Content writing is a powerful tool to communicate information and engage audiences in various contexts. It can be used to create legal documents, business reports, news articles, academic papers, marketing materials, emails, blog posts, and social media posts.
While content writing may seem like one skill set that can be applied across all types of writing tasks, there are three distinct styles: formal writing, professional writing, and conversational or informal writing.
Each style has unique characteristics, which need to be considered when creating content for different scenarios. This article will explore the differences between these three content writing styles and guide when it is appropriate to use each type of voice for maximum impact on your audience.
Formal Writing
Formal Writing is typically used for official documentations such as legal contracts or agreements; business reports; news articles; and academic papers or coursework submissions – any context where precision and accuracy are key values needed in order to ensure clarity of meaning while maintaining an authoritative tone throughout the text at hand.
Formal language follows a rigid structure with only vocabulary choices to avoid colloquialisms and slang words at all costs to convey a sense of respectability.
When writing formally, it is essential to be specific and use precise language to ensure that the intended audience fully understands the message being conveyed.
It is also essential for a writer of formal content to adjust their tone appropriately depending on context; for example, when drafting legal contracts, a respectful professional voice should be maintained throughout, whereas business reports tend to require more direct yet still professional tones of speech or writing – overly colloquial expressions or slang words should still not feature within these types of documents as they offer no real value in terms of conveying your messages clearly and accurately.
Examples of Formal Writing:
- Legal Contracts
- Business Reports
- News Articles
- Academic Papers/Coursework Submissions
Professional Writing
Professional Writing can typically be found within marketing materials such as brochures; website copy; emails etc., where accuracy and rigidity are not necessarily key requirements but instead engaging content tailored specifically towards your target audience(s). Professional writers often employ more conversational language choices than would be seen in formal texts in order to encourage reader participation whilst developing an emotional connection between the customer/reader and the brand message at hand.
When creating professionally written text, an author should ensure that the language used is appropriate for the purpose of the message and should be easily understandable whilst still engaging. Different tones are also suggested depending on context; as a general rule, marketing materials tend to require more friendly and welcoming tones whereas emails necessitate a more professional approach with specific instructions or requests typically needing direct yet polite wording choices in order to guarantee efficient communication between all parties involved.
Examples of Professional Writing:
- Brochures
- Website Copy
- Emails
Conversational/Informal Writing
Conversational writing is usually created for informal contexts such as emails sent to friends and family; blog posts; social media posts etc., where accuracy and structure aren’t essential components of effective communication but rather free-flowing conversations utilising colloquialisms (words or phrases which are only spoken in certain geographical areas) & slang words instead. This type of content allows readers to feel closer connections with authors while providing them with an easy way into understanding any texts provided – especially helpful when tackling tricky topics!
When creating conversationally written material, it is important that authors adjust their tone appropriately according to the situation they are presented with. For example, emails sent to friends should display a friendly and light-hearted tone (obviously depending on the context of the message) while blog posts require more informative approaches, similar to those seen in professional writing.
Examples of Conversational/Informal Writing:
- Emails sent to Friends & Family
- Blog Posts
- Social Media Posts
How Professional & Conversational Voices Can Work Together Harmoniously
Both professionally written pieces and conversationally written content can work together seamlessly in order to create engaging material which resonates with readers. Professional writers can give off an authoritative vibe when creating their texts whilst conversational writers employ more relaxed language choices but both styles offer unique ways into understanding any messages provided as well as providing different perspectives which appeal differently to certain types of audiences.
When combining both voices within one text, authors must ensure that they maintain clarity throughout while also making sure that their tone is appropriate for the situation; for example business emails should be worded professionally yet politely whereas social media posts may require a more casual attitude towards communication in order to reach wider audiences effectively across these platforms.