If you’re trying to get readers to do something, either purchasing your product or subscribing to your newsletter, you need to understand how to write messages that will encourage them to say yes.
Writing effectively and persuasively comes down to using language, structure, and style to capture your audience’s attention.
This blog will give you ways to capture your audience’s interest with the following tips throughout your writing.
Watch the length of your sentences.
One aspect of conversational tone is avoiding the use of overly complex, lengthy sentences (as well as keeping your paragraphs short). Long, winding sentences can be difficult to read quickly or cite in a paper—and in both cases, you’ll want to get the point across succinctly. This doesn’t mean that you should take all the color and flavor out of your writing, but it does mean that you should consider shorter words and shorter phrases whenever possible. There are ways to break long and complicated sentences into smaller chunks, so it’s easier to read and understand.
Write like you’re talking.
Writing in a conversational tone means writing as if you were talking to someone. Write like you’re conversing with your reader or writing an email to a friend. This is the opposite of the formal tone, which is more traditional and distant. It’s essential to choose the right style for your purpose. Using a formal technique makes sense if you’re writing something that is meant to be taken very seriously, like a research paper. If you’re writing an article about something fun and exciting, then a conversational tone will help engage your reader.
When writing in a conversational tone, the main thing to remember is that you want your readers to feel comfortable reading your content. You don’t want them to feel like they are being talked down to or lectured. Instead of speaking at them, you want to speak with them.
Your words matter
Choose familiar and natural words to your audience’s vocabulary, but avoid slang or jargon unless they’re common in your industry or field of study. When you use unfamiliar words or phrases, don’t define them immediately afterward; save those definitions for footnotes or endnotes (footnotes appear at the bottom of a page, endnotes at the end of a chapter). This way, if you have to define a word more than once in an article or book chapter, readers won’t become irritated by having to look up every other sentence as they read along.
You can use this fantastic list of plain language words and phrases by the United States government in your writing.
The language you use matters, too.
Think about how much more genuine and readable your writing is when it’s free of stilted language and feels like someone’s speaking directly to you.
Just as it’s essential to consider how you present your writing, your language choices will be a big part of the effect you want to create with your blog. The most common blog style is writing in a conversational tone. But to sound like you’re talking with your readers in real life, you must understand how people speak and what they say. If you stick to conventional, formal writing, no matter what else you do, your blog will come across as stilted and inauthentic.
Read your writing out loud.
Readability tests show that people prefer short sentences with lots of white space on the page; this makes them easier to read quickly without taking mental breaks for every sentence. But if your sentences are too short (like tweets or text messages), they can be confusing or difficult for readers who aren’t familiar with the subject matter or don’t understand the document’s purpose. If it doesn’t sound natural coming from your mouth, change it so it sounds natural.
Add emotion
Conversational writing also involves showing an emotional connection with the reader. This means making your essay more personal so that it sounds like you’re talking directly to them rather than at them or about them.
To write in a conversational tone, you need to be able to connect with your readers on an emotional level. By doing this, you’ll be able to create a sense of connection between writer and reader, making your writing more compelling and engaging.
Consider your audience
To write in a conversational tone, you need to consider the audience you are writing to. Some aspects of your writing will come across differently to a business audience than if you were writing to your friends. When speaking with someone, we think before we tell and use language in a way that makes sense to our listeners. That way, they can understand what we are saying and form an opinion based on what they hear and not on what they read. When we write, however, we have the luxury of time and space to select our words carefully, rephrase them, and edit as necessary.
Keep it light
All you have to do is remember to be yourself. Not only does this allow for a more natural feel, but it also helps you connect with your readers and build stronger relationships. In a time where so many people spend their energy trying to put up walls and make their words seem important, try stepping back from it all.
For more guides, you can also check our last blog about golden rules for conversational writing as part of your journey in writing. Lastly, remember that writing online is often an exercise in connecting with others and turning off your inner editor. Connect with us to help you with your content marketing!
