Use active voice to direct your readers
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2025 6:30 am
The active voice confuses many marketers and writers. It seems silly to nitpick about verbs, but it's important when you're speaking directly to your readers .
However, the active voice does matter.
Compare these two sentences:
Hello Bar is a great conversion tool with all the features you need.
Hello Bar offers conversion features fishing and forestry email list to increase sales and email signups.
We've changed more than the voice (the first is passive and the second is active ), but you get our drift. Instead of saying , "Hello Bar is...", we said, "Hello Bar offers..." It's a small difference, but it makes a difference.
16. Back up your claims with solid evidence
Just like writing a good dissertation , you need to back up your claims with solid evidence. That's why we like to use case studies in our content. They provide solid evidence that we know what we're talking about.
For example, Valvoline , a premium automotive brand, increased coupon sending speed by 76% using Textel’s MMS Picture Texting. The brand also saw a 20+ second reduction in average delivery time, a 90+% conversion rate to SMS coupons versus email coupons, and an 8% increase in coupon redemption rates.
This is compelling evidence. The numbers don't lie.
Social proof works really well too. Testimonials, expert recommendations, and influencer reviews can help you convince readers to take a second look at your product or service.
17. Mention the most important point at least three times.
Three is a pretty powerful number—and we're not even talking about the witches in Macbeth.
When you repeat something three times, it is more likely to stick in your readers' minds. They will remember the thought, phrase, or sentence because they have seen it often.
That's why it's a good idea to use the same (or similar) call to action on your Hello Bar, signup page, and other pages on your site. Get it into your readers' heads.
18. Include a strong call to action
YOUR CTA can make or break a conversion. Seriously.
Marketers who use boring, generic calls to action often see conversion rates drop.
For example, “Submit” is the worst call to action you can use. It only tells your reader that they are going to submit the form. Boring. And a wasted opportunity.
The best calls to action help the reader say yes. And who wouldn't say yes, please, to this call to action from Wool and the Gang.
WoolGange Example of a strong call to action
Image courtesy of Wool and the Gang
The CTA is powerful because it offers a clear reward of 15% off, which grabs attention. It uses fun language like “JOIN OUR GANG,” which makes it friendly and inviting. Plus, it promises cool extras like new models and promotions, enticing people to sign up.
However, the active voice does matter.
Compare these two sentences:
Hello Bar is a great conversion tool with all the features you need.
Hello Bar offers conversion features fishing and forestry email list to increase sales and email signups.
We've changed more than the voice (the first is passive and the second is active ), but you get our drift. Instead of saying , "Hello Bar is...", we said, "Hello Bar offers..." It's a small difference, but it makes a difference.
16. Back up your claims with solid evidence
Just like writing a good dissertation , you need to back up your claims with solid evidence. That's why we like to use case studies in our content. They provide solid evidence that we know what we're talking about.
For example, Valvoline , a premium automotive brand, increased coupon sending speed by 76% using Textel’s MMS Picture Texting. The brand also saw a 20+ second reduction in average delivery time, a 90+% conversion rate to SMS coupons versus email coupons, and an 8% increase in coupon redemption rates.
This is compelling evidence. The numbers don't lie.
Social proof works really well too. Testimonials, expert recommendations, and influencer reviews can help you convince readers to take a second look at your product or service.
17. Mention the most important point at least three times.
Three is a pretty powerful number—and we're not even talking about the witches in Macbeth.
When you repeat something three times, it is more likely to stick in your readers' minds. They will remember the thought, phrase, or sentence because they have seen it often.
That's why it's a good idea to use the same (or similar) call to action on your Hello Bar, signup page, and other pages on your site. Get it into your readers' heads.
18. Include a strong call to action
YOUR CTA can make or break a conversion. Seriously.
Marketers who use boring, generic calls to action often see conversion rates drop.
For example, “Submit” is the worst call to action you can use. It only tells your reader that they are going to submit the form. Boring. And a wasted opportunity.
The best calls to action help the reader say yes. And who wouldn't say yes, please, to this call to action from Wool and the Gang.
WoolGange Example of a strong call to action
Image courtesy of Wool and the Gang
The CTA is powerful because it offers a clear reward of 15% off, which grabs attention. It uses fun language like “JOIN OUR GANG,” which makes it friendly and inviting. Plus, it promises cool extras like new models and promotions, enticing people to sign up.