Stop Writing Like A Robot
Please do us all a favor and stop trying to write for Search Engine Optimization — write for the person you want to reach. Write like people, people!
Please do us all a favor and stop trying to write for Search Engine Optimization — write for the person you want to reach. Write like people, people!
Lately, I've been seeing tons of AP Stylebook writing. Do you even know how stuffy it reads? Drop the weird industry buzz words and phrases you'd only see in a textbook.
Write For Me!
Write For Me!
Yep, write it just like this. The way I am writing this blog is human, friendly, and warm. It's kind of like I am talking to a real person. You are a real person, right?
Of course, the "who" you are talking to can and will change, but let's be real, reading a blog written in a casual tone builds rapport with your audience, you can almost hear the words coming from my mouth. Or keys in this case.
Your Marketing Copy Sucks Too
Your Marketing Copy Sucks Too
OK, I am ripping off the Band-Aid, hair and all!
If your marketing copy feels stiff, rigid, and cold… Good luck selling whatever you want to sell. Writing like a company is great, but last I checked, people write the marketing copy for the company. People need to write for people.
Are there subtleties in all the stuff I just vomited above? Of course. If you're writing copy for a funeral home or an attorney, your words may have a more serious tone, but they should always feel human.
The Goal? Touchdown
The Goal? Touchdown
The goal of any words —written or spoken — is to engage your audience and get them to know, like, and trust you. You can start by sounding human, ok?
So you might be asking yourself… "Self, how do I know if I sound human?" I'm glad I asked that question for you. Here are some tips:
1. Write it and read it… OUT LOUD! If it doesn't sound human when you read it out loud, you let your inner marketer take over. Shame on you! Try again.
2. K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple Stupid): Unless you're a Harvard Law professor or Harvey Specter, avoid language that makes you sound like the smartest person in the room. No one needs proof of your perfect SAT score.
3. Are you selling me or telling me? DON'T YOU HATE WHEN PEOPLE WRITE IN ALL CAPS? if your writing is loud, over-the-top, and obnoxious, you might sound like a pitchman. If you make me laugh, show me your personality, and identify with me, I am more likely to trust and buy from you.
Almost Final Thought
Almost Final Thought
Just because Merriam-Webster added irregardless to the dictionary doesn't make it ok to use. The word is regardless.
Final Thought
If you don't like reading your own words out loud, there's an app for that. Actually, a website: NaturalReader lets you copy and paste your words and will read it back to you in a human voice.
To check if your words are overly wordy you can go to another website: Hemingway App lets you see if you're talking above people's heads. Stick to 5th-grade level as a good rule of thumb. I was able to dumb this one down to Grade 3. You're welcome.
Okay, ACTUAL FINAL Thought (I promise…)
If you're interested in learning how to really polish up your writing skills (and want do it without unearthing repressed memories of high school English class … ), we can help. Our killer writing courses cover everything from storytelling, emails, sales letters, headlines, etc. Check them out here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read your copy OUT LOUD. If it doesn't sound like something you'd actually say to a real person, you've let your inner marketer take over and you need to try again. Ken also recommends using NaturalReader to paste your words and hear them read back in a human voice.
Yes, there are subtleties—your tone might be more serious for a funeral home or attorney. But even with serious topics, your words should always feel human, not stiff, rigid, and cold.
Stick to a 5th-grade reading level as a good rule of thumb. Ken uses the Hemingway App to check if his writing is too complex and actually dumbed this blog post down to a Grade 3 level.
Ken recommends NaturalReader (a website that reads your copy back to you in a human voice) and Hemingway App (which checks if your writing is overly wordy or talking above people's heads). Both help you avoid sounding like a robot.
Writing for search engines makes your content sound stuffy and full of weird industry buzzwords you'd only see in a textbook. The goal should be engaging your audience and getting them to know, like, and trust you—which only happens when you sound like an actual human.
