Your website is one of the first introductions most people are given to your company, your brand, and your products or services. Because people tend to make snap judgments about businesses and this is their first glimpse, it is important that people feel like they can identify with what you are saying and selling. The last thing you want to do is alienate them before they have a chance to get to know why you are what they need. In order to create a good website that people can relate to, here are a few ideas that you can incorporate.
Write Your Content in a Conversational Tone
People are more likely to feel comfortable when they feel like they belong on your website, and one of the best ways to do this is to address them in a conversational tone in your writing. It’s crucial to find the balance between professionalism and a more relaxed tone of writing that will make readers feel like they belong on your website. In order to achieve this balance, try a few of these ideas:
- Address the reader directly: use “you” and “we” and pretend that you are addressing a friend.
- Don’t be a grammar nazi: Your grammar should be correct, but you don’t have to write your copy like it is an academic paper. Feel free to use clichés, slang, contractions, or anything that fits well with your brand.
- Avoid super technical terms: Unless absolutely necessary, don’t write in jargon or technical terms. The average person probably won’t understand what you are trying to say and they may decide that it is too much work and give up.
Show Your Personality
What better way to relate to other people than by showing your own personality? A funny story or anecdote can go a long way with helping your website visitors feel like they’re getting to know you and your brand much better. What’s even better is that a little personality will give you a distinct voice that can help the reader create an emotional connection to you. Some tips for showing your personality in your content are:
- Let your voice show in your writing
- When appropriate, make jokes or tell funny stories
- Share personal stories
- Try new formats you find interesting
Chunk the Information
Huge blocks of text, no matter how helpful they may be, are going to be hard for readers to get through. Even if you’re an expert on a topic, it’s important to convey information in a compact manner that is easy for others to understand. Try to vary sentence lengths, break up content so it’s easy to read, and use smaller words. By doing each of these things, you’ll give visitors a chance to get to know you and learn more about what you have to offer. To chunk the information, try these suggestions:
- Use bullet points to break up text
- Add quotes
- Remove insignificant information
- Break up large paragraphs into smaller ones
Incorporate Images
Humans are visual creatures, which means incorporating images on your website is crucial. No one wants to read content that is straight text without anything to break it up. The more photos you can use, the better your content looks, but it will also help your audience feel more connected to you. When you tell a story, make sure you find a photo to go with it. If you are teaching them how to do something, include photos of the steps. Using photos to humanize yourself and your website will do wonders for helping you convert your audience into loyal followers. When choosing photos, remember these tips:
- Make an “about” page with photos so visitors can get to know you and put a face to the name of the person they are reading about.
- Remember that the images you use will ultimately help represent your brand. Choose wisely.
- Use a photographer for images of your employees or products.
Have a Purpose
No matter what type of website you’re managing, your website needs to have a clear purpose that you can clearly communicate to your audience. If you can’t tell them what your website is about in a few sentences, you may need to clarify your purpose a little better. Are you a retail website, an industry resource, or a general information blog? Is your content intended for professionals or are you trying to help people learn something new? Making sure that you are focusing on the right audience and that your content is tailored to them specifically will help those people feel more comfortable on your website.
Wrap Up
It’s true that today, it’s more difficult than ever before to make your website stand out in a sea of others. However, it’s not impossible if you have a smart strategy. Website visitors repeatedly respond better to websites that are more candid, honest, and relatable. By taking this into account, you’ll be able to make positive changes that really engage your audience and help them get to know you.
