If you talk to any great content marketer today, you’ll likely hear a common saying:
“Write for humans first, Google second.”
Whether you’re a copywriter, content marketer, product marketer, you run social, it doesn’t matter. The same principles always apply: write for your customers first.
At the end of the day, they’re the ones who you want to:
- Consume your content
- Relate to you
- Provoke an emotional response from
If the content you’re putting out isn’t resonating with your customers, then it’s back to the drawing board.
Think about it this way… What’s the last piece of content you consumed and sent to a friend or peer? Why is that?
As someone who’s working at a lot of startups, and as a result, been the marketer wearing every possible hat, this is the most recent piece of content I’ve shared with my peers:
Semrush wrote a script that spoke to me, a marketer, but also a human. It made me like Semrush that much more because they were able to make me laugh and feel seen. All from a 22-second clip.
When you write, you’re in service to your reader. That reader is a human at the other end of the screen. So, as you write, put yourself in the shoes of the humans you’re talking to.
Ask yourself, “Would they want to read this?”
Let’s walk through three ways to make your writing cleaner, clearer, and more confident.
Tip one: Write with confidence
In any scenario, confidence is a great way to build trust with your audience. If you want your writing to pack more of a punch, use these four tricks to make your writing sound more confident and powerful.
💡 Fun tip: While it’s a more common approach for public speaking, try the Wonder Woman pose before writing.
1. Eliminate filter words
“Filter words” are verbs that add narrative distance between your written piece and your reader. These words should be avoided. Think of it as the written version of the infamous “uhms and ahs”. Examples of filter words include:
- Noticed
- Seemed
- Saw
- Realized
- Knew
- Thought
- Decided
- Watched
- Felt
- Wondered
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of a sentence using filter words and one without. Which do you prefer?
2. Eliminate filler words
“Filler words” stop you from getting to the point in your writing. They erode the credibility and power behind your words and remove the confidence out of your writing.When writing, a good rule of thumb is to challenge yourself to cut most of your sentences in half. It can be tricky at first, but over time, you’ll be an expert!Filler word examples include:
- Just
- Actually
- In order to
- For what it’s worth
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of a sentence using filler words and one without. Which do you prefer?Here are some examples in sentences:
3. Write in the active voice
Active voice is easier for readers to comprehend quickly and accurately. It makes reading more accessible, especially for those who like to skim read. It makes it easier for the reader to digest your content.When you use the voice as a writer, you purposely identify your subject or who is performing the action in your sentence. The active voice makes it obvious to the reader who is responsible for the action being described.
- Passive voice example: A blog post was written about Greg from Succession.
- Active voice example: I wrote a bad blog post about Greg from Succession.
💡 Fun tip: If you’re feeling stuck, you can use AI to help edit your work and rephrase a sentence from passive to active voice. You can also use an editor like Hemingway App.
4. Be a minimalist
When it comes to your content, Marie Kondo it all. What doesn’t spark joy, sparks confusion.If you’re looking at a sentence you wrote and wondering, “Did I use too many filter or filler words?,” strip your writing down to its bare minimum. The core elements. Here’s an example of a sentence before and after editing it with a minimalist lens:
- Before: The mind needs time throughout the day to rest and relax in order to function its best.
- After: Your mind needs rest to function.
Tip two: Make it about your reader
As writers, everything we do is for our readers. There are a couple strategies you can explore to ensure that every piece you write is about your readers.
1. Call out specific experiences in your writing
A lot of writers, myself included, fall into the trap of wanting to write to a wider audience. But, if we really think about it, our audience isn’t reading our content with an audience behind them. They’re likely reading at their desk alone.
So, when you’re writing, don’t address everyone, address that one individual.
When looking at those two examples we can see that one feels way more conversational. It draws you in because it feels like it’s a one-on-one experience rather than words strung together on a page.
2. Avoid “corporate speak.”
Using jargon reinforces to your reader that they’re being marketed or sold to, and stops them from getting lost in your writing. Instead, aim to show empathy. It’s no wonder that there’s a million and one memes about corporate jargon words like:
- Supercharge
- Move the goalposts
- Drill down
- Low-hanging fruit
- Traction
- Check the box
- Devils advocate
- Moonshot
- Double-click
- Mission-critical
- And the most infamous of all: Synergy
Here’s an example to help you avoid corporate jargon in the future:
Instead of: This may seem like a lot of information but with time and practice you’ll learn each of these writing tactics.
Go for something like: At this point of the course you’re probably asking yourself: “Okay great, Sarah, but how do I actually remember all of this?”
Tip 3: Make it easy to digest
When it comes to writing, especially for pieces that are hosted on the Internet, always ask: “How is this content useful for my reader?” Keep this in mind for pieces like blog posts, articles, emails, and presentations. The more digestible the content is, the better!
Humans naturally read from left to right in an F-shaped formation, so it’s important that the content we’re creating is easy to digest.
Another way to think about this is to optimize your content for scannability. In practice, consider using a mix of content types in your piece, including:
- Bullet points
- Pull quotes
- Breaking up large chunks of text into smaller sections using headings (H2s, H3s, H4s, etc.)
- Images
- Embedded videos
Ultimately, you’ll want to give your readers the ability to quickly scan your work and easily find the info they’re looking for.
Good marketers can write, great marketers can connect
As a writer, you’re in the service industry. Aim to serve the key information to your reader as clearly, quickly, and accessible as possible.
And of course, follow the golden rule of writing for humans first and Google later.
P.s. If you want to take your writing a step further, join our copywriting challenge to learn how to craft compelling value propositions, infuse personality into your brand writing, and structure high converting landing pages.
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