If you can recall your high school English classes, you’re likely to remember the strong advice given by your teacher to never write the way you speak. Essays, tests, exams and term papers all required prose that was professional and grammatically correct. In school, this made sense, we suppose. But, at the time (for this blogger, anyways!), blogging hadn’t yet existed.
A blog (short for “web log” in case you were unaware”) is the modern-day essay that serves a much greater purpose than your average term paper. Instead of a good grade, a blog writer’s main objective is to engage his/her readers with interesting and relevant content that is pertinent to the company website where the blog is hosted.
A blog is meant to be your “voice”.
It’s important to note that blogs represent the “voice” of a brand. They are meant to endear readers to a company much the same way a customer service representative is meant to provide a pleasurable business interaction. At the end of the day, it’s all about making good impressions. And, in the blogging world, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re writing in a “professional” manner.
Of course, blogs are professional pieces of work. However, your “voice” is one that may often incorporate particular phrases and idioms that wouldn’t belong in a high school English essay. The use of grammar can be a lot looser than it is in a term paper. Beginning a sentence with the word “and”, for example, is acceptable in blogs, but not in school. Can you find any such sentence in this very blog?
Blogging the way you talk conveys authenticity.
When you blog the way you talk, you simply become more likeable, more approachable – more real. Blog readers appreciate this because they’re generally not out to proofread your text, but instead are interested in learning something new and gaining insight into ideas that may make their lives easier.
“It’s okay to be more conversational in your writing,” agrees Lindsay Kolowich on HubSpot.com, “The more approachable your writing is, the more people will enjoy reading it. People want to feel like they’re doing business with real people, not robots. So loosen up your writing. Throw in contractions. Get rid of the jargon. Make a pun or two. That’s how real people talk — and that’s what real people like to read.”
Kolowich highlights the fact that your blogs should be “effortless to read”. And while she encourages bloggers to not be “too stiff” when writing, it’s important to note that such things as correct spelling and appropriate tenses are still very much needed. A healthy dose of English language mastery combined with speaking like you talk can certainly help your blogs to be readable and engaging.
Would you agree?
If so, please don’t hesitate to contact MeloTel to learn about how our team of Bloggers & Creative Writers For Hire can begin composing thought-provoking and compelling blogs for your company website. It’s OUR job to write in YOUR voice. Give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
