All posts by chriswilliams

Writing Content: Choosing the Right Tone

Conveying the Right Tone

Creating quality content is not as easy as it sounds. So many decisions go into crafting content that will have the desired effect of attracting traffic and converting visitors to customers. One very important decision is the tone to take in any given piece of content. There are essentially three different types of tone to consider, but each is adaptable according to precise needs. A tone can be direct and authoritative, friendly and helpful, or enthusiastic and persuasive. For each web page that contributes content, the writer must keep a number of factors in mind before choosing a tone and deciding how to adapt it.

The Website’s Overall Tone

Above all, a piece of text must conform adequately to the tone set by the site overall. If a site’s brand is upbeat and quirky, for instance, a cautionary piece full of doom and despair is a terrible fit. The contrast is not always that stark, of course, as further examples demonstrate. Sometimes, for instance, subtle differences can be found with content written for young professionals as opposed to content directed toward seasoned veterans in a given industry. Cultural expectations and norms affect the language, inflection and tone common to target audiences. Straying too far from the atmosphere that a target demographic expects will confuse readers and possibly turn them away.

Formal or Informal

Most website owners want their sites to have content free of glaring typos and grammatical catastrophes. A website full of misspellings is an embarrassment. The real question, though, is how rigid the expectations of perfection should be. Some content mills, for example, forbid the use of contractions in all pieces of writing for clients. Formal, grammatically correct writing has no contractions. While this unyielding standard contributes to pristine sentence structure, it can also create an overly stuffy tone for some sites. Writers have to perform grammatical acrobatics to achieve a casual tone within these restrictive conditions.

The Voice of Authority

An overly formal and rigid voice is particularly a danger when aiming for an authoritative tone. A voice that conveys expertise need not contain language that inspires yawns. The key is to build phrasing that implies savvy and subject command without alienating readers.

Stay Calm and Avoid Slang

Too much casual phrasing, however, can lead to content that appears amateurish. This is the risk when going for a friendly tone. Writers have to be certain that their relaxed tone refrains from descending into slang and the appearance of carelessness. Writers going for helpfulness and a pleasant voice still need to sound professional and trustworthy.

Controlled Enthusiasm

When the goal is to create the type of energy that entices visitors to become customers, writers must aim for controlled cheerfulness. Like a friendly tone, one that conveys enthusiasm can too easily slide into an amateurish appearance. Skilled writers, however, learn quickly how to be lively and witty without abusing the exclamation mark. Persuasion is a valuable tool, and talented writers can wield that tool with the right level of energy.

Breaking the Rules

The most important thing about rules is knowing when to break them. A site known for its friendly and agreeable tone, for instance, can occasionally have a sober piece of writing when applicable. Similarly, a site that aims for a tone of industry expertise can lighten things up now and then when appropriate. A blog area or a section of the website that makes a tone transition smooth is a great way to add variation without showing disregard for the site’s overall goals.

Getting Started

The best approach to determining the right tone is to answer a few simple questions before getting started.

1. What overall tone does the website/brand set?

2. What is the goal for this particular piece of content, and how does it serve the whole site?

3. How formal should the writing be?

4. What length is most appropriate for the piece?

When in doubt, work with a content provider that can offer adaptable and effective solutions that meet your unique needs.

Contact us for a quote on providing you with high quality content.

Writing Content: Choose Your Point of View

Choose the Right Point of View

Great quality content is one of the most crucial ingredients for a successful website and a lucrative business. The phrase content is king might be terribly clichéd, but it is nonetheless true. Readers and potential customers have high expectations of the websites they view. Failing to impress means losing site visitors and the potential income they represent.

Point of view is one of the major considerations in producing impressive content of a textual nature. Choosing the right POV sets the tone for a piece of web content and determines how well readers connect with the piece and the organization. There are three points of view from which to choose.

First Person POV

This one tends to be casual and personal. Pieces in this point of view use pronouns such as “I” or “We” for the subject. The narrative is from the perspective of the author.

“I think you will enjoy this brief piece about choosing a point of view.”

(or)

“I tested this digital media product thoroughly, and it ranked highly in several categories.”

In these examples, the point of view is that of the author. They express the author’s personal thoughts. As seen in the second example, the first person POV can be great for reviews. For most business purposes, though, the first person point of view is not appropriate. It lacks a professional tone, and it often fails to connect the reader to the business. A more meaningful and productive connection usually comes from the second person POV.

Second Person POV

In this point of view, a piece is written from the perspective of the reader. It uses “you” and “your” to establish the point of view. This is the perspective that has the best chance of connecting the reader to the business and its purpose.

“You will see better results in connecting to readers when you use this POV.”

(or)

“You are more likely to enjoy an article if you feel it was written with your perspective and experiences in mind.”

This POV can be confused at times with the first person POV because there is an occasional “we” or “our” sprinkled into the text. Look at this next example, for instance.

“You will understand this more clearly when you purchase one of our content creation packages.”

In the example above, the perspective is still with the reader, but the sentence references the business providing the text. The key is to stay with the second person point of view while still mentioning the role of the business. It can be a little tricky, but experienced content writers understand how to adhere to the correct point of view.

Third Person POV

When the desire is to create an authoritative voice, third person is the best POV to apply. This point of view is inherently objective in it presentation, making it ideal as a perspective for providing information with a ring of authority. Content classified as articles will generally use a third person POV. The third person POV typically uses “they” or “it” to establish the perspective, if a perspective is explicitly expressed at all.

“Most organizations will use the third person POV to convey objectivity and unbiased professionalism.”

The point of view in this example is generalized, with the pronoun of “they” being implied through the use of “most organizations” in this case. The information in the text could apply to any organization, and it is presented as factual.

That same sentence can be rewritten in three ways, depending on the point of view chosen.

First Person: “I will use the third person POV to convey objectivity and unbiased professionalism.”

(or)

Second Person: “You will use the third person POV to convey objectivity and unbiased professionalism.”

(or as originally presented)

Third Person: “Most organizations will use the third person POV to convey objectivity and unbiased professionalism.”

Making a Final Decision

Ultimately, the choice for point of view in a piece of content will depend on the goals for the page. The type of connection desired is the foundation of the decision. Understand that, and the best selection becomes a little clearer.

Contact us for a quote on providing quality content for your website needs.