How to Write World-Class Conversational Content
The internet has forever changed the way we communicate— especially when it comes to written content. Today, it’s all about engagement (pulling your audience in and connecting with them in meaningful ways). The strict punctuation rules and formatting styles of the past are no longer mandatory.
Sure, there’s still a need for formal writing online (white papers and academic articles, for example), but there has been a major shift in content style overall. The rise of social media and web-based reading has led to an increased demand for written copy that’s concise, impactful, and immediately captivating.
So… how do you go about switching to a conversational writing style when you’ve been taught to do the opposite? And what are the most important changes to make? In today’s post, I’ll be discussing how to write like you talk and sharing my best pointers for conversational content.
Here are 7 Tips for Writing World-Class Conversational Content
1. Strengthen Your Conversational Content By Focusing on Readability
When comparing conversational writing vs formal writing, readability is a key consideration. Often, an informal tone in your writing makes it easier to read. The formal writing techniques we were taught in school often include long sentences and words that we rarely hear in everyday life. Today, you want to focus on saying what you mean, communicating clearly, and adding personality to your copy.
In a nutshell? When it comes to conversational content less is more. Using short, easy-to-understand wording will improve reader comprehension. Remember, your content is being read on a variety of screens (phones, laptops, tablets, etc). Using concise language eliminates the “wall-of-text” format, making your content more digestible and therefore increasing the likelihood your target audience will read it.
2. Make Your Brand Real By Writing Like You Talk
One of the biggest issues with a formal writing style is the barrier it can create between a brand and its ideal customer. People connect with one another— they do not connect with large corporations or dull, humdrum content.
This is why creating real, human-centered conversations is so important. Your brand needs to be personable.
To achieve this, you’ll want to regularly incorporate the word “you” in your copy to make it seem as though you are speaking directly to your reader— the same way you would if you were chatting with them face-to-face.
You’ll also want to be wary of using the passive voice. Write as if you are in the moment with your reader. Instead of saying “Your email will be answered within 24 hours”, say “We’ll get back to you by tomorrow at the latest”.
3. Get Comfortable with Rejecting (Some) Grammar Rules
Before the grammar police come to whisk me off to copywriting prison, let me be clear— grammar exists for a reason. It should never be disregarded entirely. But if you want to truly connect with your online audience, knowing when (and how) to bend the rules can be extremely beneficial.
Let’s put this into context.
The sentence “In which city do you reside?” is grammatically correct, but unless your target market consists of Elizabethian Literature students, they likely don’t speak like that. It’s far more effective to simply say “Where do you live?” or even “What’s your location?”.
It’s also okay to use terms or phrases that are obviously grammatically incorrect if your ideal customer would use the same wording in real-life conversations.
McDonald’s famous catchphrase, “I’m lovin’ it”, for instance, should technically be “I am loving it”— but it just doesn’t achieve the same casual vibe.
Use discretion, but don’t be afraid to challenge the norm.
4. Read Your Content Out Loud
I can’t recommend this enough. If you want to learn how to write conversationally, read your copy out loud either to yourself or with someone else. Did you stumble on any of the words? Are there sentences that feel weird to say? Is there a specific term that’s hard to pronounce? These are all signs your conversational content is falling short.
You can also read your content to a friend or coworker and ask them if there’s anything they didn’t understand. Run-on sentences, confusing phrases, and a lack of structure can all make your content more difficult to understand.
5. Consider How Your Ideal Customer Communicates
This is an absolute must if you want to succeed in switching to conversational writing vs. formal writing. Formal writing kind of assumes your reader is an academic, business official, or another person in a “formal” role. With conversational writing, this isn’t necessarily the case.
Conversational content is 100 per cent customized to your target market.
If you’re a makeup brand and your target audience is young women between the ages of 16 and 34, for example, you might use common “Gen X” beauty phrases or terms like:
“Selfie-worthy”
“Flawless”
“On Fleek”
These terms, while informal, give your copy a youthful, feminine flair that will resonate with your ideal customer.
Ultimately, it’s all about knowing who you are speaking to and using the language they already use in their everyday lives.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Contractions
Of all the benefits of conversational content, one of the most convenient is the fact that writers can use contractions. These handy writing tools are used frequently in everyday speech and represent the joining of two words. For example, “do not” contracts to “don’t,” and “will not” contracts to “won’t,” and so on.
Students are often taught to avoid using contractions in essays and other writing assignments, but in conversational content, not using them will actually make your writing sound awkward. Take note of how often you use them in your own conversations, and you’ll quickly realize using them is a must when learning how to write conversationally.
7. Spice Up Your Conversational Content with Personality
Learning how to write like you talk can make the writing process enjoyable for you (the writer) and just as fun for the reader. A more informal style of writing lets you add plenty of personality to your content. Even practical, how-to guides or instructional content gets a little more creative when it’s conversational.
How can you add personality to your writing? Don’t be afraid to include personal examples that relate to the subject matter. If you’re writing about car repair, you can include a real-life story about your first car. You can also add contemporary pop culture references, use cheeky humor, or include references to your own professional or personal background. All of these strategies will help your reader connect with the writing on a personal level.
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