Readership as per the definition is, ‘the number of people reading a particular article, newspaper, magazine etcetera regularly. This is a major factor that defines the traffic on either your post or an article and seen as an ideal mark to hinder towards. Perhaps, one way of attracting the readership to the desired platform is by using a conversational style of writing as an attempt to pen down a flowery language. It aims at the target audience by communalizing both readers and the host by the use of words like ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘together’, forming togetherness and accountability. A conversational tone makes an article sound like a conversation/dialogue between two people over the screen. We must have come across such a conversation while communicating with your English teacher, who taught you on similar lines with long paragraphs, precise grammar, and no contractions. This perhaps has seen a huge downfall with the introduction of the Internet, where language turned into abbreviations, short sentences, and ‘cool’ sentences. However, with time, we now understand the importance of a conversational style of writing as one of powerful, engaging, and helps connect with your audience. Through this article, let’s attempt to turn the tables, and put across how important and fun conversational styles are, irrespective of them being rather difficult and pushing you towards the path of unlearning. For a better understanding of how you could learn to use the conversational tone in your daily blogs, posts, email, website etcetera, we have come with 6 simple steps/checklists to help you write.
Here is how you can use the conversational tone to make your content more professional to readers:
1. Make use of simplicity in writing:
We understand the urge of using a new word you just learned in your daily reading, but unfortunately, the internet can’t be the place for you to use it. Using simple words could help you put across your post in a rather simpler and targeted way towards a wider audience. However, it is understood, there are circumstances where you could be directed towards the usage of complex words as a necessity. Therefore, the crux of it all is to use basic simple language as a basis of writing and complex when absolutely necessary.
For instance:
Instead of using,
“He commenced learning to utilize that difficult machine, next, his proficiencies ameliorate.”
have a simpler approach like,
“He started to learn to use that difficult machine, then, he improved his skills.”
2. Normalize the use of ‘I’ and ‘You’:
Unlike formal writing, conversational writing requires you to make the article more personal in context for the readers. This helps build a tone projecting a one-person tone addressing the readers reading the post, blog on your website.
For Instance:
Use a more conversational tone of writing like,
“If you are a writer and like reading, you must try logging into Wattpad to connect with your audience as a writer.”,
instead of
“Writers must try logging into Wattpad to connect with their audience as writers.”
3. Narrate Stories:
It is human nature to be compelled by stories as they appeal towards personal emotions, engaging sensory triggers to the audience. Therefore, using a narrating style helps the audience read the content much better and weirdly associate and help them.
For instance:
This sentence here,
“Our company’s mission is to provide the world with nutritional fruit-based gluten-free breakfast.”
This version could be transformed into a storytelling version like,
“Our company’s mission is to bring the healthiest breakfast platter with the sweet tang of fruits in a comforting warmth of a bowl to your kitchen tables throughout the entire world”.
4.Keep your sentences short:
This affects the level of difficulty for the readers as they read the article. This may also end up with them quitting the platform affecting the readership of your website. Also, use words in a sentence with fewer syllables, they reduce the readability.
For instance:
“Rohit made Ritu a beautiful handmade gift and gave it to her for her 20th birthday as Rohit tries to win her heart because he is in love with her.”
This sentence is too long and would require 2-3 reads to be fully understood. Here is how you could break the sentence:
“Rohit is in love with Ritu. He made her a beautiful handmade gift for her 20th birthday. Rohit is trying to win her heart.”
5. Use active voice for the sentences:
It is important to keep in mind to use active verbs and prevent the use of passive verbs. Simply eliminate the extras and place the subjects in front.
For instance:
“The flowers were placed by Jack on the table.”
This sentence discourages the engagement unlike the use of active verbs like:
“Jack placed the flowers on the table”
6. Encourage questions:
When you think of a conversational tone of writing, the first thing that comes to mind is Questions! It helps in the engagement of the readers by encouraging them to think actively. The intention shouldn’t be of putting the audience in a spotlight, so make sure you have follow-up answers immediately.
For instance:
“Do you know what’s the highest peak in the world? Mount Everest of course!”
To Conclude:
The simple agenda is - If it sounds like writing you must rewrite it! This is a good rule to follow a conversational tone in your article. Always try reading your article out loud, this will help you review any unnatural and stilted word.
