Nowadays people are not interested in cold and factual content. You want something authentic. They want conversations with people. That’s partly why Reddit takes top spots in search results because people know they’re going to read something authentic. That’s why it’s smart to create more conversational content. But how do you do that? Read this blog to find out!
What is conversation content?
Plain and simple: it’s like writing with someone. Not To someone. You don’t give a lecture. You are having a conversation with your audience. However, I would suggest that you leave out the “ums” and “ahs” as well as multiple uses of “like” or other filler words, as these can be a little, er, distracting or annoying in a text.
For language purists: This also means abandoning some of the more formal writing conventions, such as never starting sentences with “and” or “but.”
Why conversational content?
As mentioned in the introduction, people don’t want to read cold and dry texts. You probably don’t want to read a textbook answer that says, “Conversational content is the art of writing the way you might speak to other people.. You and many others want to feel like you are reading something written by another person. And one way to achieve that feeling is to create conversational content.
Because if you write like you’re having a conversation, there’s a good chance your audience will want to too talk back. Or in nice marketing terms: engage with your content.
How do I start?
You now know what and why. Let’s take a look How to start writing conversation content. The easiest way? Write a new blog post. Choose a topic that interests you and fits your business or content strategy, then write the way you say it with Your audience! I know, I know, it’s not that easy. So here are a few tips.
I’m writing this post…
Let’s get out of the way with a quick tip: write in the first person. So use I-clauses as I have done so far.
In general, speaking may seem more professional, but that’s not what you want. If you want to sound authentic, like a human being, you should say goodbye to general statements. No more “Our product is great and a lifesaver.” Instead, you can write, “I used our product for my own small business and this is how it helped me.”
…And you read it
Don’t forget to address the other side of the conversation. You. The reader. Address them as if you were having a conversation with someone. Don’t say “people” so often. Try using “you” instead.
For example, instead of writing “People want more connection,” write “They probably want more connection.” See? Much more personal when spoken to.
Ask questions
Do you like it when people ask you questions? Probably, right? As with any good conversation, it’s nice to ask questions. They make the other person feel heard and spoken to. So, utilize this while writing content. Ask people questions and you will see that they already feel more engaged.
Don’t use difficult words
Unless! Ha, there’s always an unless. If you know your audience really goodand you are sure they will understand this or that difficult wordthen carry on. In general, however, experts also value content that is easy to understand.
So no difficult words. You will only leave your readers ambiguous! Worse, some may see it as diatribe and accuse you of being hesitant (see how annoying it is when you don’t know half the words? If you do, kudos to you!). In short: When people lose focus or interest in your content, or simply Don’t understand itthere’s no way they’re going to go along with it.
Keep it short, okay?
Think about it: When you talk to someone, do you use sentences that are three paragraphs long? Probably not. This means that when you write, you should also keep your sentences short. It also makes your content easier to read, which has a positive effect on readability!
Pssht, if you have the Yoast SEO plugin, it checks if your sentences are too long. If so, the plugin will highlight them for you. This makes rewriting easier!
Emphasize Your words
With italics! It almost sounds like a slogan. But yes, it can help your lyrics sound more natural. Why? Because you also emphasize words when you speak. Sometimes it can even change the meaning of your sentence.
For example (a very Dutch example, because if you live in the Netherlands, your bike will be stolen one day. It is the circle of life): “I not “Are you saying he stole my bike” means you really didn’t say that. But if you say, “I didn’t say that He “I had my bike stolen,” you want to emphasize that it wasn’t him, but someone else.
Don’t write “not”
I’m a big fan of contractions. grammar Contractions, that is. They make text sound much more natural. Because let’s be honest: Do you say “I don’t want any more coffee” or do you say “I don’t want any more coffee?” Probably the second, right?
Use not And I am And You are etc. will sound much more natural to readers. This means your content will also sound more like a conversation.
You are human, so write like one
Does that sound threatening? I mean this in the nicest way possible! In order to write good conversational content, you have to “let go” a little. The professional in you needs to take a step back and create space for your personality to shine through. Because if you can make your writing sound like that Youit will sound much more natural.
It all boils down to the statement: “People no longer want impersonal and business-like content.” They want to read content created by people. So let your own personality shine through. Make a little joke. Heck, use silly words like “delulu” instead of delusional every now and then (just make sure your text is still readable by everyone). Just be yourself.
Add examples and anecdotes
Another great way to write like a human is to add examples. Personal Examples, to be precise. It doesn’t have to take long. You don’t have to tell us every detail about your life, but sharing your personal experiences can help make a text feel more personal.
Keep the conversation going
Okay, you’ve written a post or conversation piece. People are engaged, maybe even commenting! Don’t let the conversation end there. Answer them. Use their point of view, insights and questions and perhaps create another piece of content. Build on the conversation. Keep it up!
What type of content is suitable for conversational content?
Finally, before you pour out your heart and soul (and personality) into your content, let’s look at what type of content works.
One easy option is opinionated pieces. Did something interesting happen in your field? Write content about it and give your opinion. Add your voice to the conversation.
But really, any piece of content can become a conversation piece if you write it that way – if you use your own voice and personality and make it your own. Check out this post! Technically it is a guide. These can be very dry. After all, you are just passing on information. But I used the conversation content tips to make it interesting. I hope I did a good job.
Let me know if so 🙂 And good luck writing!