Forum Moderators: not2easy
For example, in B2B services, can you use a more playful and lighter tone without alienating your audience? Will they think you're not serious? Conversely, what do people think of a heavier tone, focused on delivering strong opinions? How do you know what tone to adopt? Surely no online research shows you the psychological profile of your users so do you do it by testing?
What about being objective and unbiased in the information presented. For example, in tourist destination sites, do people appreciate straight forward, journalism type of articles, with no bias whatsoever or would they like to hear about personal experiences as well, letting personal impressions through, having their emotions stirred by using superlatives once in a while?
And last, but by no means least, are there any good books/resources which talk about how to form a unique voice and tone tailored to the audience? I've seen books mentioned here but I'm not sure to what extent they cover the subject. Feel free to sticky me with some URLs or recommend some books.
Think about what you're "selling" what image are you trying to communicate? In B2B people are looking for stability and professionalism, writing like Hunter S Thompson (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) will only turn people off in a business context. But, in a tourist context it could make for some very interesting reading.
People visiting tourist information sites want information on their destination and this can be delivered in a dry objective manner, but then how is this different from other travel websites? What would set your travel website on Paris apart from the thousand others? One reason the Lonely Planet travel books are so popular is that they mix information and personal experiences together, so you feel like you're reading something unique and informative, not just a textbook. I see content writing as another way to create a unique attribute for your site, which people will remember and want to read again (if you target the correct audience).
Forming a unique voice is really up to you, what type of writing style do you like and identify with? Books are avaliable, but a dictionary focused on your subject is perhaps more important. How can you create a business website without understanding the business terms and language that your audience understands? Researching sites similar to the one you're designing could also be a good place to start developing a specific voice. What are they doing that you find interesting and how can you change their technique to create your own voice?
Naturally, the tone should match the topic. A corporate law firm will need a more sober, professional feel than a beach apparel site. As Boltzmann suggests, complementary design is important too. Ideally, all site elements should be consistent with the image you are striving for.
Sometimes injecting a different tone may not be an obvioius choice, but if done well it can make your content stand out. I work with an author who is great at injecting wry humor into otherwise dry articles, and the resulting content is far better for it.
A copywriting strategy that is used a lot in traditional advertising (very focused copywriting) is to (a) present the concept to sell, (b) create related questions in the mind of the viewer, (c) ratchet up the emotional value (creating a "soft spot" for the sales message to enter into), (d) insist that your concept answers the questions, and (e) instruct the viewer in how to better themselves by buying into the concept.
Basically:
(a) Got milk?
(b) Milk develops strong bones for your active kids.
(c) Are your kids in danger of breaking bones at play?
(d) Only milk provides an easy and delicious solution.
(e) Get milk.
Variations might emphasize one or another of the steps, depending on the target demographic. In the "milk" case, for instance, you don't need to be told where to get the product, just that you need it.
In the case of a travel site, many people are "sold" on such a concept by being better-able to visualize themselves on vacation. Some people prefer to have the "phone book" descriptions of what-where-when, and most people apreciate that sort of information when they arrive at the travel destination. But during the sales process, most people will appreciate being able to relate to the sales item personally...which in that case is NOT the island nor the food, but the sense of relaxation the vacationer will enjoy. In this case, a nice piece of copy emphasizing how delightful the various aspects of the vacation are might work best.
A: "You can get food at a number of restaurants."
B: "Be sure to visit the Blue Crab for the tastiest crabcakes on the planet!"
Just a thought.
:)
It turned out people understand there are always problems and your credability increases if you admit that up front.
Probably wouldn't always be appropriate, but worked for me.
One technique I use is to profile a typical prospect or customer in detail, and write the content as if that person were my only audience. It helps you focus and makes for more powerful writing.
