Writing, the way it has been taught is pretty formal. However, does today’s formal writing tone give businesses a spike in traffic or the much-wanted engagement? Mostly never! In this case, conversational writing might be precisely what is needed.
Writing in a more conversational tone makes individuals feel like they are being spoken to personally. On the other hand, formal writing might put most online readers off and is best used in composing documents for official purposes, academic papers, and official correspondence.
Particular research by Neil Patel states that 247% more people read the entire article when written in a conversational tone. An informal approach may help you connect with your readers instantly while enhancing readability if you’re blogging, copywriting, or working on an email or content marketing project.
7 Tips to Achieve a Conversational Tone in Writing
1. Use active voice
An active voice can ensure intelligibility by making it plain to the reader who is doing the action in the phrase. Furthermore, active voice emphasizes that the actor (or grammatical subject) comes before the verb, emphasizing the subject once again. The subject, verb, and object are the sequence of words in an active voice sentence.
- Active voice example: ‘I performed a study on primary school instructors.’
This sentence construction emphasizes the topic of the phrase, indicating who did the research.
- Passive voice example: ‘A study on elementary school teachers was performed.’
It is unclear who conducted this study in this statement.
2. Short sentences over long sentences
Shorter sentences are usually better when it comes to readability, this is because humans rarely speak in extended monologues, and hefty sentences risk losing the flow. Focus on getting to the point and avoid writing paragraphs with more than 4-5 sentences.
3. Know who you’re writing for
Understanding your target audience is a critical aspect of conversational writing. Every generation converses using different slang. If you try to connect with everyone, you often end up connecting with no one. So, you must first determine your target audience. The more exact you are when identifying, the better. This leads to precision and crisp writing.
4. Use simple words
A vast vocabulary is not what the internet is looking for. To increase readership, use words that are easy to understand. You might have to use complex words to communicate a more exact meaning at times, and you might not be able to avoid them because of the subject matter. It’s OK to use them in some situations.
5. Tell a story
People respond very well to stories as they provide an emotional connection to the subject matter. Turning facts and figures into a story format can help drive up engagements.
Formal writing example
Our company’s objective is to supply everyone globally with a nutritious and healthful fruit-based breakfast that is low in fat and sugar.
Storytelling version
Our company’s purpose is to deliver the delicious tang of blueberries and the soothing warmth of a cup of oatmeal to kitchen tables worldwide.
6. Personalize your content
Use terms like ‘you’ and ‘I’ to make your reader feel like you are talking directly to them instead of reading off a screen. Personalizing the content has been shown to increase engagement with the reader.
For example,
- ‘Social media marketers should check using Instagram to interact with their audience.’ – This is an example of generalized content.
- The following will be written in a more conversational tone like this:
‘If you’re a social media marketer, Instagram is a great way to engage with your target demographic.’
7. Let the rules of grammar take a backseat
The rules of grammar, which we have been taught since childhood, can be challenged in conversational writing, for example:
- A preposition can be used to terminate a statement
- You can use and/but begin a statement
- You can use a contraction. It would be best if you employed them frequently in your content
- You do not need to compose whole sentences.
Conclusion
Our English professors have consistently preached to us about the significance of writing formally and how to write officially. How often are we expected to write officially now that we are out of school? Very rarely. We are so accustomed to writing formally that we do so even when we are not required to. Writing professionally is an expensive yet typical error made by bloggers. Instead, we should write in a conversational tone, especially in marketing and media, as it can increase readership and relatability. Several professional content writing services like PepperContent can help you achieve just that!
FAQs
What is a conversational writing style?
A conversational writing style is distinct from standard contract text. It helps a write-up sound more like a conversation than a stiff and impersonal note.
Which writing style is more conversational and straightforward?
If you were speaking personally to your audience, use a personable tone (readers). Informal writing is often written in a conversational tone. The writer will often utilize the first person (I and us) and the second person to address the reader directly (you and your)— a straightforward framework and approach.
What does a conversational tone look like?
Simple and easy to read, conversational writing: Get rid of the passive voice. Instead of writing ‘you are adored by me’ (inactive), write ‘I adore you’ (active).
What is the definition of conversational grammar?
In other words, conversational grammar is considered a unique application of English’s standard grammar, a finding that does not negate the need to study spoken language grammar.
