POV

How do customers perceive you online? It begins and ends with your point of view and tone of voice. ? ✍️ Overwhelmingly, brands with their POV and tone of voice nailed outperform their “meh” competitors – you know, those forgettable brands with a bland presence. Consistently presenting a brand across all platforms increases revenue by 23%. When a brand has a strong point of view with clearly defined values, 64% of customers say that creates kinship and encourages them to buy. Another 77% of customers say they buy from brands that share their values. (How do brands express their values? Through their point of view!) So, if you have your brand voice on lock, you’ll more easily connect with your target audience, build trust, and convince them to buy. Unfortunately, some of the most common mistakes I see in content writing have to do with botched tone of voice or point of view. From clients we work with to students in the classes I teach to writers I talk to – a misunderstanding of these two fundamental writing concepts continually rears its head. The problem is misunderstanding can lead to major gaffes in communication. (Can you say disappointed, annoyed customers?) These are tricky concepts if you don’t know the rules and logic behind them. Luckily, learning about tone of voice and point of view isn’t too hard. Plus, the massive results you’ll earn are worth it: a more consistent brand presence that will draw your customers to you, consistently, time and time again. ? Let’s get into it. Your Guide to Point of View and Tone of Voice: Table of Contents What Are Tone of Voice and Point of View? 1. Tone of Voice 2. Point of View First-Person POV Second-Person POV Third-Person POV How to Use Tone of Voice and POV Correctly for a Better Brand Presence 1. Choose Your Tone of Voice from the Four Dimensions, Then Refine 2. Don’t Go Too Far with Tone of Voice 3. Choose Your Words Wisely Your Tone of Voice and Point of View Define Your Brand What Are Tone of Voice and Point of View? First up, let’s clearly define the meaning of point of view and tone of voice in writing. 1. Tone of Voice In communication, tone of voice determines how the writer comes across to the reader. What emotion(s) come through? How do they feel about the audience they’re writing to? Tone of voice directly affects communication no matter where or how you’re talking. In speech, the literal tone and pitch of your voice convey how you feel about what you’re saying and who you’re saying it to. Likewise, your writing tone of voice has a direct impact on how your audience interprets your meaning and intentions. In writing, however, the key is word choice. The words you use, and the way you phrase them, define your textual tone. Look at these tone of voice examples for an imaginary editing service. They convey the same message, but each has a different tone: Sympathetic tone: Writing is hard. If you need help refining your prose, we’re here for you. Witty tone: Writer’s block is as much fun as sitting in gridlock traffic for an hour. We get it. We can help you get unstuck. Direct, straightforward tone: We’ll refine your writing, correct your grammar, and make your work shine. Angry/combative tone: How the *$&!! did you get into this line of work with so little talent?! You obviously can’t write, so what CAN you do? (That last example isn’t copy so much as harsh commentary, but it’s a good taste of how your tone of voice can change drastically by adding in a few all-caps and extra punctuation. This is a prime negative tone of voice example.) A good synonym for tone of voice is writing style. 2. Point of View Point of view (POV) is perhaps more confusing for some people than tone of voice. Let’s clear the air. Point of view refers to the narrator of a piece of content and their particular perspective. This is the person who’s telling the story, relaying the information, or reporting the events. Everything is told from this person’s point of view. However, sometimes the narrator is not the writer, and vice-versa. The writer may assume the POV of someone else, essentially stepping into their shoes and writing from their perspective. This can be a different person, character, or entity (such as a brand or organization). Whether you’re writing as yourself or writing as someone else, you’ll use different types of POV: Source: Grammarly First-Person POV This type of POV is the most personal. With first-person, you’re writing directly from your own experience (or directly from your chosen narrator’s experience) using words like “I,” “me,” and “mine.” Example: I know writing is hard. For me, I had to read and write every day before I became any good. First-person POV also can be plural, i.e., one person speaking on behalf of many. In this instance, you’ll use words like “we,” “us,” and “our.” Example: We know writing is hard. For us, the key was to read and write every day to improve our skills. The 1st-person point of view is one you’ll see most often in personal stories, where people are describing their experiences. You’ll also find it in modern fiction writing. Ann Handley uses first-person writing to great effect in her blog posts: Second-Person POV Writing in second-person means you’re talking directly to the reader, using words like “you,” “your,” and “yours.” Example: You can learn to write well. It just takes a bit of practice. Soon the skill will be yours to command. Sometimes, first and second-person POV can intermix – you can write both personally and directly. Example: I know how difficult writing can be. You don’t need to be intimidated, though. You’ve got this! This is the most common type of point of view you’ll find in online content writing. See this example from Brian Dean … Read more