writers are meticulous about making each sentence flow seamlessly into the next. They understand how important it is for readers to have a smooth reading experience, and they remove anything that could cause friction.
In short: they use transition words.
Today, you’ll learn how to use them. But first, let’s examine why they’re so important.
Transitional Phrases: The Little Secret Copywriters Have Known for Ages
Copywriters have known this for a long time:
The primary purpose of each paragraph you write isn’t to make a point, or to build your argument, or even to convey valuable information.
It’s to get your reader to read the next paragraph.
Famous copywriter Maxwell Ross likened this to a “bucket brigade.”
Here’s why:
In the days before fire trucks and pressure hoses, people would put out fires by forming a human chain. They would pass a bucket of water from one person to the next until the last person finally threw it onto the fire.
In those days, it was vital the chain remained unbroken. If the bucket wasn’t passed smoothly from one person to the next, the water would spill.
Likewise, each paragraph you write must pass the reader on to the next one.
Really, the point of your first sentence is to get your second sentence read. And the point of the second sentence is to get your third sentence read. And the point of your third sentence — well, you get the idea.
Now, just like in a real bucket brigade, the chain must be unbroken, or you will “spill” readers along the way.
And that’s where transitional phrases come in.
Your writing is a series of ideas, propositions, and arguments placed one after the other.
But those ideas need to be linked together. You need transitional words and phrases to help readers understand how ideas relate to each other.
Without them, ideas end abruptly while new ones clumsily begin. Transitions make the ride smoother. They’re connecting words — they connect one idea to another, again and again, over and over.
On the plus side, you probably already use a few good transition words in your writing (to some extent). Many people use them naturally.
But most likely?
You’re barely scratching the surface.
Let’s remedy that, shall we?
Here are the different categories of common transition words and phrases, a list of transition words for each, and multiple real-world examples.
In about 10 minutes, you’ll be using transitional devices like a freelance writing rockstar.
13 Types of Transitional Words and Phrases Readers Can’t Resist
- “Mind Reader” Transition Phrases
- “Can’t Miss This” Transition Words
- “Important Insight” Transition Phrases
- “There’s a Catch” Transition Words
- “Big Answer” Transition Phrases
- “But Wait, There’s More” Transition Words
- “Exemplary Example” Transition Phrases
- “Lifting the Veil” Transition Words
- “How To” Transition Phrases
- “Stay with Me” Transition Words
- “Curious Question” Transition Phrases
- “Rhetorical Question” Transition Words
- “Guess What Happened” Transition Phrases
1. “Mind Reader” Transition Phrases
How it works: You claim to know what the reader is thinking, or you assume the reader agrees with something you’re about to say. The reader will then want to find out if you’re right.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- I know what you’re thinking…
- And now, you’re thinking…
- I can almost hear you thinking…
- You guessed it…
- I’m sure you’re with me on this one…
- Here’s something we can both agree on…
- I think you’ll agree with me when I say…
- You must be wondering…
- Let me guess…
Real-World Example:
So, you’d like to take blogging for a test drive, eh?
See if you like it or not before ponying up the bucks for a complete self-hosted WordPress setup?
You’ve probably heard you can start a blog for free, and indeed you can. The big question is:
What’s the best free blogging platform right now?
And the answer is… it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
The 5 Best Free Blogging Platforms in 2024 (100% Unbiased)2. “Can’t Miss This” Transition Words
How it works: You literally tell the reader you’re about to share an important piece of information. Nobody wants to miss anything important, which is why this simple transition phrase will pique your reader’s curiosity.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- Now, this is important…
- Here’s the interesting part…
- Here’s the bottom line…
- So what’s my point?
- Here’s why that’s important…
- And the best part is…
- You don’t want to miss this next part…
- It all boils down to this…
Real-World Example:
Power words are like a “cheat code” for giving your writing an emotional punch. Sprinkle in a few, and you can instantly transform your writing from dull and boring to sizzling with personality.
And the best part:
You can use them anywhere.
600+ Power Words That’ll Pack Your Writing with Emotion3. “Important Insight” Transition Phrases
How it works: You hint you’re about to share an important insight or discovery. Your reader will be curious to find out what it is.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- That’s when I realized…
- And then it hit me…
- Here’s what we found instead…
- I finally understood that…
- Then it finally dawned on me…
- But guess what I realized just in the nick of time…
- You won’t believe what we discovered…
Real-World Example:
As you saw in that post, page-specific offers convert WAY better than something generic (like “free updates”).
For example:
In my Google Ranking Factors post, I give away a checklist that makes the information from that post much more actionable:
And then it hit me:
Why would I offer someone something VERY specific with The Content Upgrade…
…and then turn around and make a generic offer in my popup?
That doesn’t make any sense.
List Building: How to Build an Email List4. “There’s a Catch” Transition Words
How it works: You hint at a problem or obstacle keeping the reader from reaching their desired goal. The reader will want to know what the problem is (and they’ll assume you’ll also provide the solution).
Transition Sentence Examples:
- But there’s a catch…
- So what’s the catch?
- There’s just one problem…
- The problem is…
- Here’s the main issue with that…
- And this is where people run into trouble…
- That’s when you might hit a snag…
Real-World Example:
That’s what makes the idea of “evergreen content” so appealing — it’s supposed to be immune to fickle fancies and flavors of the month.
But here’s the problem:
If your evergreen content is forgettable, being “timeless” is pretty pointless.
Your content could be relevant and evergreen until the end of time. But if it’s bland, it won’t matter. If it’s boring, no one will care. If it’s forgettable, its timelessness is wasted.
Evergreen Content 2.0: Timeless Posts People Will Actually Remember5. “Big Answer” Transition Phrases
How it works: After you identify a problem or obstacle for your reader, show them the solution.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- So what’s the solution?
- Fortunately, there’s a simple solution…
- The solution is simple…
- Here’s the big secret…
- The answer?
- The trick is to…
- Here’s how you solve this…
- Here’s how it works…
Real-World Example:
Despite any preconceptions, you can effectively market your blog without coming across like a used car salesman.
Here’s how…
Mix up your promotional messages with lots of useful and interesting content.
If you’re giving people useful information at the same time as promoting your e-book, you’ll feel less like a pushy salesperson.
21 Dumb Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your First E-book6. “But Wait, There’s More” Transition Words
How it works: Use this transitional phrase when you’re offering two (or more) big benefits to the reader. Typically, you’d start with the most important benefit first, and then use this type of phrase to transition into the additional benefits.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- But wait, there’s more…
- But that’s not all…
- It gets better…
- And I’m not stopping there…
- As if that’s not enough…
- And on top of that…
- Matter of fact…
- In similar fashion…
- In the second place…
- Similarly…
- Likewise…
- In like manner…
Real-World Example:
My favorite plugin for adding social sharing buttons is Social Warfare.
Not only do its sharing buttons look super-slick, but it’s built with performance in mind so its behavior is slick too.
The plugin allows you to add “Click to Tweet” boxes to your content – another way to encourage social sharing.
And you can also add Pinterest-specific images to maximize engagement on that platform. This is useful because taller images perform better on Pinterest but you don’t want to have to change the dimensions of your featured image.
And it gets better…
You can avoid negative social proof (people thinking that content with few shares is low quality) by hiding your share counts until you reach a respectable number.
Warning: Ignoring These 7 WordPress Plugins Could Seriously Damage Your Blog7. “Exemplary Example” Transition Phrases
How it works: Introduce an example to your readers. People tend to pay attention to examples because they help contextualize the main they’ve just learned. And it doesn’t need to be fancy. You’ll notice in our example we use a single transition word, and it does the trick just fine.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- For example…
- Take Billy’s story, for example…
- Here’s a little case study of this strategy in action…
- Case in point…
- Just look at what happened to…
Real-World Example:
If readers see too much text when they’re scanning without enough pit stops, they’ll feel overwhelmed. It’s like getting on a bus tour and being told there will be no bathroom breaks … oh, the anxiety!
EXAMPLE:
Every single post on Smart Blogger.
Seriously.
That’s how important this is.
How to Write a Blog Post in 2024: The Ultimate Guide8. “Lifting the Veil” Transition Words
How it works: You hint at a clarification or supplementation of the preceding text. Readers will pay attention because they realize it will help them understand the information better.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- Let me clarify…
- I’ll explain…
- Let me elaborate…
- Let me walk you through…
- Here’s what I mean…
- Let me lift the veil for you…
- Let me break this down for you…
Real-World Example:
There are lots of guides about how to make money blogging, but here’s what makes this one different:
I’ve taken three different blogs to over $1 million per year. In fact, the blog you’re reading right now has made a total of $5.3 million.
How to Make Money Blogging (Free Guide for 2023)9. “How To” Transition Phrases
How it works: You transition from the theoretical to the practical. You introduce the steps the reader must take to get the promised result. This is the reason most of them are reading your content in the first place, so it will make them sit up and take notice.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- Here’s how to do it yourself…
- Here’s how you can do the same thing…
- How?
- Here’s how…
- You’re about to find out how…
- But how do you… ?
- Let me tell you how…
Real-World Example:
In other words, your readers are already buying things. They are already going to make a purchase whether or not you give them any advice.
The question is, could you help them make a smarter decision than they could alone?
Because that’s where you add value. You earn a commission in exchange for helping people make smarter decisions, and you use your blog and the Internet to systemize that process, providing valuable advice to thousands of people.
Here’s a step-by-step process for doing exactly that:
Affiliate Marketing for Beginners: Go from 0 to $1,000 In Passive Income10. “Stay with Me” Transition Words
How it works: You command the reader to stay on the page. Use this phrase whenever the reader might have doubts about a bold or shocking claim, or after you’ve doled out some complicated information. Most readers will feel compelled to comply.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- Stay with me now…
- Stick with me here, because…
- Keep reading…
- Don’t stop reading now…
- I know that’s a lot to take in, but bear with me…
- Final point…
Real-World Example:
I know, it’s heresy. Just saying that, I’m half expecting a mob with pitchforks to show up at my door.
But stick with me for a moment.
Over the last decade, I’ve created or helped create content that has generated over 200 million page views. What might surprise you though is the vast majority of that traffic was completely worthless. People came to the site, stuck around for a minute or two, and then left.
So yes, it’s an impressive number, but it’s also a meaningless one.
For All the Entrepreneurs Confused about How Content Marketing Actually Works11. “Curious Question” Transition Phrases
How it works: If you’re looking for a super smooth transition phrase, pose a question. Questions engage the reader’s brain and make them feel like they’re part of a conversation (rather than being lectured like you often find in pretenious academic writing). When you pose a question, the reader will want to know the answer, which means they have to keep reading.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- But what does that mean?
- But what exactly is…?
- Why is that?
- Why does this work?
- How do I know?
- Is it true?
- But what if… ?
- But where can you find… ?
- So when do you use… ?
Real-World Example:
In addition to The Bard, authors like Maya Angelou, Edgar Allan Poe, and Charles Dickens excel at sensory language. So do literally every famous poet you learned about in school.
And that begs the obvious question…
Why are sensory details so effective?
Short answer:
Our brains handle sensory words differently than ordinary words.
581 Sensory Words to Take Your Writing from Bland to Brilliant12. “Rhetorical Question” Transition Words
How it works: Rhetorical questions engage the reader’s brain the same way as curious questions — the only difference is curious questions hint at an upcoming answer, while rhetorical questions assume the answer. This will prime the reader to agree with you.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- You see my point, right?
- Do you see how huge this is?
- Don’t you wish… ?
- Is that something you’d like for your business?
- How awesome is that?
- Do you ever wonder… ?
- Sound good?
- Amazing, isn’t it?
Real-World Example:
You’re a freelance writer. You get paid to write for websites, magazines, corporate clients — all different types of gigs.
And it’s work you can do from anywhere.
One week, you’re on the beach. The next, perhaps you’re in the mountains. The week after that, you’re visiting family.
Sounds like a dream, right? Like it can’t possibly be real?
But it is.
How to Become a Freelance Writer, Starting from Scratch13. “Guess What Happened” Transition Phrases
How it works: You tease the big payoff or conclusion. Readers understand this is one of the most crucial parts of your article or story, so they pay close attention.
Transition Sentence Examples:
- Guess what happened?
- Here’s what happened next…
- The result?
- Even I was surprised at what happened next…
- You won’t believe how the story ends…
- These were our results…
Real-World Example:
The good news is, you can dramatically speed up the process. Instead of wasting months or years chasing a bad idea, you can find out if it’s going to work in weeks or even days. In fact, the process I’m outlining here often destroys a bad idea within minutes.
The result?
You waste WAY less time. Instead of banging your head against the wall for months or even years before you finally figure everything out, you can adapt quickly and get to the right idea within a matter of weeks or months. It’s at least 20X faster. Probably more like 100X.
How to Start a Blog: Easy, Step-by-Step Guide for BeginnersTransitional Phrases: More Examples + Infographic
There are literally hundreds of common transitions you can use to keep your readers glued to the page.
To discover more, check out this giant list of 502 transitional words and phrases compiled by UK-based copywriter Kevin Carlton. Kevin’s curated these examples from blogs, sales letters, and website copy over several years. It’s a handy addition to any writer’s toolkit — and will definitely help level up your writing skills and improve the effect and flow of your words.
And for a handy visual of the 13 types of transitional phrases we just discussed, check out the image below. Feel free to share and embed it on your own site:
Embed This Infographic On Your Site
Add Transitional Phrases to Your Writing and Watch Reader Engagement Skyrocket
When you master sentence transitions, you’ll notice readers will stay on your posts longer. You’ll notice more of them will read your posts to the end.
Don’t get me wrong; these phrases aren’t magic. They won’t turn a bad article into a good one.
But they can help turn a good article into a great one.
You still have to write content that’s, you know, of interest to your audience. But if you do, these phrases can help keep your readers glued to the page. One minute they’ll be reading your opening lines, and before they know it, they’ll have reached the end of your article.
So sprinkle transitional phrases throughout your content, and one day, you’ll check your analytics and notice people are spending a lot more time on your posts.
That’s when you know they’re doing their job.
Sounds pretty good, right?
Excellent article! I think I’m pretty good at using transitional phrases, but I’m definitely going to be even more conscientious going forward. Bookmarked!
Hi Erin, thanks for the feedback, so glad it was helpful.
Hi, I am beginner in writing i like your article, it’s very informative. As a beginner it’s very help full for me. Thanks for your informative article.
Same here, I am so enlightened after reading your post Rob! Awesome stuff, keep up the good work.
Hi Rob!
This is a very touchy article for me as a blogger. Thanks for lots of explanation to use transitional phrases. Kudos.
Hi Raj, thanks for your comment. Good luck with your transitions!
Thanks for sharing, your articles are always helpful
Thanks George! Hope it helps.
Hi Rob!
Thank you for your very informative post on transitional phrases.I never knew about these things.I am still getting my feet wet in the sea of blogging and there`s just so much to take in.Your posts are too good must say.
Hi Mustafa, I’m glad you enjoyed the article. You’re right, there’s so much to learn about blogging. I hope the article helps!
Hi, I am beginner in writing i like your article, it’s very informative. As a beginner it’s very help full for me. Thanks for your informative article.
Excellence write-ups rob. See, I had used some shared tips on my long-term blog but for as for the remainings… I will add it up to my elbow.
Welcome to SB and thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Jon. All the best with your writing!
This is one of my favorite topics when I do writing critiques. Most folks don’t understand that every paragraph HAS to compel you to read the next one, or readers are gone.
Thanks Carol, it’s so easy to lose sight of that. Every paragraph really has only one job…
Hi Rob,
Thank you!
That was brilliant and thank you again for your clarity and examples.
Never mind blogging, I’ve a feeling this will help me with my relationships (so easy to become boring with one’s responses and conversations after a while!)
Please accept my kindest regards.
Thank you Zarayna! I think this is the single most powerful tool a blog writer can have. But it takes work and doesn’t come naturally (at least not for me) – with every new blog post I have to remind myself to have a conversation with the reader and not lecture them. Good luck with your blogging!
Wow. This is absolutely incredible. Transitional words will be very helpful when I’m writing. Thank you!
Thanks Joel. It’s a very powerful writing technique and really worth mastering. Good luck with your writing!
Thank you for these great tips !
Thanks Markus. All the best with your writing!
Bookmarked! I’ll be saving these notes for editing. Thank you.
Thanks Autumn, I’m really glad you found it helpful!
Great post, Rob. I think we can learn a lot about writing if we listen more to how people speak. All your transitional phrases are very conversational, which comes naturally. So, when we use them in writing, it makes the flow of our words more rhythmic and appealing to our brain. The result? Engaged readers!
Cheers, Mel
Thanks Mel, great to see you here! I really enjoy reading your articles. Yes, transitional phrases can really transform an article. They can make the writing seem so natural and effortless. The one who really seems to have mastered this technique is Brian Dean over at backlinko. Cheers, Rob.
Marvellous. You’ve just made me a better writer. It’s interesting how I’ve been using them unknowingly. With this article, I will be more conscious. Thanks for that great article. Please give us more.
Hi Andy, I’m so glad to hear that! With my own writing I constantly have to remind myself that even when I think I’m done and ready to hit ‘publish’, there’s still one more step: adding in the transitional phrases!
Incredibly helpful – thank you for writing!
Thank you Carp, wonderful feedback!
Incredibly helpful and easy to read – thank you for sharing!
Thanks Carol, really glad it was helpful. Good luck with your writing!
Amazing tips. I’ll incorporate them today. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Subhadeep, transitions are a really powerful technique, they can really transform one’s writing. All the best!
This post caught my attention big time.
However, there are two transitions that backfire when used on me:
“But wait, there’s more” and “Stay with me”.
Triteness aside, I can’t explain why they backfire, but somehow, someway, I seem to get the idea that the author can’t get the point across without throwing in excess words. That apparently hits a nerve with me psychologically. When that happens, there’s little hope that I’ll finish the read.
Fortunately for the ones using those transitions, I’m a rare bird.
Hi Aden, thanks for your comment. I know what you mean and I agree that sometimes these transitional phrases result in more words than would otherwise be needed. But I think that’s a small price to pay for establishing a dialogue with the reader. Anyway, I appreciate the comment – worth thinking about.
Transitional phrases are incredibly easy to incorporate to your writing and have the power to make your readers consume your content effortlessly.
I’ll start using them today.
Thanks Rob for your wonderful insight.
Thanks Nicholas, great comment. I’ve actually found that while the writing that results from using conversational transitions can seem effortless, it often takes quite a lot of work to create that effect 🙂
Best wishes for your writing!
erything is brilliantly explained Rob. first of all. You are a genius of this world, so please, do not leave it.
greetings from Madrid
Thanks Chicas, all the best with your writing!
Thanks Chicas, fantastic to get feedback like that, good luck with your writing!
i am facing low time on site issue, will try this to increase dwelling time
Hi Mike, transitions are great for increasing dwell time, all the best!
Amazing to have so many examples of these… I used to read through so many of the articles written on this site (and especially by Jon) that when I started writing my own material I automatically started using these phrases because I must’ve known on some subconscious/unconscious level that they worked, and glad to know that on a conscious level I’m on the right track. So now I have more in my little bag of tricks to add when I’m feeling stuck, to help it all flow perfectly the way i’d love it to! Brilliant 🙂 I have already bookmarked this page *thumbs up*
Thanks Jo, transitions are a very powerful tool to have in your writer’s toolkit and Jon uses them to great effect. I hope you’ll never feel stuck for a transition again 😊
Hi Rob,
Great article you have here. When I saw this article in my inbox yesterday, I bookmarked it for later, and here we are, full of amazing tips on how to use transition phrases to get maximum engagement.
The use of conversation phases is a remarkable way that has worked well.
In fact, the rise of voice search has also make it an essential element in blogging and content marketing, because users are always on their phones making search queries.
The searches they make are more conversational.
However, I will be implementing more of the tips suggested.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Moss, thanks for your feedback and glad you found it helpful. It’s a good point you make about the rise of voice search. Though I think the real reason conversational transitions are so powerful is that they engage the reader in such a way that the reading becomes almost effortless. All the best with your writing!
Incredibly helpful post. Here’s the thing…, I will feature it in my next posts rundown.Thanks for sharing, Rob.
Hi Oby, thanks so much for featuring it, that’s awesome! Best wishes, Rob.
I never thought writing a piece of content can be so technical. But this post reveals all the secrets and hopefully, now I would be able to decrease the bounce rate of my website.
Thanks for your feedback, Alex. These kind of transitions will definitely keep people on your page longer and decrease your bounce rate. All the best, Rob.
Great article. I use ProWriter which scores each draft and tells me how well the article is written on multiple dimensions. One of them is “transitions” and I routines receive a low score.
Unfortunately, they offer only a vague explanation so it’s hard to make any improvements. This article helps tremendously – thanks for it.
Suggestion: team up with ProWriter to offer “Transition Training” to its users. We pay to get all this feedback from them – surely we’d be willing to invest in better skills.
Hi Francis, that’s a great suggestion! I’ll follow up with ProWriter and see if they’re interested. All the best with your transitions, Rob.
Hey Rob!
I love this list man!
Super helpful for new content writers (bloggers). I really like your analogy with the “human chain” when a fire was up. Very well said.
I’ve realized that writing great and compelling content is a true art and skill. It comes from knowledge and experience.
I think the best tip you have given here is the goal of a paragraph, and that its job is to get the reader to be enticed to read the next one!
Thanks for sharing these tips!
Cheers! 😀
Thanks Freddy, so glad it was helpful. Wishing you the best with your writing, Rob.
So much to learn, so many great tips! Appreciate your help in transforming a beginner in the blogging world!
Hi Denise, I’m so glad it was helpful. I remember what it was like as a beginning blogger – so much to learn! I think learning how to use transitions is the single most valuable skill for a beginning blogger. Wishing you success, Rob.
Everyday is a lesson and experience for content marketers to get better in the writing process.
@Hi
Thats Awesome for Me ! SMARTBLOGGER are a very cool site. here, I got a lot of good informations. Thanks for Sharing This.
@Regards
Sagar Chauhan
Hi Rob.
A very informative post you’ve got. There are so many things to learn as a blogger and the art of writing and engaging your readers has always been at the top.
While writing has always been one of the things I struggle with everyday as a blogger, I never fail to learn the art bit by bit from helpful blog posts like yours and this blog, smartblogger has always been one of my go-to blog to improve my writing skills.
Thanks alot for sharing.
Hi Jay, thanks for your feedback. Writing in a way that engages your readers is the most valuable skill a blogger can learn. But it takes lots and lots of practice. With some bloggers it appears to be second nature. But I suspect they spend hours going over their posts, polishing and honing their transitions. All the best! Rob.
Hi Rob A very helpful resource to a new blogger like me. I love your grouping of the transitions under various headings and the explanations of when to use them with examples. This post is really a tutorial on how to write to captivate your reader. Thank you Rob. Learnt a ton from it.
Thanks Poovanesh. All the best with your writing! Rob.
Hi Rob,
Amazing group of transitions in the articles…this surely help in making the article interesting to read..i would surely use few of them in future..thanks Rob for sharing this unique information with us…!!
Arvind
Your’e welcome Arvind, all the best with your writing! Rob
Rob, as a professional who is tasked with creating materials and then presenting said materials, I will be referencing your article in the future as it is so applicable in the public speaking environs. Thanks for the well-written article with top-notch advice! ~~Dave
Thanks David, glad to be of help. Rob.
Hey Rob,
No doubt that the copyrighting world has evolved so much. There are many talented writers who keep the interest even at the end.
Using the transitional phrases isn’t something everyone can do. I always fall for “There is one problem with this approach”.
People just want to know what’s the best way to scale their business. I like it when I send an email suggesting the perfect methods and mention each and every single disadvantage.
“How huge it is” Who wouldn’t fall for this?
The numbers always work and the calculative phrases are killing.
Thanks for sharing the guide with us.
Have a great day.
~Ravi
Thanks Ravi, glad it was useful. All the best with your writing, Rob.
A very educative article I must say, caught my attention to the end. I will definitely apply them in my blogs. Thanks, Rob.
So glad it was useful, Angie. These kind of transitions can really transform a blog post! Rob
Hi Rob, it’s such like my missing puzzle to complete the copywriting lessons. I’ve been reading a lot of words how to make one paragraph connecting smoothly to the next paragraph but I’m still stuck in an untidy paragraph.
And guess what,
I’ve printed out this awesome ‘tutorial as a cookbook when I’m writing my blog post.
Thank you so much Rob.
You’re welcome Try! I’m so glad my article has helped make your writing flow. All the best! Rob
Hi Rob, I want to write the article that makes visitors interest and stay on my website longer, what should I make it?
Hi Koemsiely, the best way to keep your visitors interested and keep them reading is to write in a way that engages them. Ask them questions. Try and anticipate objections that crop up in their minds as they read your article. And then answer those objections. Give them the sense that you know what they are thinking. Or at least that you are trying to guess what they are thinking. Try and write your article as if you were having a chat with a friend. Hope this helps. All the best! Rob.
Excellent article! I am certainly going to use more transitional phases in my blogs now!
Thanks Baidhurya. Transitions like these will draw your readers in and make your writing much more engaging. All the best! Rob
A transitional phrase shows how the meaning of one sentence is related to the meaning of the preceding sentence. Transition words are used in these for establishing cohesion. When you use transitional phrases correctly in your written pieces, the overall flow improves.
Excellent article! Thank you so much ROB
Thanks David, strictly speaking you’re quite right – a transition acts as a connection between different ideas, it acts as a road sign telling the reader where you are going. But it struck me while writing this article that there’s another kind of transition (that’s being used more and more in online writing), a conversational transition that not only connects the ideas in two consecutive paragraphs, but also connects with the reader. It’s almost like the writer is saying to the reader: “Are you still there?” (a bit like one does in an online chat when the customer representative has been silent for a long time). Thanks for your great comment!
Hi, Rob (and Jon)! This is great. I learned about Bucket Bridges from Brian Dean and I have been using them since. I think he is the best example of transitional words, phrases, and sentences at work. He even uses them in his YouTube videos. (It gets annoying once you realize what he is doing, but it works wonderfully still.) However, except for blogging, I don’t think these are acceptable. Some blogs (professional ones, at least) don’t accept this “fluff” content and the editors will trim the heck out of it.
It’s Awesome Bro. thanks Rob for sharing this unique information with us . <3 🙂
You’re welcome Kamran 🙂
Transitional phrases are good for online business, as it inspires people to keep reading and inspires more ad dollars to roll in. Am I right?
Transitional phrases will certainly improve reader engagement and that in turn will result in higher search engine rankings. Increased reader engagement will probably motivate people to subscribe to your list. If your blog is monetized, all these things are likely to result in increased profits.
Always having prenter to the maximum the attention of the reader.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for sharing! I was actually in the process of writing an article and added a few more transition phrases and I think it reads a lot better now!
Hi Rob,
It’s great to read your post again. I was busy with my projects, that’s the reason I was inactive a bit, specially reading & commenting was completely off.
I completely agree with your points, Transitional phrases are important these days to keep readers engaged, so I appreciate your efforts for giving these tips. Great work.
~ Donna
Hi Donna, great to see you here! Thanks for your feedback. Yes, transitional phrases can really bring a piece of writing to life. When they’re used well I’m sometimes not even aware that I’m reading, and before I know it I’ve reached the end of the post!
Wow this is gold, just as amazing as your headline hacks newsletter which I regularly pull out when I’m really stuck for a headline! Thanks so much Jon!
x
Maria
Hi Maria,
Thanks so much – I’m thrilled to get feedback like that! The post is actually by me, Rob Powell ;-). But I agree, Jon’s posts are amazing, as is his newsletter.
Best,
Rob
Wow! This is fantastic. I continue to be blown away by the quality and relevance of the content here at SmartBlogger. Rob, you just helped me craft a post I was battling with by giving me the phrases that made it flow. I’m super grateful.
That’s fantastic to hear Cathy! So glad to get feedback like this. All the best with your writing and for the New Year!
Hi,
i just want to say thanks for sharing this great post read many post but the way of your explanation is completely awesome that make sense and understandable also you have good blog with lots of information going to share your blog in my wall and will be back soon for more informative articles.
Thank you Rob, great info. Appreciate you sharing your valuable insight and examples. Even getting me to read the post till the end. Thanks again.
You’re welcome Jerry! Thanks so much for your feedback. Cheers, Rob.
Great article and i enjoy to read it….
Thanks Mandiri!
That’s an amazing article and just what I needed! Thank you for a great post Rob.
Thanks for your feedback Sangeeta, glad you found it useful.
Hey Rob,
I really enjoyed reading this article, as I myself have been looking for different ways to elevate my own writing techniques and skills for creative writing. And while I knew transitional phrases were a key point to creating an enjoyable experience for the reader, I had never truly thought of it as deeply until reading this. I definitely will make sure to pay more attention to this.
Thanks for your feedback Tyler! Transitional phrases are a great technique to have in your writer’s toolkit. All the best with your writing!
Great read! The purpose of your paragraph is not the point but to get your reader to read the next paragraph, this phrase is so true. There is so many things one can do to get a reader’s attention and generate that click that will hook the reader to read your content. Keeping track of all the customers/readers that do make it to you article can challenge. To keep track of your SEO there are many resources you can use, https://www.ignitur.com/information-gathering/ can help you keep track and analyze your web content. It can let you know how often and how long that person stayed on your article. Using transitional phrases will generate people to stay on your website longer and get your point across.
Hi there Rob! This information helped me sooo much so thank you!! As a writer and extremely part-time blogger, making sure I have fresh sounding transitions in my writing is very important to me. And from the transition suggestions you made to how you broke it down and made it easy to understand, I just really appreciated your advice. Thanks again, and I will definitely be taking a look at your other articles from now on!
Thanks William, fantastic feedback! I’m really glad it helped you. All the best with your writing! Rob.
“Sounds pretty good. Right?” You got me with the last sentence, Rob.
I have been hearing about ‘Transitional Phrases’ since the day I started using Yoast SEO plugin but had no idea they could be so powerful.
I was ‘glued’ to your article, literally. I realized I had reached the end when I saw the ‘About the Author.’
Can’t thank you enough for compiling so many powerful transitional phrases in one article.
Thanks Avdhesh, really glad you enjoyed reading it! Yes, that the Yoast plugin now measures transitions as an on-page SEO factor, is an indication how important they are. All the best with your transitions!
Wow! Awesome guide. This post is great. The tips which you have shared are amazing.
This is one of the best article I have ever read Rob. Very good insights on how to keep readers hanging to force them to read the full article.
I like your approach and it will help to a newbie blogger like me..I have heard the term ‘Transitional Phrases’ first time in my SEO journey.. I will definitely use it on my blog post at growthfunda.com. I love to connect with you for such good articles..
Thanks Amol for your great feedback! It’s wonderful to get comments like this. All the best with using transitional phrases in your articles. Wishing you every success! Rob
Hi, this is very good transitional phrases. i am enjoying to read this post…
Thanks Fire ants, glad it’s helping you!
Hi, Rob you’re smart blogger can create great writing and provide experience to the reader. I get new experiences when visiting on your blog. Thank you very much. keep on working!
Thanks Jerawat, I’m glad it’s helpful!
Best, Rob
Great post. No wonder using these transition phrases create curiosity among users to read more! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Kunal! All the best with you writing…
Rob.
This is a fantastic article. Thanks for writing it, Rob.
Bookmark it and study it.
I first heard about this idea from Brian Dean (as you mentioned above)
but apparently this has been around for longer than him.
After reading Dean’s take on it, I revised my blog post.
Reading back over it, I see that I used “But there’s a catch..” WAY too much, lol.
I just love these. It’s hard not to use them even when they don’t quite fit.
Thanks, Jon, great feedback! Yes, like you I first became aware how powerful this technique is in Brian Dean’s articles – he’s a master of it! “But don’t take my word for it…” (just kidding, lol). I don’t think you can use them too much. Thanks again!
Great article Rob. Transitional phrases are very important for improving the readability score.
The post is great as usual.
OMG I think this is hands down the most useful post I’ve read for ages. But there’s a huge catch…
I now need to go back and tidy up all the posts on my site before I hit publish.
Thank you – this is printed and on the wall in my office 🙂
Thanks, Mark, glad it was helpful – Rob.
Hi Joddy, thanks for your comment. Yes, they are the key to writing content that gets read. All the best, Rob.
Awesome guide Rob, wow that was a really amazing article, it will be quite helpful in honing my writing skills, These are definitely some great tips to write memorable content.
Thanks for the AWESOME share. Have a great day 🙂
-@rajatchuahan
Thank you for this good post.
Thank you for this! I bookmarked it and don’t write a post without having this open and ready to refer to. Excellent job!
Hi Rob,
Before reading this, I felt like I was pretty good at transitions…but…the information you have here offers so much more to work with. This is proof that no matter how much we think we know, it’s important to read blogs like yours to grow.
In fact, while I was reading, I got an idea I want to try out with a fellow business networker to convince him to hire me to write for his business.
Thanks for the insights and detail.
NancyT
Hi Nancy, thanks so much for your comment! I’m so glad my article was helpful and gave you new ideas for your writing.
All the best, Rob.
Hi Lynn, so glad the article was helpful. All the best with your writing!
regards, Rob.
Thanks, Rajat, I’m so glad you found it useful. I think I put more into writing this article than any other blog post I’ve ever written, so I’m glad it paid off 🙂
All the best with your writing,
Rob.
Hi Coralie, thanks for your amazing feedback! I’m so glad it was helpful. All the best with your writing!
– Rob.
Hii Rob you giving us such valuable information which help us in the future.
You’re welcome, Raj, glad it was useful – Rob
Rob,
Thank you so much for this very helpful content. I have seen suggestions for this in my SEO optimization and didn’t really know what to do about it. Now I know a few things I can do to help keep readers to the very end.
I am going to share this with my blogger friends.
Rob, I just wanted to let you know I keep coming back to this one. Thank you for creating it!
I happened across this article from another one of your blog posts. I don’t remember which one, sorry. But on occasion I get notifications from Yoast SEO to write more transitional phrases.
Unfortunately, Yoast is pretty not helpful with what transitional phrases actually are. So when I saw you link to your transitional phrase post I decided to check it out.
I was thinking transition words were words like “then” “next” “finally” and I hate using those words as it feels really stiff.
But when I saw your list I realized I use transitional phrases all the time. I especially use the “stay with me” and the “you’re probably thinking” type ones.
Really, I think the key for transitional phrases is to just write conversationally.
Write as if you’re talking to a real person, because, well, you are. And since it’s a one sided conversation, if you just insert what you expect the other person to say into your actual writing, then BAM transitional phrases.
This helped a lot.
I’m going to bookmark it and come back to this list if I get hit for a transitional phrase warning again.
It does still happen.
Great content. Transitional words are essential elements of a fluent piece of content and semantic algorithm of Google. They definitely help the content to communicate with Google bot more efficiently. However, they are also likely to extend the sentences too long sometimes causing readability problems if they are used excessively.
Superb! I refer to this blog often, when writing ad copy and emails.