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Inverted Pyramid Format

Have you ever found an online recipe that tells the author's whole life story before even listing the ingredients? Or maybe you're looking for an answer to a simple yes or no question, but the article you've found just bounces around the point. Inconveniences like these cause readers to click away from articles without getting the information they need. This is why HubPages prefers to use the inverted pyramid format. 

What is an inverted pyramid, and why is it applicable here? We use it as a model for presenting information to our readers. Essentially, we put the answer to the main query at the top of the article, and the rest of the text is arranged from most to least relevant. The inverted pyramid is especially important for online content, as readers have a high likelihood of clicking away if their query is not answered immediately. 

Anecdotal or tangential details that contribute to (rather than hurt) reader trust might be appropriate if it is a personal story and serves the article's topic, but it is sometimes prudent to move this content closer to the end of the piece. Your personal context is still significant, but if your title is "How to Make Award-Winning Spaghetti Tacos," you should start with the recipe, and then give us the details about how it came to fruition!

Examples

• In a DIY article, the reader is interested in learning how to complete the project, so any anecdotal information is best located after the how-to section.
• If an article title poses a question (such as "Why Is the Sky Blue?"), it should aim to provide a brief, one-sentence answer within the first paragraph of the article. Then, it can expand into more detail throughout the body of the piece. 
• According to tckpublishing.com, one of the first examples of the inverted pyramid style was in an 1865 New York Times article about Abraham Lincoln's assassination. The very first sentence explains the president's condition, and then it goes on to explain the details of the event. 

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HubPages Product Policy

This week, our pro tip is about Amazon products! This is a friendly reminder that authors may include Amazon links in their articles, as long as they follow our product placement guidelines.

If a product is mentioned in the text of the article, if the author has clearly used it, and if it's relevant to the article's main search query, the product may stay. In other words, if your recommendation seems genuine, trustworthy, unbiased, and unmotivated by earnings, and the product description is detailed and personal, the product should not be removed by our editing team.

Also, if by removing a product(s), the article would no longer satisfy the reader, and if the reader will want to see the image of the product or if it adds visual interest to the page, the product may stay. 

Examples and Quick Tips

• An article called “Gorgeous Gifts for Teenage Girls” will likely have products of the items mentioned.
• An article called “How to Cook Tater Tots” should probably not have any products. A reader searching for this topic is unlikely to want to buy a product.
• We prefer in-text links to Amazon capsules as they tend to look more elegant. However, if it is important for photos of the product to be in the article, an Amazon capsule might be the better option.
• Product reviews must discuss pros and cons of the product, not just the good parts. Otherwise, the piece may read like an advertisement and could be considered spammy. 

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Featured Articles of the Week

• Swimming in Plastic: The Worldwide Problem of Plastic Pollution by Doug West
• Pixy Stix and Poison: The Murder of Timothy O'Bryan by Michele Freeman
• Missing: Where Is Irene Gakwa? by Amara Cofer
• The Dance: A Short Story by  EL Doll 

Alyssa Bertetto, 0 Fans, 5 Hubs, Joined 2 months ago

Fresh Face of HubPages: Alyssa Bertetto

This week's fresh face of HubPages is Alyssa Bertetto! Alyssa writes articles about true crime mysteries and murders that took decades to solve. Check out their pieces about  "The Girl in the Polaroid" and "Mary Angie Cowan: 'Baker County Jane Doe' Identified."

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